Ivy Tech Community College Launches Five-Year Strategic Plan

“Our Communities. Your College. Pathways for Student Success and a Stronger Indiana.”

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Ivy Tech Community College has kicked off its new five-year strategic plan: “Our Communities. Your College. Pathways for Student Success and a Stronger Indiana.” The plan’s vision is for Ivy Tech students to earn 50,000 high-quality certifications, certificates, and degrees per year aligned with workforce needs.

The plan aligns with Indiana’s goal to equip 60 percent of the workforce with a high-value, post-secondary degree or credential by 2025. Through achievement of this goal, the College will help increase Hoosier per capita income and support the transformation of the state’s advanced industries economy.

“Indiana is home to some of the world’s largest, most innovative corporations—not to mention countless ambitious smaller companies and start-ups,” said Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann. “And all of them share a common need: well-trained, skilled workers.”

The plan development covered 18 months, including a restructure of the College, comprehensive fact finding conducted internally and externally, including thousands of faculty, staff, students and statewide stakeholders.

“Our plan compliments the work of those with whom we collaborate including the Commission for Higher Education, Department of Workforce Development, the Indiana Chamber and industry groups, Strada Education Network, Lilly Endowment, and Lumina, to name a few,” Ellspermann said. “We are committed to aligning with those who have similar goals and are dedicated to Hoosier prosperity of employers, individuals, and the state.

The plan is comprised of seven goals, with detailed strategies and tactics accompanying each goal, and metrics to ensure success:

• Goal 1 – Student Success: Ensure every student persists towards their educational objective.
• Goal 2 – Recruitment and Enrollment: Recruit and enroll Hoosiers from every demographic into high-demand/high-wage career pathways.
• Goal 3 – Completion: Students earn 50,000 high quality certificates, certifications, and degrees annually.
• Goal 4 – Workforce: Students are placed into and succeed in high-demand, high-wage jobs.
• Goal 5 – Employee: Become known as a great place to work.
• Goal 6 – Financial: Ensure the institution has sufficient financial resources to achieve our mission.
• Goal 7 – Community: Effectively engage with and serve our unique communities.

Strategies focused on student success include initiatives through improved technology, structured scheduling, eight week classes, and improved academic advising. Recruitment strategies include targeted outreach to adult workers, as well as high school students with no post-secondary plans. Completion strategies include reverse transfer, expanding the Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP), and more short-term, industry-focused certificates. Completion strategies are centered on “right-program, right-place, right-size” in each community and focused career development into high-demand, high-wage jobs.

“We are committed to putting more ‘community’ in community college,” Ellspermann continues. “To quote one of our own employees, ‘community’ is our middle name, and I look forward to seeing Ivy Tech become the workforce development and higher education engine our communities need to ensure long-term Hoosier prosperity.”