Strategic Plan
What is the vision for Guttman’s future?
The Strategic Plan, Guttman Forward 2028, underscores our commitment to five Strategic Pillars:
- Elevate Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
- Support Student Success and Academic Excellence
- Amplify Employee Vitality and Engagement
- Advance Growth
- Optimize Operations
For these 5 Pillars, we defined College-level strategies, key performance indicators and targets to guide us toward our desired outcomes. The Strategic Plan is enhanced by coordinated multi-year plans in academics, enrollment management, technology and facilities. In addition, each unit identifies annual SAGE Profile practices aligned with the Strategic Pillars to move us closer to collectively meeting our institutional goals.
Strategic Pillars
Pillar 1 - Elevate Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDIB)
We will achieve equitable student and employee outcomes and advance social and racial justice inside and outside our classrooms.
1.01 Expand the United Men of Color (UMOC) program to better connect male students of color to supports and mentorship
1.02 Develop external partnerships to supplement supports and mentorship for male students of color
1.03 Integrate culturally responsive pedagogy practices and the anti-racist writing program more widely across the curriculum
1.04 Engage the Guttman community in the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation process to attain more equitable employee outcomes
1.05 Target recruitment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions to build paths for their graduates to teach at Guttman
1.06 Assess job applicants’ commitment to the College’s mission and equity, diversity, and inclusion values
1.07 Use student performance data and student experience data disaggregated by race/ethnicities, genders, and other student characteristics to monitor progress toward equitable outcomes and adjust for challenges
1.08 Use employee experience survey data disaggregated by race/ethnicities, genders, and other characteristics to monitor progress toward increased employee satisfaction and equitable outcomes and adjust for challenges
1.09 Align annual unit practices and strategic pillars in SAGE profiles to monitor progress on an annual basis and adjust for challenges
Pillar 2 - Support Student Success and Academic Excellence
We will prepare students to thrive beyond our doors by providing an intellectually stimulating, experientially rich education with clear pathways and comprehensive student support from a community committed to teaching, service, and scholarship.
2.01 Leverage early performance indicators to connect students with support resources as soon as possible
2.02 Create an educational journey map with key milestones from entry to graduation
2.03 Streamline the transfer process for graduating students through stronger partnerships with 4-year colleges
2.04 Centralize academic success support for tutoring, supplemental instruction, and peer-led learning
2.05 Centralize advising and transfer support for educational planning for Guttman courses/majors and for applying to 4-year schools after graduation
2.06 Enhance experiential learning with specific learning outcomes throughout the curriculum
2.07 Increase internship opportunities and career-focused preparation across all majors
2.08 Expand opportunities for academically motivated students in the Honors Program
2.09 Increase access to counseling and wellness services to help students achieve their academic and personal goals while sustaining interpersonal and psychological well-being
2.10 Use student performance data (learning outcomes rubric ratings, course pass rates, graduation rates, transfer rates) and student experience survey data disaggregated by race/ethnicities, genders, and other student characteristics to monitor progress and adjust for challenges
2.11 Enhance direct assessment of student learning by expanding use of embedded assignments aligned with course/program outcomes and documenting findings and related improvements
2.12 Align annual unit practices and strategic pillars in SAGE profiles to monitor progress on an annual basis and adjust for challenges
Pillar 3 - Amplify Employee Vitality and Engagement
We will cultivate an environment where there is a spirit of teamwork, a shared sense of purpose, and where employees feel appreciated, supported, and proud to say they work at Guttman.
3.01 Strengthen reliance on representative forums of faculty, staff, administrators, and students (e.g., Academic Senate, College Council, Guttman Leadership Team, Student Government Association) to discuss relevant issues and improve transparency in the decision-making process
3.02 Clarify protocols for administrative versus governance decision-making, including a review of overlapping governance/non-governance committees’ responsibilities and responsibilities tied to individuals’ positions to minimize duplication of efforts, improve role clarity, and reduce service burdens on faculty, staff, administrators, and students
3.03 Implement academic department structures with specifications about roles and responsibilities related to programmatic leadership
3.04 Develop master communication plans that outline the audiences, types of messages, purposes of messages, the dissemination platforms, the schedule, and the senders – in coordination with multi-year planning calendars
3.05 Increase access to professional development and resources to promote employee wellness and work/life balance
3.06 Increase access to professional developmental tracks with topics that support long-term, successful careers at the College
3.07 Sustain formal and informal channels for cross-college team building
3.08 Use employee experience survey data disaggregated by race/ethnicities, genders, and other characteristics to monitor progress toward increased employee satisfaction and equitable outcomes and adjust for challenges
3.09 Align annual unit practices and strategic pillars in SAGE profiles to monitor progress on an annual basis and adjust for challenges
Pillar 4 - Advance Growth
We will serve more students more effectively by expanding availability and access to our educational offerings, while retaining quality of support and services.
