Drew University Institutional Strategy Study Overview of Project, - - PDF document

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

Drew University

Institutional Strategy Study

Overview of Project, Findings and Recommendations December 13, 2017

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Purpose of the Study

 Bring a market perspective to strategic planning at the undergraduate level  Inform institutional strategy to:

• Attract and enroll more of the undergraduate students Drew

most desires

• Engage and animate alumni and donors
• Generate the revenue the University needs to engage its

mission

• With the ultimate goal of enhancing Drew’s ability to serve

students as well as possible

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

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Strategic Context

 Drew University has a long history of providing students a strong foundation in the liberal arts and propelling many into successful lives of career and service.  But like many small, liberal arts institutions in the Northeast, Drew faces a variety of external challenges that threaten its ability to generate the enrollment and revenue it needs to pursue its mission.  Additionally, the University’s market position has become less compelling as competitors have increasingly articulated their own positions and increased appeal among prospective students.  As a result, Drew recognized the need to take market factors into account when developing institutional strategy.

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Phases of Study

 Introspective inventory of potential strategic thrusts and positioning/differentiation assets

• Document review
• Discussions/qualitative interviewing (administrators, faculty,

students, trustees)

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

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Phases of Research

 Quantitative research with key domestic prospective student constituencies for fall 2017 (administered blind, phone-mail-phone, analyzed using Simulated Decision Modeling and other methods)

• Inquirers: 668 initial and 325 follow-up interviews -- 151

Non-Applicant Inquirers (NAI) and 174 Applicant Inquirers (APP), screened for admissibility and familiarity/interest

• Admitted Applicants: 275 initial and 113 follow-up

interviews -- 88 Admit-Declines (AD) and 25 Matriculants (MAT)

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Phases of Study, cont.

 Research with advancement constituencies

• Undergraduate alumni (quantitative): 451 completed

interviews

• 234 Recent givers: given in the last two years
• 117 Lapsed givers: given, but not in the last two years
• 100 Never givers: never given to Drew
• Major gift prospects (qualitative): 20 in-depth interviews

completed

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Phases of Study, cont.

 Synthesis of strategic implications and questions arising from research  Recommendations: substantive (academic, student life, etc.) and promotional

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Research Topics

 Drew’s current market dynamics and position vis-à-vis competitors

• Strengths and weaknesses
• Key decision factors

 Market sensitivities to positioning themes and strategic thrusts that may influence enrollment and giving/involvement behaviors  Sticker price and aid sensitivities

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Demographic Highlights

Demographic Highlights Qualified Inquirers & Admitted Applicants

 Two-fifths of inquirers and three-fifths of admitted applicants reside in New Jersey  About three-fifths of respondents are female, two-fifths male  Three-fifths are Caucasian/Asian and two-fifths are under- represented minorities  Average self-reported SAT score (ACT converted): Inquires = 1250; Admitted applicants = 1270  Average self-reported annual household income is about $100,000

• Respondents report a variety of intended majors
• Two-fifths of inquirers and one-half of admitted applicants

report that their intended major is in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering-related majors

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Demographic Highlights Alumni

 Two-fifths of respondents are from New Jersey; another two-fifths are from elsewhere in the Northeast  Three-fifths of respondents are female, two-fifths male  Four-fifths of respondents are Caucasian/Asian, and one-fifth are under-represented minorities  Respondents have an average self-reported annual household income of $160,000

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Demographic Highlights Major Donors

 Four-fifths alumni  Half current or former trustees  All have given to Drew University

• Four-fifths have given over $100,000 to Drew
• A third have given over $500,000 to Drew

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Key Findings: Current Market Dynamics

Key Findings Alumni and Major Donor Prospects

 While alumni and major donor prospects closest to Drew recognize and express concern over the University’s financial and enrollment challenges, both groups are generally optimistic concerning the University’s trajectory and future.

• There are some differences among alumni by giving history –

but there remains a generally positive view – and, importantly, higher capacity/higher givers tend to be more optimistic.

• Major donor prospects who are also current or former trustees

are more likely to be aware of Drew’s fiscal challenges, but major donor prospects overall are still fairly optimistic about Drew looking forward.

