SFC Forward | Strategic Vision for 2023

SFC Forward: A Bold Vision for 2023

SFC Forward: Strategic Vision for 2023 & Beyond

St. Francis College is redesigning the institution so it can continue to support our students and staff both through our shared environment and our rigorous curricula while honoring our legacy as a first-class, diverse, Franciscan institution.

We will better deliver the next generation of academic guidance and extracurricular programming and meet demands on infrastructure and technology at its new home in Downtown Brooklyn.

Learn More About The Vision

About SFC Forward

An unprecedented vision for the College, SFC Forward ensures a first-rate, flexible, and affordable education for the next generation of Terriers.

Our Academics & Student Life

A Springboard to Success and Education

Wrap-around student support services and vibrant student experiences are at the core of SFC Forward.

Custom-Fit for Terriers

Our New Campus

The new campus is minutes from our current campus located in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn.

Strategic Plan

A Dynamic, Innovative and Franciscan Culture

GOAL 1.1: Promote faculty excellence and academic innovation

Strengthen our existing signature programs
Offer new, mission-driven and market-sensitive degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
Ensure that a diverse faculty of sufficient size and capacity is in place to support all academic programs
Reinvigorate and/or redesign degree programs through the creation of a new organizational structure within Academic Affairs
Promote and showcase faculty teaching, research, and scholarship to foster further achievements
Launch a Center for Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development to elevate faculty competencies in online teaching, learning, and instructional design, with the purpose of advancing the quality of student engagement and success with digital instruction

GOAL 1.2: Create a student-centered model that advances academic excellence

Provide our students with more opportunities for career-centered dialogue with professionals by establishing a faculty-student mentoring program
Intentionally integrate the service-oriented leadership element of our mission into academic courses by launching a comprehensive service-learning program
Maintain our commitment to academic excellence by increasing student retention, persistence, progression, and graduation rates
Increase student opportunities for collaboration in research and their active participation in a community of scholars
Provide students with professional academic advisors trained to implement best practices by discipline

GOAL 1.3: Broaden educational and professional relationships to enhance student success

Markedly increase the number of students who participate in professional experiences through structured internships as part of their academic degree program
Increase student pathways to degree programs by expanding and deepening partnerships with high schools, community colleges, and civil service organizations

Expand and Deepen International Programs

GOAL 2.1: Increase international student enrollment and expand institutional capacity to effectively meet international student needs

Continue to increase number of newly enrolled international students by mitigating the limitations of unexpected challenges through a strategic revision of our student recruitment plan for internationalization
Ease transition challenges and increase international student retention by enhancing the comprehensive student support functions of SFC International
Broaden opportunities to welcome international scholars and artists by becoming a J-1 visa designated sponsor
Become an internationally recognized first choice institution by students abroad desiring a focus on global learning

GOAL 2.2: Establish and deepen international partnerships for innovative student pathways into SFC degrees and programs

Create pre-college summer programs designed for international high school students seeking a U.S. college experience with input from partner high schools abroad
Become the desired NYC institution for rising college freshmen and "gap year" students from abroad by forging contracts and agreements with international partners
Forge new and creative academic program entry pathways for international students with their high schools and institutions of higher education

GOAL 2.3: Deepen students' appreciation for and interactions with 21st century global societies

Further infuse global and cultural education into degree program and co-curricular experiences
Inspire our students to engage in their global education via student-centered policies and procedures developed by a new faculty-governed Institute for Global Engagement

GOAL 2.4: Develop a collaborative, integrated institutional strategy focused on study abroad and international exchanges with foreign institutions

Expand student choice by diversifying the content and types of faculty-designed and faculty-led study abroad experiences
Broaden students' world views and enhance the value of their degrees by expanding semester-long reciprocal international exchanges with institutions worldwide

