Davidson College trustees adopt blueprint for innovations on campus

By KATHERINE JOHNSON
DavidsonNews.net

After two years of study, Davidson College has adopted a new strategic plan that outlines initiatives to help the college flourish in the future, including diversifying and globalizing the curriculum and student body, creating a Center for Teaching and Learning, and increasing enrollment by 150 students.

College trustees unanimously adopted the strategic plan at a meeting on campus Oct. 2. It grew out of a two-year strategic assessment that began after Tom Ross became president in August 2007.

President Ross initiated the assessment to help determine how Davidson should “change in order to remain the same.” He wanted to maintain Davidson’s commitments to teaching and learning, honor and integrity, service and leadership and the Reformed Presbyterian tradition, while adapting its practices to a rapidly globalizing society.

Tom Ross (Christopher Record photo)

“You can’t expect to do business the same way to remain the same in the future,” President Ross said in an interview.

The strategic assessment involved the entire Davidson College community. “This is a plan that has been developed with the input of a lot of people, and it does represent, as close as is possible, a consensus on our direction,” President Ross said.

More than 70 faculty members, along with myriad students and staff members, helped develop the plan, with help from the Center for Applied Research, an outside consultant.  The committees and study groups developing the plan relied heavily on e-mail surveys of students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and trustees to evaluate Davidson’s existing strengths as well as potential changes.

INNOVATIONS AHEAD?

So what are the key innovations Davidson should make to thrive in the coming years?

According to the plan, Davidson should focus on five strategic objectives:

• Environmental sustainability.
• Extending the reach and effectiveness of academic work (teaching and learning objectives).
• Creating an inclusive community and curriculum.
• Strengthening the commitment to diversity.
• Internationalizing the campus by admitting more international students and increasing international curriculum and awareness.

Although Davidson cherishes its identity as a liberal arts college, President Ross said he hopes the Strategic Plan will lead to more interdisciplinary majors and a reassessment of Davidson’s current strict and extensive distribution requirements.

Under those requirements, students must take 10 courses in 6 different academic disciplines as well as exhibit competency in a foreign language, but President Ross said the requirement might be too narrow and may need to be broadened “so that people have more flexibility.”

On the other hand, as an institution “deeply commited to the liberal arts,” Davidson must ensure that students are exposed to a wide variety of knowledge areas. President Ross anticipates that changing the core requirements could lead to contention and controversy.

NEXT CHALLENGE: IMPLEMENTATION

“We’ve got a lot of hills to climb [in implementing the strategic plan], but we’re excited. Any plan is a living and breathing document and is subject to change,” President Ross said.

President Ross does not prioritize any objective above any other, but instead stresses their interdependence. “The objectives are so deeply intertwined that it’s impossible to do one without advancing the others,” he said.

To achieve certain objectives, however, the College will have to make decisive changes.

For instance, to carry out the teaching and learning objective, the college plans to create a Center for Teaching and Learning that will incorporate programs for both faculty and students in areas like writing, digital literacy and oral communication, as well as support students with special needs.

And to diversify and globalize the student body and curriculum, the college will have to expand enrollment by 150 students incrementally over the coming years.

While no timeline for implementing the plan has been set yet, Ross has selected an implementation team that will meet and devise a timeline.

HONORING TRADITION

President Ross also talked about the importance of maintaining connections to the Presbyterian reform tradition, although that’s not directly addressed in the plan. While Davidson’s Presbyterian affiliation is rooted in history (Davidson was founded by Presbyterians in 1837),  it also is in keeping with Davidson’s commitment to diversity and acceptance.

“Our tie to the reform tradition is part of who we are. It is an open and accepting tradition and we want to be an open, diverse community,” he said. “We want this to be a place that is comfortable for everybody, no matter their religion, home or ethnicity.”

President Ross also stressed the importance of town-gown relations in ensuring strong futures for both the Town of Davidson and the College.

“Since I’ve been here I’ve tried to work with the down, because [the college] is dependent on the direction the town goes, and the town is dependent on the direction [the college] goes,” President Ross said.

“We share too much of life together not to be helpful and cooperative,” he added,.

DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

Davidson.edu official web page about the strategic plan.

Download a copy of “Our Future: The Davidson College Strategic Plan,” dated Oct. 5, 2009, and adopted by the Trustees. (PDF, requires Adobe Reader software.)

April 9, 2009, DavidsonNews.net, “4-min. interview: Ross on sustainability, town growth.” Listen to an audio interview with Tom Ross, part 2 of 2.

April 2, 2009, DavidsonNews.net, “4-min. interview: Tom Ross on economy and education.” Listen to an audio interview with Tom Ross, part 1 of 2.

Oct. 22, 2007, DavidsonNews.net, “Davidson’s new president brings ‘a passion for the place.’”

March 9, 2007, DavidsonNews.net, “Davidson picks alum Ross as president”