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Perception of Drew’s trajectory – Alumni by Giving History

Q1c 15

2% 2% 1% 12% 12% 8% 18% 15% 15% 43% 38% 50% 13% 14% 23%

• 100.0%

0.0% 100.0%

Never givers Lapsed givers Recent givers Very negative Negative Flat Positive Very positive

Key Findings Alumni and Major Donor Prospects, cont.

 Experiences and feelings are quite predictive of alumni ratings of Drew, but aren’t strong predictors of giving behavior broadly.  There were, however, some interesting findings along those lines:

• Career preparation is predictive of giving among 2005 – 2016

graduates

• Belonging, broad education, and community are predictive
• f giving among 1990 – 2005 graduates
• Belief and high-quality teaching are predictive of giving

among 1942 – 1989 graduates

• Belonging is predictive of giving among higher-income alumni

 These experiences and feelings are associated with Drew to varying degrees.

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Experiences while attending Drew – Alumni

Q2 Note: Mean ratings where 10 = ‘describes your experience there perfectly’ and 1 = ‘does not describe your experience there at all’ 17

8.7 a 8.7 a 8.5 b 8.2 bc 8.0 cd 7.9 de 7.8 def 7.8 def 7.6 ef 7.5 f 7.1 f 5.8 g 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Broad education High quality teaching Rigorous High performing peers Faculty mentors Career preparation Community Helpful staff Extracurriculars Active social life Experiential learning Sports participation

Feelings toward Drew today – Alumni

Q3 Note: Mean ratings where 10 = ‘feel this strongly’ and 1 = ‘do not feel this at all’ 19

8.4 a 8.0 b 7.9 b 7.6 bc 7.3 c 5.6 d 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fond memories Gratitude Satisfaction Belief Pride Belonging

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Key Findings Alumni and Major Donor Prospects, cont.

 While alumni report a reasonably strong history of charitable giving (even among Other givers and more recent graduates), Drew does not seem to be a priority for most.

• Not surprisingly, recent givers are much more likely to indicate

Drew among their giving priorities.

20 Q9 Note: Top response; 4% or more of responses shown; Reduced-base: Those who make

• r have made charitable gifts to a non-profit organization or cause

Organization or cause most likely to give donations to: Top response – Alumni

21 7% bc 27% a 23% a 11% b 8% bc 7% bc 6% c 4% c 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Drew Social or environmental agencies Your place

• f worship

Healthcare

• rganizations

Your child’s school Community

• r civic
• rganizations

Arts

• rganizations

Political

• rganizations

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Q9 Note: Top response; 5% or more of responses within a subgroup shown; Reduced- base: Those who make or have made charitable gifts to a non-profit organization or cause

Organization or cause most likely to give donations to: Top response – Alumni by Giving History

22 17% a 23% 22% 7% 7% 6% 5% 4% 4% b 31% 22% 11% 11% 4% 4% 12% 3% b 25% 27% 15% 4% 8% 3% 8% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Drew Social or environmental agencies Your place

• f worship

Healthcare

• rganizations

Community

• r civic
• rganizations

Arts

• rganizations

Political

• rganizations

Your child’s school

Recent givers Lapsed givers Never givers

Key Findings Prospective Students

 As Drew weighs its strategic opportunities and explores how it can positively impact its enrollment and revenue goals, it faces some significant challenges.

• Like other small, liberal arts colleges, Drew is impacted by:
• Declining demographic trends, which make the competition

for qualified students willing and able to pay private college tuition even more intense

• Widespread concerns about the relevance and value of a

liberal arts education and the cost of a private institution

• Trends in student interest toward larger institutions
• The economic challenge of operational costs rising more

quickly than family incomes

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Key Findings Prospective Students, cont.

 Within this environment, Drew is faced with some sobering market challenges, including:

• A competitive set of institutions that are largely unlike the

University in many important ways – less expensive, larger, etc.

• Unusually low ratings of Drew revealing a significant lag in
• verall appeal between Drew and the competition among

non-applicants and admit-declines.

• A much smaller than average number of “fence-sitters” –

non-applicants and admit-declines who rate the University 8-10.

