The Long Range Plan proposal for the years 2007 through 2012 is the result of more than a year’s work which has engaged all academic and administrative units of AUC. It is the first time that a truly integrated approach to planning has been attempted at our University – a planning approach that springs from our mission and integrates vision, strategic themes, continuous assessment, accreditation considerations, as well as a long range alignment with our revised budget cycles, all the while moving AUC forward during a transition to a new multi-campus environment.
It is a testament to the engagement and vibrancy of the AUC community that over 100 units submitted more than 400 proposed initiatives, all of which were given consideration and all of which were anchored in self assessment and grounded in a firm commitment to AUC’s mission and core values. Equally important to the integrity of the process, initiatives were evaluated from the perspective of fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability. Proposals were debated in several planning committees, in the University Senate and given final recommendation after careful consideration on the basis of academic merit, resource implications in terms of faculty, staff or infrastructure and, the envisioned contribution to Egypt and to the Region. Similarly, all initiatives presented for improvements to administrative processes and operations were given due consideration and evaluated in terms of enhanced contribution to institutional effectiveness at the University, particularly in light of the transition to new and refurbished facilities. Hence, we can state with confidence that AUC presents an integrated proposal reflecting the work of One Community for One Plan.
Since its founding in 1919, AUC has grown in complexity and size but remains firmly committed to the values that have made it a University that stands for quality in all its endeavors. We reaffirm our commitment to a solid American-style Liberal Arts education, while simultaneously responding to the needs of our environment for new academic programs and activities that reflect the political, economic, environmental, demographic and infrastructural realities of our region. AUC is moving with the times, without compromising the core values and activities that have earned us our reputation and affection in the hearts and minds of Egyptians.
The university is undergoing a significant transformation replete with both opportunities and challenges. The move to a new campus, regional and global realities, new demands from all stakeholders and ever heightened standards expected by accreditors, induce us to rethink what we do well and what new initiatives and enhancements must be considered. We must change the way in which we provide services to and involve all our stakeholders, whether students, parents, prospective employers, faculty, administrators and staff. We must do so in order to become more efficient, provide ease of operation and be cost effective. We will continue and deepen our involvement in the community by enhancing linkages to business, government and by providing outreach to our local and regional communities.
Activities proposed for the five-year period cluster around the following:
Enrollment Management, Tuition Adjustment, Faculty Allocation, Space Management and Infrastructure Development
Readying the entire community for the transition to our new campus and to refurbished downtown facilities; devising a sound strategy for enrollment during operations on the existing campus, as well as during and after the transition to new and refurbished facilities is our top priority. Enrollments are envisioned to grow after the move and to plateau at the end of the current plan period. Enrollment- driven faculty hiring will be partially offset by proposed changes to the tuition structure, which will see an increase in undergraduate tuition with the move to the new campus and a realignment of the tuition paid by Egyptian students as well as that of the graduate tuition rates. Fiscal responsibility will be emphasized, yet accreditation standards and sound academic practices will dictate certain faculty to student ratios as will our efforts to reduce reliance on part time instructors.
Academic Activities
AUC is uniquely positioned to become a world class university in a region of increasing importance to global developments. Our stature and appeal will be further enhanced by the development of new and relevant course and program offerings and activities. Some of these will be in support of the new and revised Core. Proposal for new schools, departments, program majors, minors, specializations and diplomas emanate from our mission and these activities are projected to enhance our standing, while yielding substantial revenues within the first few years of implementation. More than twenty new degree programs were proposed. Carefully evaluated, only four are proposed for launch in 2007. Pending feasibility studies another seven or eight may be implemented during this plan period if they are deemed viable. The enthusiasm is always balanced by fiscal prudence. As examples, our School of Sciences and Engineering is proposing four new and exciting degree programs, all of which strengthen our position in the market, produce revenue, while integrating existing resources and achieving synergistic benefits. The proposed new Graduate School of Business will address important societal needs, generate revenues and serve as a potential incubator for cutting edge business research and applications in the region. While remaining student focused, AUC will be aim to enhance research activities and collaborative research efforts among faculty, students, other institutions of higher learning and with the business and policy communities.
Activities in Support of the Academic Mission
Presenting a first rate image from the moment a prospective student enters AUC through graduation and beyond, a new Student Services Center will ensure ease of application, enrollment, registration and transfer of credits and facilitate the integration of Study Abroad and International degree seeking students. Acculturating new students to the AUC values, traditions and activities is emphasized in an enhanced First Year Experience program and the university will work to improve the academic advising and mentoring process. Use of technology is emphasized throughout the university. The Libraries and Learning Technologies will provide an enhanced experience through the implementation of a Learning and Information Commons which was already approved several years ago.
Student Experience
In addition to academic activities, the students will find numerous opportunities for community engagement as well as for career development and involvement with local businesses and organizations. We aim to emphasize service based learning and to increase our focus on cultural activities and appreciation for local culture. The development of new facilities for sports and recreational activities at the new campus will nurture “sound minds in sound bodies”. AUC will also help its students prepare for life after graduation and help ease transition to work, graduate study or public service through development of life long learning skills, networking, positioning and personal development and other life skills.
Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Development
AUC will focus on operational effectiveness and on further cultivating a passion for excellence and service orientation through the organization. Outcomes measuring and vigilance about optimal use of resources is essential to our continued success and is demanded by the accrediting agencies. Over the coming year we will be focused on ensuring new programmatic accreditation as well as on international, institutional re-accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. AUC is seen as a standard bearer and the university might position itself as a “Regional Center for Emulation” with respect to quality education and accreditation standards in the MENA Region. AUC will be institutionalizing the outcomes assessment process to ensure continuous improvement and continued accreditation. We will also work on strengthening ties to the community and enhance and nurture Alumni interaction loyalty, involvement, mentoring, referrals, fundraising.
By design, AUC’s Long Range Plan will remain “a work in progress”: a series of rolling five-year plans that will enable us to chart a course forward that is cognizant of changing circumstances and new opportunities. It will be a plan that informs our decisions in a very strategic sense and one that will allow us to build upon strong foundations.
Over the next ten years, AUC may start to become both a leader in offering high-quality professional and graduate degree programs and a major source of research, technology development, policy analysis and innovation for Egypt and the Arab World. As we contemplate this evolutionary change, it will be important to maintain a consistent focus on the quality and importance of our undergraduate programs without constraining education activities. If we can maintain this balance – continuing to do well those things for which we are best known while adding high-quality graduate programs and research capabilities in selected fields – AUC can move ever closer to realizing its dream of becoming a “world class” university.
University Forum May 30,2007