March 2024 Progress Update on the Trinity University Strategic Plan

Trinity is steadily making inroads on the strategic planning process. Thus far, the process has rendered valuable data that will inform our next steps. 

“This strategic plan will set the course for Trinity's future, and critical to its success is the involvement of our community,” says Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D., Trinity University president. “I appreciate the effort that has already gone into understanding and acting on the feedback we have received. I look forward to seeing where the next conversations take us.”

With the University currently in Phase 3 of the planning process, “Facilitated Visioning,” collected data came from focus groups conducted in November 2023 and results from the community survey distributed to faculty, staff, students, and alumni in January 2024. The community survey received 1,492 responses, with a total response rate of 18.4%. Of those 1,492 respondents:

• 78% of non-student respondents have been a stakeholder of Trinity for 7 or more years.
• Alumni had the largest number of respondents at 685.
• Faculty and staff had the highest percentage of respondents at 41%.

Combined, the data collection methods provided rich data that revealed general consistency in how stakeholders perceive Trinity and its future direction. The data collected so far demonstrate the following primary findings, among several others: 

• Trinity’s strength lies in the personalized and student-centered experience it provides and the quality of its faculty, but its brand identity lacks clarity for stakeholders.
• Creating opportunities to gain knowledge, skills, and experiences was identified as extremely important by over half of respondents.
• Stakeholders agree the top factors for prospective college students are affordability, academic programs offered, and national ranking. Approximately half of respondents agree Trinity is somewhat better or much better than its competitors in academic programs and national ranking.

From these early findings, four key concepts emerged: Destination of Choice, Distinctive Programs, Student-focused Education, and Supportive Physical Environment. Four working groups have been selected to continue developing and analyzing these key concepts. The groups will work in tandem in March and April to conduct research, define problems or challenges, evaluate options, and ideate on a future state for Trinity. Working groups are not implementation groups; rather, they are groups to help Trinity recognize opportunities, daylight constraints, and conduct visioning for our future. 

The groups will be working diligently during full-day, in-person visioning sessions on Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22. The working groups are chaired by:

• Terris Tiller ’00, director of alumni career engagement & networks: Destination of Choice
• Jamie Thompson ’05, Ed.D.: Distinctive Programs
• Dennis Ugolini, Ph.D., professor of physics: Student-focused Education 
• Andrew Wells, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs: Supportive Physical Environment

Upon conclusion of the working group sessions, Trinity will enter the process of defining the University’s strategic direction. This includes developing high-level priorities for our mission, vision, goals, and action steps, as well as assessment of possible strategic alternatives.

Visit the Strategic Planning website for a full timeline and more information about the process as a whole.