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Realistic first-choice school of schools applied to or planning to apply to – INQ

S4 Note: Unaided responses; 183 individual competitors mentioned

25 0% 3% 3% 3% 1% 1% 89% ＊ 9% ＊ 10% ＊ 2% 1% 3% 3% 72% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Drew Rutgers New Brunswick Kean Rowan Rutgers Newark Seton Hall Other schools

NAI APP

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First-choice school of schools admitted to – A-D

S4 Note: Unaided responses; 61 individual competitors mentioned

26 13% a 5% ab 5% ab 3% b 3% b 2% b 2% b 2% b 2% b 2% b 2% b 2% b 57% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Rutgers New Brunswick Seton Hall TCNJ Fairleigh Dickinson Muhlenberg College Denison Harvard Montclair State Rutgers Newark SUNY Albany SUNY Buffalo U of Connecticut Other schools

Overall school ratings – INQ & AA, cont.

Q2 Note: Mean ratings where 10 = ‘best choice’ and 1 = ‘worst choice’; 6% of NAI and 24% of A-D rate Drew 8 to 10

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4.1 d 6.2 c 5.4 c 9.2 a 9.3 a 9.1 a 9.3 a 8.2 b 8.0 b 7.8 b 7.2 b 7.0 c 6.4 c 5.8 c 5.5 c 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 NAI APP A-D MAT

Drew 1st 2nd OA

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Key Findings Prospective Students, cont.

• A prospect pool that does not appear to be seriously

considering Drew

• 40% of applicants do not mention Drew when asked about

the schools they are applying to.

• Only 14% of admit-declines consider Drew to be their second-

choice.

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Key Findings Prospective Students, cont.

 The magnitude of the market challenge facing Drew is further indicated by perceptions that the University lags behind competitors on some key differentiators that its prospects seek and have come to expect.

• This includes perceptions about academics, campus

attractiveness, social life, rankings, post-college

• utcomes, affordability and, at a more tertiary level, the

University’s size.

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Attractive campus Placement Social life Affordable Warm & welcoming Lag Lead Imputed Importance

High impact Mid impact Some impact High impact Mid impact

Attribute Impact Analysis – NAI

Explains 39% of the variance in school ratings

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Attributes not Salient for Non-Applicant Inquirers

 Small  Internships/career development  Extracurricular opportunities  In or near city  Strong academics  Study abroad  State-of-the-art  Diversity  Highly ranked

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Attribute Impact Analysis – A-D

Explains 50% of the variance in school ratings

32 Warm & welcoming Highly ranked Affordable Strong academics Attractive campus NOT Small Lag Lead Imputed Importance

High impact Mid impact Some impact High impact Mid impact

Prospective Students The Bottom Line

 Many of Drew’s prospects tend to be turned off by perceptions and attitudes about what they will find at Drew and what they won’t.

• For these students, the University is not seen to be as

appealing as the competition, and prospects believe that they will find more of what they expect from a college experience at other places.

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Prospective Students The Bottom Line, cont.

 The magnitude of challenge facing Drew is unlikely to be

• vercome through changes to recruitment and

communications.  Drew must find and engage a bold solution that:

• Strengthens a position that is insufficiently compelling to

prospective students

• Draws in greater numbers the types of students Drew desires
• Provides the University greater ability to garner the revenue it

needs to pursue its mission

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Key Findings: Positioning Initiatives

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Research Topics Strategic Initiatives  Academic focus: life of the mind, pragmatic liberal arts, professional plus liberal arts  Career development: typical approach, reimagined undergraduate experience  Learning environment: small-classes with mentoring, traditional with mentoring, traditional  Social environment: community, individual, suitcase  Hands-on learning: universal, universal with practitioners, usual  Pricing: higher/lower cost of attendance, associated shifts in discount levels Positioning Initiatives Alumni and Major Donor Prospects

 Alumni and major donor prospects indicate that they would consider supporting Drew as it pursues various positioning

• ptions.
• Of the initiatives Drew is considering, hands-on learning and

post-college planning are the most uniformly supported by alumni and major gift prospects.

• Most major gift prospects also believed Drew should add more

professionally-oriented programs to its offerings.

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Q15 Note: Includes definitely increase and probably increase responses

Effect of potential Drew goals on support: “Net: Increase” responses – Alumni

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64% a 56% b 50% bc 48% bcd 45% cd 42% cd 40% d 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Hands-on learning Post-college planning Mentoring Liberal arts education Professional education Experiences in the city Community

Positioning Initiatives Prospective Students, cont.

