Stephens to focus on next five years

Stephens College is planning for the future. Its Board of Trustees has passed a resolution to begin a major strategic planning initiative.

The plan will look five years ahead and focus on academic programs, enrollment and marketing, finances and facilities, student services, and mission and vision.

Stephens President Wendy Libby said the initiative is meant to further strengthen the college, capitalizing on its successes and seeking new areas of growth.

The college is engaged in a $35 million capital campaign, Libby said. About $31 million has been raised since 1997.

For the five-year plan, four study groups led by faculty will gather research based on internal as well as external assessment and data. The faculty leaders have not been named yet, said Amy Gipson, director of marketing and communications at Stephens College.

Libby expects the study groups to examine several sets of information, including the college’s number of majors.

“They’ll be looking at where students get jobs, our financial results and our fund-raising ability,” she said. “Their job is to decide what they need to look at and get that data and analyze it.”

In December, the study groups will submit their reports to a fifth group compiled of senior staff members. .

“I’m hoping that the plan we create will be the best plan for the future of this institution,” said John Bennett, Stephens’ faculty chairman.

The first campuswide meeting was held this week.