Dec. 22, 2022: Strategic Planning—Summary of Emerging Ideas

Dear Students and Colleagues,

I hope you are well as the winter break approaches. I’m writing to provide an update on our strategic priorities review process. Many thanks to the over 200 staff, faculty and students who participated in the open meetings in late November and to the 65+ people who shared thoughts in the surveys.

The goal of these conversations was to discuss what priorities we may want to add to those developed in 2017–2018. Students, staff and faculty provided many insights on this question, as well as additional thoughts on ways to modify or advance the existing priorities. Your input was wide-ranging and really appreciated. Below are brief summaries of the broad themes that emerged most frequently. We are also keeping track of the many specific ideas you shared, as well as your suggestions about process and how best to bring together the good thinking from across the Whitman community.

Following the winter break we will convene discussions among students, staff and faculty, as well as with alumni and the board of trustees, to further advance and refine ideas, and to talk about additional information we may need. Until then, I wish you wonderful holidays and a great start to the new year!

With warm wishes and many thanks,

Sarah Bolton

Summaries of new themes that have emerged most frequently in campus discussions. (Note: this is just a list organized based on what we heard. It doesn’t represent any decisions about new strategic pillars.)

Vibrant, thriving student community that supports wellness, learning, growth

Wellness—physical and mental health support
A community of belonging; meaningful friendships and connection from the earliest parts of orientation through all four years.
Residential life: Safe, accessible, affordable housing for students
Vibrant opportunities for student engagement across many kinds of interests—music, athletics, outdoor programs, service/community engagement, clubs.
Campus Safety and sexual violence prevention

Thriving faculty and staff

Making Whitman a great place to work and a first choice for faculty and staff: welcoming culture, professional development, compensation, mission, flexibility. Housing affordability
More opportunities for new and continuing staff and faculty to get to know one another
Compensation and benefits, housing affordability
Shared governance

Environmental Sustainability, climate change, climate adaptation and climate justice

Whitman should be an excellent steward of resources and model best practices, including reducing carbon footprint towards carbon neutrality, Water use; Grounds, native plants, fertilizers; Construction—LEED certification; Composting, recycling and waste minimization
Sustainability as a curricular focus- significant opportunity to build on this strength given that our region is an extraordinary site for direct learning and engagement with many crucial issues (sustainable energy, hydropower, wind power, climate change, water rights, fisheries, policy issues, conservation, public lands, agriculture, indigenous communities and lands, and much more)

Global Whitman

Whitman to the world—global learning in classes and internships, off campus study.
The world comes to Whitman—support for growing numbers of international students, faculty and staff.

Suggestions related to the priorities developed in 2017:

Ethical local engagement and place-based learning: (Currently called “Celebrating our Location”)

Change the name of this theme.
Contribute actively and ethically as a partner in our region
Make the most of the exceptional learning opportunities associated with our location.
Engage substantially with the College’s history, and Marcus Whitman’s history, in ways that are honest and reparative with those harmed, especially CTUIR

Curricular and academic topics: (Currently called “Innovating our Curriculum”)

Support both faculty knowledge production and student/faculty collaborative research.
Broaden experiential learning opportunities across the curriculum
Support learning that prepares students to make a difference for good. For example, emphasize civic engagement
Support for access and thriving—ARC expansion, inclusive pedagogy and universal design
Classroom spaces—re-evaluate and improve teaching spaces to give students more agency, provide more collaborative space.
Ability for students to access courses that perennially have a great deal of demand.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism topics: (Currently called “Enhancing Diversity, equity and Inclusion”)

Take actions that improve our ability to increase the diversity of faculty and staff. Focus on ensuring inclusive and equitable working environment and retention as well as recruitment.
Campus accessibility and ADA
Support for neurodiversity

Access and affordability topics: (Currently called “Increasing Access and Affordability”)

Strong endorsement of the importance of meeting full need
Remove barriers to full academic access (course fees, etc.)
Improve equity of co-curricular access with financial support for higher-need students
Address food insecurity, affordable housing and transportation.
Improve how the College communicates with families and students about resources.

Helping students prepare for a strong launch after graduation: (Currently called “Connecting to Life After Whitman”)

Continue to broaden access to internship and mentored research opportunities, including by strengthening connection to alumni & parents eager to provide opportunities of this kind for Whitman students.
Consider offering a guarantee of internships or research opportunities for all students as a culmination of the arc that starts with career-coaching
Continue to grow support for connecting students to internships, fellowships & certifications.