 Among the initiatives tested, those with the most promise to impact application decisions among inquirers as a whole include:

• A social atmosphere defined by “community traditions” could

increase applications by as much as 12%.

• Being perceived as “weekends away” could cause a

decrease in applications of as much as 15%.

• Intentionally small classes with a mentoring focus could

increase applications by as much as 8%.

• Being perceived as having a traditional learning

environment could cause a decline in applications by as much as 20%.

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Positioning Initiatives Prospective Students, cont.

• An approach to post-college planning that is integrated with

the academic experience and sustained over four years of enrollment could increase applications by as much as 4%.

• While none of the academic focus initiatives had a positive

impact on applications, being perceived as “life of the mind” could cause a decline in applications by as much as 21%.

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Positioning Initiatives Prospective Students, cont.

 While no individual initiatives we tested can positively affect the matriculation decisions of admitted applicants, some could have a separate, negative impact on matriculation decisions.

• As with inquirers, being perceived as having a traditional

learning environment could cause a distinct decline in matriculations by as much as 28%.

• An academic focus on “pragmatic liberal arts” could cause a

decline in matriculations by as much as 9%.

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43 Base conversion rate (N) = 23.4% (325) & Base yield rate (N) = 18.9% (113)

Effect of initiatives on number of applications and matriculations – INQ & AA

＊-21% 3% 4% 8%＊ 0% ＊-20%

• 7%

＊-9% 0%

• 1%

10% ＊-28%

• 80%
• 60%
• 40%
• 20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% ACADEMIC FOCUS Life of the mind Pragmatic liberal arts Professional + liberal arts LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Small classes with mentoring focus Traditional with mentoring focus Traditional INQ AA 44

Base conversion rate (N) = 23.4% (325) & Base yield rate (N) = 18.9% (113)

Effect of initiatives on number of applications and matriculations – INQ & AA

4%＊

• 3%

4% 2% ＊-9% 1%

• 1%

4%

• 2%

＊-15%

• 80%
• 60%
• 40%
• 20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% POST-COLLEGE PLANNING Universal and integrated Separate APPROACH TO HANDS-ON LEARNING Universal with practitioners Universal Typical INQ AA

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45 Base conversion rate (N) = 23.4% (325) & Base yield rate (N) = 18.9% (113)

Effect of initiatives on number of applications and matriculations – INQ & AA

• 3%

2% 2% 12%＊ 6%＊ ＊-15% 10%

• 4%
• 2%

4%

• 5%

4%

• 80%
• 60%
• 40%
• 20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% INTERACTION WITH NEW YORK CITY Semester in the city for all Experiences in the city for all Opportunities in the city SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Community traditions Find your niche Weekends away INQ AA

Positioning Initiatives Pricing

 Our pricing analysis reflects market and political dynamics at the time the research was fielded. Key findings:

• Some alumni and major donors noted concerns with

Drew’s then-current price point – particularly in combination with its value proposition.

• Drew’s prospective students are in fact significantly

sensitive to price.

• While reducing the stated cost of attendance to the level the

University now plans, without changing financial aid, could result in substantial increases in the application and matriculation rates, Drew prospects’ sensitivity to financial aid is at least as large.

• This could confound the enrollment and revenue benefits of a

sticker price reduction.

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Positioning Initiatives Pricing and Positioning

 The price decrease constrains the options available to Drew and lessens the positive effects of some of the combinations of substantive initiatives we tested that would otherwise have positively impacted matriculation decisions.  Whatever the pricing effects, Drew must of course focus on effecting substantive changes to the student experience that position the University to increase market demand

• This would at least mitigate potential risks to enrollment and

revenue, and at most bolster any potential gains arising from the tuition drop.

• While there is no single “silver bullet” initiative we tested that

achieves this, it is possible through a combination of initiatives, working together to create a cohesive and appealing position.

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Drew’s Overall Positioning Strategy

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Positioning Initiatives Prospective Students

 Given the magnitude of the challenge facing Drew, it is unlikely that the University will be able to change prospective student perceptions or enrollment behaviors by simply improving efforts in recruitment and communications alone, although efforts in these areas are important.  Rather, the University will have to additionally seek out an appealing position that drives prospective student enrollment decisions in Drew’s favor and, ultimately, improves Drew’s competitive position.