4.01 Strengthen the college’s identity and image for marketing and communications to prospective students
4.02 Expand recruitment for new enrollment pipelines: spring cohorts, transfer-in students, adult learners, online programs, evening/weekend students
4.03 Expand pre-college programs (College Now, CUNY Language Immersion Program – CLIP, CUNY Start, Math Start)
4.04 Leverage early performance indicators to connect students with support resources as soon as possible
4.05 Improve student engagement/attendance in academic courses
4.06 Improve student engagement with support services and community spaces to sustain a sense of belonging
4.07 Implement an academic recovery program for students on probation
4.08 Implement a financial literacy program to help students better manage college expenses and aid and to minimize enrollment disruptions due to cost
4.09 Increase opportunities for financial support for undocumented students
4.10 Create an educational journey map with key milestones from entry to graduation
4.11 Implement new degree, online, and career track programs that capitalize on the expertise of faculty, are aligned with industry standards, and meet market demand
4.12 Increase new full-time faculty hires proportionate to student enrollment and new program offerings
4.13 Use student enrollment and performance data disaggregated by race/ethnicities, genders, and other student characteristics to monitor progress and adjust for challenges
4.14 Align annual unit practices and strategic pillars in SAGE profiles to monitor progress on an annual basis and adjust for challenges
Pillar 5 - Optimize Operations
We will build efficiencies into the implementation, maintenance, and assessment of operations by streamlining processes, innovating systems, and better utilizing technology.
5.01 Determine staffing capacity and resources needed before committing to new initiatives
5.02 Develop standard operating procedures (i.e., administrative guidelines, how-to guides, grant approval process) that are easily accessible through the College web/intranet (internal network)
5.03 Create multi-year calendars of major events in coordination with communication plans
5.04 Strengthen advance planning with annual institutional effectiveness calendar that integrates planning, budgeting, and assessment
5.05 Identify and secure new external funding sources to support strategic priorities
5.06 Develop a facilities plan for new space with about 165,000 usable square feet that meets academic, administrative, and student needs
5.07 Develop online/electronic options to complete administrative processes without paper
5.08 Increase reliance on the College web/intranet (internal network), rather than relying heavily on email-only distribution
5.09 Develop a technology plan that outlines the College’s future as technology-rich environment for faculty, staff, and students to work and learn
5.10 Align annual unit practices and strategic pillars in SAGE profiles to monitor progress on an annual basis and adjust for challenges
Timeline
What is the Strategic Plan schedule of activities?
Guttman Forward 2028 is a six-year plan that was endorsed in December 2022. The six-year timeline outlines yearly activities.
| Year | Stage of Progress | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Year 0: Development Year | • Develop mission, vision, values |
| • Develop institutional pillars, KPIs, & targets | ||
| 2022-2023 | Year 1: Development & Implementation Year | • Adopt mission statement |
| • Adopt strategic plan pillars, KPIs, & targets | ||
| • Develop/ implement practices at division/unit levels | ||
| • Monitor 1st year early outcomes | ||
| 2023-2024 | Year 2: Monitoring & Improving Year | • Monitor 2nd year outcomes |
| • Document annual practices, findings, & improvements in SAGE Profiles | ||
| 2024-2025 | Year 3: Monitoring & Improving Year | • Monitor 3rd year outcomes |
| • Document annual practices, findings, & improvements in SAGE Profiles | ||
| 2025-2026 | Year 4: Monitoring & Improving Year | • Monitor 4th year outcomes |
| • Document annual practices, findings, & improvements in SAGE Profiles | ||
| 2026-2027 | Year 5: Monitoring & Improving Year | • Monitor 5th year outcomes |
| • Document annual practices, findings, & improvements in SAGE Profiles | ||
| • Start preparing for 2029 MSCHE self-study | ||
| 2027-2028 | Year 6: Summative Year & Development Year | • Summative review of outcomes |
| • Document annual practices, findings, & improvements in SAGE Profiles | ||
| • Develop next strategic plan |