Embrace a Diverse Campus Culture

GOAL 3.1: Diversify pathways to increase access for all students

Continue to diversify our student body by welcoming high school, transfer students, military and veteran students, exceptional student-athletes, and working professionals seeking to complete a degree or academic credential
Review and update our pricing models to reinforce our commitment to provide a quality, accessibly-priced education
Welcome students with refreshed, comprehensive, and dynamic orientation programs designed to create a seamless transition into the life of the college

GOAL 3.2: Expand programs and services to equitably serve diverse student populations

Support students seeking on-campus employment by enhancing federal work-study and student worker opportunities
Increase all students' ability to persist to graduation with strategic interventions that address both academic and non-academic challenges
Support for our evening and residential students with extended hours for academic services and expanded co-curricular activities
Engage our residence halls as an extension of campus where relationships and learning can be fortified outside the classroom

GOAL 3.3: Broaden a campus climate of wellness, inclusion, and Franciscan hospitality

Lean on our Franciscan tradition of hospitality to update campus processes and spaces so that they are consistently easy and friendly to navigate
Increase opportunities for students to participate in co-curricular community service projects
Promote the well-being of the whole person, both physically and emotionally, with expanded services designed to support all individuals in our community

Build Character, Capital and Campus

GOAL 4.1: Increase and diversify revenue streams

Increase funding to support College priorities in providing a quality, Franciscan education to our diverse student body
Engage our government, city agency, and other business partners in mutually beneficial use of College resources including campus spaces for creative online programs and projects, as well as summer conferences and residency opportunities
Launch a Comprehensive Campaign to provide resources to support mission-driven, student-centered institutional goals

GOAL 4.2: Recruit, retain, and support our community of educators, administrators and staff

Broaden our focus on recruitment, professional development and retention of highly qualified, mission-focused faculty, staff and administrators
Assess employee satisfaction to conform campus climate conditions are consistent with our mission-driven, student-centered approach to education
Engage in inclusive onboarding to ensure all employees understand and affirm commitment to our mission

GOAL 4.3: Build technology and IT support to address campus needs at all levels

Broaden cutting-edge technology solutions across our campus
Expand technology support resources to enhance delivery of all teaching modalities and student support
Establish a campus wide IT and Data Governance Committee to integrate technology solutions, reporting and tracking

GOAL 4.4: Strengthen business continuity

Develop and implement a campus wide Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan, including an Enterprise Risk Management Program
Improve continuity of student services and user satisfaction in remote working conditions
Continue to strengthen cybersecurity education to ensure data protection and to mitigate risk

GOAL 4.5: Ensure our long-term financial viability

Strategically manage financial risk and debt to improve cash flow and capital positioning
Rebuild our budget and planning process to reduce fixed costs and better manage deployment of resources in support of our strategic initiatives

Harness the Power of Our Story

GOAL 5.1: Brand St. Francis as a first-choice Franciscan college for quality, engaged and affordable education in the international city of New York/Brooklyn

Capture, share, and be guided by "Moments that Matter", the profound, memorable, and meaningful positive experiences of our students, our most valued source of information
Reach and engage new and diverse demographics of students, families, and community members through a dynamic, coordinated, and strategic digital media campaign
Promote our NCAA Division I athletic program as a model that develops our students as leaders, showcases our coaches as effective and vital mentors, and builds teams that elevate community engagement

GOAL 5.2: Amplify St. Francis's rootedness in its Franciscan mission and identity

Highlight our commitment to the mission by intentionally supporting access, equity, inclusion, and social justice
Deepen community connectedness with new, noteworthy, and meaningful spiritual experiences that complement our Franciscan heritage
Further integrate the Office of Mission, Ministry, and Interfaith Dialogue into the life of the College

GOAL 5.3: Highlight the College's role in strengthening our surrounding and international communities

Cultivate lifelong relationships with the College by empowering our students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni to grow engagement with our communities
Further develop our affinity groups, ambassadors, and volunteer corps to outreach to, and widen, our network of partners
Highlight the stories of hard-working professionals, as well as military and veteran individuals, who use their St. Francis credentials to elevate their community