Strategic Pillar 2: Commit to Excellence Through Innovation

Excellence Through Innovation compels us to adopt an innovative approach and mindset to create a distinctive Holy Family University experience. We will support and achieve a culture of excellence by a strategic investment of our resources to strengthen academic program offerings where we have a foothold and/or evidence of potential new growth and the development of faculty and staff competencies. To ensure the optimum environment for students, we will define and enhance the distinctive Holy Family University student experience that tends to the mind, body, and heart of each student. Supporting these facets will require attention to strengthening the Holy Family University business model and achievement of optimal student enrollment.

A. We will optimize Holy Family University’s Academic Portfolio.

• Determine what is most essential in providing a liberal arts education and professional programs to educate students for societal needs in the 21st century.
• Position HFU as a leader in the region offering a variety of learning modalities to accommodate different student needs.
• Establish the Newtown campus as the health sciences campus and assess the feasibility of additional fields related to extended health care. 
• Innovate HFU’s current academic programs including finding new dimensions to be developed or optimized with a focus on interdisciplinary considerations and credentialing programs.
• Develop a support system and pathway to prepare students to be competitive for national awards and recognition: Fulbright, Marshall, Rhodes, Truman, and others.
• Develop and sustain the Center for Teaching and Learning as the central leader in ensuring professional and academic success for students at all levels and supporting faculty in enhancing classroom pedagogy and assessment; incorporate best practices into all undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

B. We will expand opportunities for the non-traditional learner.

• Design a distinctive HFU approach to fully integrate non-traditional students into the HFU culture through quality online learning.
• Provide opportunities for assessment of prior learning.
• Position HFU as a leading provider for continuing education for the professions.
• Provide various degree pathways to individuals who seek training and licensing in the trades or in technical fields.

C. We will examine and assess new business models that serve current Holy Family University students and reach out to new populations of students.

• Create several models that streamline the educational program (curricular, co-, and extra-curricular) and deploy technology to appropriately achieve administrative and instructional efficiencies.
• Evaluate the risks/rewards of different tuition and financial aid models to serve more students and generate higher net revenue.

D. We will identify, acquire, and integrate innovative technology for effective learning and efficient operations.

• Research and further develop a technology master plan and budget for the aspirational classroom design of the future, including on-site, online needs, and hybrid options.
• Accelerate access to information to better serve our key stakeholders (students, faculty, and staff), by creating an HFU intranet and other related vehicles.
• Expand faculty knowledge and skills to integrate appropriate technology to enhance teaching effectiveness.
• Develop and implement a plan that ensures 24/7 technology support for HFU’s students, faculty, and staff.

E. We will define, design, and build the Holy Family University distinctive student experience.

• Create, describe, and brand the “Holy Family Student Experience” that integrates the liberal arts, professional programs, and experiential opportunities. This experience should be grounded in “The Culture of Family,” exceed students’ expectation in what they can achieve and promote a holistic approach to education that focuses on learning, wellness and resiliency.
• Design and implement a programmatic effort to embed developmental elements into the undergraduate student lifecycle
• for residential and commuter students, including the First-Year College Success course, opportunities for leadership development, career development, service, athletic participation and Learning Communities, with the goal of enhancing student success.
• Enhance the educational experience by requiring every student to complete a credit-bearing experiential course related to their major program of study.
• Routinely assess students’ satisfaction with, and valuing of, their Holy Family experience. Evaluate student feedback, share results transparently, and adjust plans/strategies as appropriate to address critical needs and reinforce areas of success.