• Ideally, this positioning would also serve to motivate

advancement constituencies, as well as build a foundation of continued support among new graduates.

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Positioning Strategy

 Of all combinations, “traditional classes with a mentoring focus,” “universal and integrated post-college planning,” “universal approach to hands-on learning,” and “community traditions” has the most promise to deliver the results Drew needs.

• This combination more than doubles the positive effect of

the price drop alone on the application rate (as much as +34% compared to +15%) and produces positive application effects among desirable subgroups of inquiring students, including higher-income students, higher-SAT-scoring students, high GPA students, and students who rate Drew 1-3 overall.

• It also moves the negative effect of the price drop on the

matriculation rate to a neutral yield effect overall - and might shift the class in important ways, including a possibly positive effect on higher-income admitted students.

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Positioning Strategy, cont.

• Finally, this combination includes the initiatives to which alumni

and major donors responded most positively – post-college planning and hands-on learning.

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Positioning Strategy, cont.

 These initiatives should not be considered to exist in parallel - but rather as component parts of a larger whole, coming together to create a distinctive, comprehensive experience defined by the process through which students explore, discover, and chart a course toward their goals.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform

 We strongly recommend that Drew do what it takes to be able to say the following about itself truthfully and distinctively:

• Among liberal arts institutions in the Northeast, the student

experience at Drew University is distinguished by (what we will call for now) the Drew Compass Program.

• Through this program, students take a distinctly intentional

approach to exploring and identifying their passions and desired purpose in the world and aligning their coursework and unusually extensive hands-on experiences, all of which are designed to propel them toward the achievement of their post-graduation aspirations.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform, cont.

• From the first day on campus, every Drew student is guided

through a holistic four-year advising and mentoring program that helps him/her explore and discover passions and aspirations, thoughtfully examine and reflect upon the role he/ she wants to play in the world, identify desired career and other post-graduation goals, and construct an individualized plan for achieving them.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform, cont.

• Through the University’s many connections in the greater NYC

area and beyond, students are able to connect their aspirations and goals to meaningful hands-on experiences.

• Drew students participate in independent projects, research,

internships, service, study abroad, and other engaged learning activities in their classes and as stand-alone

• experiences. Through these experiences and reflective

exercises, all students explore their potential, develop a strong sense of purpose, gain critical experience and skill in translating theoretical principles and concepts into practical, real-world situations and environments, and prepare for the challenges and opportunities they will face upon graduation.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform, cont.

• In addition to a regular diploma, all Drew students receive a

co-curricular/experiential transcript, codifying their hands-on and other experiences and certifying their skills.

• In and outside of their classes, Drew students are supported

and mentored by a dedicated faculty focused on helping students learn and grow. Faculty at Drew are focused primarily on teaching – but also proactively engage and direct students as they consider their post-graduation goals and ways to connect educational experiences to these goals.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform, cont.

• All of these experiences occur in a living and learning

environment defined by a vibrant community spirit. Student life at Drew, both on- and off-campus, is engaging and lively. While students form close bonds in smaller groups through participation in various clubs, organizations and other activities

• f interest, Drew students, alumni, faculty and staff are also

bonded through strong community-oriented activities and traditions.

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Positioning Strategy The Platform, cont.

• As a result of their experiences at the University and through

the Drew Compass Program, Drew graduates are exceptionally well prepared for life after college and highly successful when seeking career placement, admission to graduate and professional schools, and establishing themselves as leaders in their chosen fields and in their communities.

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Implementation and Prioritization

Implementation and Prioritization

 Bold and universal approach

• Each aspect of the platform must be executed at sufficiently

bold levels such that outsiders recognize them as distinctive aspects of the Drew experience

• Once the platform is in place, it will be important that all

students entering Drew have the experience articulated in the platform.

• These initiatives were not tested as options students would

have at Drew, but as universal aspects of the Drew experience.

• In other words, prospective students were responding not
• nly to the idea that all students would participate in a certain

experience, but also that they would be part of a community

• f students who have all chosen such an experience, and

therefore a community in which that experience is universally valued.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Importance of naming

• Package and name the experience to make it tangible and

signal the intentionality and universality of the program.

