Annual Focus Areas

1. Student success: We support student success by educating them with high impact curricular and co-curricular academic programs, engaging them with collaborative opportunities, and empowering them through attention to wellness and belonging as measured by student persistence and retention.
2. Integration: We educate students across academic disciplines in ways that integrate theory, practice, and performance; that engage faculty and students in collaborations and explorations across the institution; and empower the whole campus community to work together with an institutional mind-set to support integration.
3. Sustainable and appropriate size to support future success: We advance our mission through responsible stewardship and strategic leveraging of institutional resources.
4. Equity, inclusion, and belonging: We cultivate an inclusive and supportive environment for all members of our community by educating and engaging through an equity framework.

1. Improve Ithaca College’s financial sustainability through the development and implementation of a comprehensive marketing and enrollment strategy that results in a stabilized enrollment pattern of 1,380 to 1,420 new full-time undergraduate students each year.
2. Increase student retention and graduation through a data-informed student success and retention strategy.
3. Develop a comprehensive philanthropy and engagement strategy to increase financial support for the college while also supporting our enrollment, student retention, and student success goals.
4. Continue to build the infrastructure that will facilitate the college’s transformation from a school-based mindset to an institutional mindset, fostering student exploration and faculty collaboration through the development of systems, structures, and processes that are institutional rather than school specific, where appropriate.

1. Continue the development of a 5-year financial sustainability model. (Our Investments)
2. Increase student retention leading to increased graduation rates. (Our Investments)
3. Provide a transformative student learning experience that exemplifies Ithaca College’s leadership in meaningfully connecting theory, practice, and performance. (Our Purpose)
4. Increase alumni engagement and leverage alumni expertise. (Our Future)
5. Enhance our capacity to deliver a student living and learning environment grounded in Ithaca College’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. (Our Commitments)
6. Make Progress on Ithaca College’s Master Plan (Our Investments)
7. Embody Our Commitment to be an employer of choice (Our Investments)

The third year of Ithaca Forever’s implementation continues an emphasis on our community—from health and safety to our connections with one another—and fuels our forward momentum as we stabilize and evolve our institution. The college’s strategic work this academic year aligns with these six priorities:

1. The development of a Community of Care
2. Furthering our work to build a sustainable financial model
3. COVID and public health management
4. Diversity, equity, and inclusion
5. Enrollment, retention, and engagement
6. Leveraging innovations in our teaching, learning, and working

Despite the disruptions of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the college has continued implementation of the Ithaca Forever strategic plan. Four principles in particular informed the focus areas of this academic year:

1. Stabilize Finances/Generate Revenue
2. Focus on enrollment, academic success and student engagement
3. COVID Public Health Management/Preparedness
4. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion