Our plan and process

Fort Lewis College is engaged in a comprehensive strategic planning and implementation process, creating a framework for continued innovation and growth that embodies our commitment to access, affordability, academic excellence, and equitable opportunities for our diverse student body. 

Adopted in Spring 2019, the FLC Strategic Plan centers on four strategic areas of emphasis:

  • Students at the Center: this area focuses on inclusive strategies for student success and retention
  • Knowledge in Action: this area focuses on high impact experiential and interdisciplinary learning with an emphasis on undergraduate research
  • Community and Regional Partnerships: this area focuses on developing new academic programs and career pathways that serve our region
  • Systems to Facilitate Success: this area focuses on data-driven decision making and supporting faculty and staff  

Academic Affairs Roadmap: Strategic Plan Implementation

Academic Affairs has developed a dynamic roadmap for FLC Strategic Plan implementation.  With the Plan offering clear goals, Academic Affairs has designed signature “FLC-unique” programs that will bring the Plan to life.  The map below organizes existing and envisioned Academic Affairs initiatives according to the Plan’s four areas of emphasis.   Not only is the FLC Strategic Plan being realized, it is encouraging ongoing innovation, and this map will continue to evolve as new initiatives move ideas into action.  The roadmap is just that—a plan that points the way and promises an exciting journey ahead.

Students at the Center:

  1. Student support structures that enact innovative approaches to retention, ensuring the success of our diverse student population
    • Academic Hub
      • Peer Education Center, Undergraduate Research Center, Career and Life Design Center, Community Engagement, Success Coaching, Circle Back, Professional Development Space, Writing Studio
    • Skyhawk Station
      • Skyhawk Specialists, Skyhawk Advisors, Registrar, Financial Aid
    • Academic Care Team
      • Comprehensive student tracking, alert, outreach, referral (Slate CRM)
    • Student Cohort Programs
      • Success Scholars, First-Gen Conference, NSF INCLUDES Alliance Grant
  2. Lower-division academic arc focused on community-building First-Year and Sophomore Year experiences
    • First-Year Launch
    • Sophomore Soar
    • Summer Bridge
      • FY Entry Summer Bridge, Sophomore Prepare Summer Bridge
    • Honors Program
  3. Upper-division and Graduate program academic arc focused on “Major-Plus” curriculum and degree completion
    • “Major-Plus” curriculum (major plus certificate, honors, minor, etc)
      • Mapping the Major Project
      • Certificate Development Strategy
    • School of Education Graduate Programs
    • Accelerated/Dual Enrollment Pathways
    • 5-year/Co-op Pathways
    • Circle Back Program
    • Summer Program Innovation
  4. Dynamic expression of FLC signature values to students via communication, technology, and infrastructure programs
    • FLC Circle
    • Communication Strategy
      • AA Mailings
    • Student-centered Events 
      • SQUAWK week, #FLCtogether week, Success Scholar dinner, Internship dinner, SkyWords/CRE
    • Student-centered Technology
      • TechPack (tech bundles)
    • Student-centered Classrooms  
      • Classroom Refresh, Active Learning Classrooms, Outdoor Learning Campus

Knowledge as Action:

  1. Transformative pedagogy that generates new forms of knowledge via new forms of teaching and learning, meeting the challenges of educational disruption due to COVID
    • Skyflex Pedagogy and Online Programs
    • Pedagogy Center (Name TBD): Transformative, Inclusive, Indigenized Pedagogy
    • One-credit Courses
    • Math, Composition, SAI Innovation
  2. Curricular/co-curricular programming that emphasizes FLC-unique “powered by place” experiential learning
    • Outdoor Learning Campus
    • Indigenous Garden, Native Plant Garden
    • FLOW: Fort Lewis on the Water
    • Field Schools and Teaching Field Experiences
    • CSWS Internships
  3. Curricular/co-curricular programming that empowers students to complete meaningful “knowledge in action” projects that feature research, creativity, and faculty mentorship
    • Undergraduate Research Center and URSCA Symposium
    • Liberal Arts Core “Lenses” Courses
    • Hawk Tank
    • U-RISE Grant Program
    • Shows, Exhibitions, Concerts
  4. Curricular/co-curricular programming that enacts indigenous ways of knowing and learning
    • SILDI: Southwest Indigenous Language Development Institute
    • Indigenizing the Curriculum LIT projects (Mellon Grant)
    • SkyWords Writers Series
    • FLC Boarding School History
    • New “Research and Reconciliation” projects/courses (Mellon Grant)

Community and Regional Partnerships:

  1. New academic programs and certificates that prepare students to address the needs and opportunities of our Southwestern Colorado region
    • Graduate and Undergraduate Degree Programs
      • TBD--sample ideas under analysis include Health programs, MPA (natural/cultural/tribal resource management), healthcare programs, agricultural programs.
    • Certificates, Stackable Credentials
      • TBD—sample ideas under analysis range from renewable energy to data management to culinary to forestry to TESOL-and many more!!
      • Career-based, LAC, and advanced Certificates
      • Career skill certificates for on-campus student employees
    • Old Fort Programs
  2. Regional partnerships and educational networks that help FLC expand social and economic opportunity
    • Skyway Partners
      • CU@FLC Post-doc Fellows, San Juan College Connect
    • “Centers of Excellence”
      • Center for Innovation, CSWS, ECI, Water Center, Pedagogy Center
    • Regional Educational Networks (RISE grant, USDA grant)
      • K-12, Community
    • Industry Networks
      • NASA Technology Transfer University, Los Alamos Engineering Interns
  3. Career-focused programming that offers FLC-unique career skill development and life design approaches
    • Career and Life Design Center (in Academic Hub)
    • Professional Development Space (“Dev Space” in Academic Hub)
    • On-campus Student Employee Modules and Certificate
    • Internship Expansion
    • Immersive Internship Semester

Systems that Work:

  1. Support structures that encourage and reward faculty and staff development
    • New Salary Model
    • Faculty and Staff Development Center
    • Tenure and Promotion Mentorship
    • Leadership Development
  2. Academic policies/procedures and assessment/accreditation improvements that implement best practices for student success and support
    • New Program Review Templates (replacing Taskstream)
    • New Curriculog Approval Process
    • New Accreditation Quality Initiative
    • Academic Policy Update
      • Analysis of Ws, Probation
    • Academic Integrity Update
      • Restorative Justice
  3. Comprehensive framework for data- and research-driven decision-making
    • Data Committee
    • Targeted Data Projects
      • Retention, Course Caps, DFW
    • Student Case Management
      • Tracking/Alerts (Slate CRM)
    • Research Library (articles/books documenting best practices)
    • Data Dashboards (via IR)
    • Weekly Data Reports (via IR)