• Select a name that will resonate with external constituents,

particularly prospective students. For illustrative purposes, we refer to the platform here as the “Drew Compass.”

• Whatever the name, use it to help “brand” all aspects of the

program, reinforcing the underlying substantive connection between them.

• Develop a concise summary that can be easily articulated by

everyone from board members to tour guides.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Build upon current efforts

• Establishing the elements of the positioning platform as a

distinguishing characteristic of the Drew experience need not be a process of total reinvention.

• The University currently offers students opportunities in

career development, mentoring and advising, and experiential learning—some through specific structures, with others

• ccurring more serendipitously.
• Still, significant change is necessary to ensure all students

are having the experience articulated in the platform.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Strike out quickly, boldly, visibly, and then sustainably.

• Move immediately to build and strengthen the platform,

pushing all elements to the boldest level and make them fully known among prospective students by communicating them aggressively.

• “Quickly” – timing is of the essence—opportunity exists

now (and will likely wane over time, as competitors move to strengthen their appeals). Ideally, Drew should work toward having a program in place by the 2018-19 academic year but should begin promoting the platform immediately on the web, in publications, email, and in personal communications with prospects.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Strike out quickly, boldly, visibly, and then sustainably.

• “Boldly” should be understood from an outsider’s

perspective— not by that of an insider or in comparison to what the University has previously done or is currently doing.

• “Visibly” to be noticeable from a distance. Drew will need

to make its position widely known and understood as the defining characteristic of the Drew experience.

• “Sustainably” over the entirety of each student’s

experience and the medium- to long-term life of the University, continuing to innovate to create and sustain competitive advantage.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Focus and Sustain the Effort

• While other initiatives may have value and forward the mission
• f the University, a focus on mentoring, integral career

development, ubiquitous experiential learning, and a social environment that values individuality but celebrates community will be the primary enrollment drivers – and should receive priority.

• The University may certainly pursue other initiatives important

to its mission and aspirations, but should not do so at the expense of necessary thrusts in these key areas.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Implement fully.

• It is important to keep in mind that simply cherry-picking among

the key initiatives substantiating the platform will not achieve the outcomes Drew needs.

• Realizing only portions of the package—or going only part

way with any one, rather than implementing them at the order

• f magnitude at which they were tested—will severely

mitigate the potential impact on the application and matriculation decisions of prospective students.

• The outcomes predicted in our modeling are best-case

scenarios – Drew must act boldly, quickly, and visibly to achieve those results.

• Recognize that this broad spectrum of initiatives will require

faculty and staff development and selective addition of new expertise and personnel.

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Leverage alumni interest

• Putting the Drew Compass program into place has the power to

increase involvement and support from alums and giving from major donors.

• This is true across alums who have given recently, lapsed

givers, and alumni who have never given.

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Implementation and Prioritization, cont.

 Establish an investment mentality.

• Effective execution will require an “investment mentality” that

combines a refocusing of existing resources with the identification of new funding sources to pursue the strategies that will ultimately create additional revenue for the University.

• The University should, of course, seek to operate as efficiently

as possible, but should not be shy about investing in high- priority initiatives that offer the promise of significant return.

• Drew should evaluate the costs associated with the

development and implementation of the platform (and any other initiatives it seeks to deploy).

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

Final Thoughts

 Though a bold effort such as this may appear daunting, the University’s circumstances and outlook suggest that standing still is not an option.  Fortunately, the University has many assets to apply to the effort:

• A strong leadership team and a board with ample energy and

insight to carry the effort forward

• A capable faculty that is well-positioned to help fully

substantiate a bold position

• A staff committed to supporting and sustaining the effort
• A planning process that is already underway, with much

already accomplished and some critical building blocks in place to focus and bring to scale

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Final Thoughts, cont.

 Applying these assets in a properly focused way can create a path that both energizes a vibrancy on campus and positions the University to thrive.  Ultimately, success in this endeavor will allow Drew to do an even better job of living out its mission and serving students at the highest possible level.

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Confidential: This document and its contents are not to be revealed to individuals or organizations outside of Drew University without the permission of both Drew and Art & Science Group.

Drew University

Institutional Strategy Study

Overview of Project, Findings and Recommendations December 13, 2017