Results of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis 2015 2016 Strategic Planning Process Committee members Chris Finelli (Chair), Professor and Chair, Department of Biology and Marine Biology Steffaney Cohen, Associate Director, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment Nathan Crowe, Assistant Professor, Department of History Andy Mauk, Director, Student Affairs Assessment Research and Planning Pam Seaton, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Candace Thompson, Associate Professor, Department of Instruction Technology, Foundations and Secondary Education; Interim Director, Upperman African American Cultural Center Ron Vetter, Associate Provost for Research, Dean of the Graduate School Sarah Watstein, University Librarian, Randall Library Michael White, Professor and Chair, Department of Creative Writing Eddie Stuart (Cabinet Liaison), Vice Chancellor, University Advancement SWOT Analysis Rationale: We undertook an analysis of perceived Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) that face UNCW. This analysis provides a useful snapshot of internal conditions (strengths and weaknesses) and external drivers (opportunities and threats) that will shape UNCW over the coming years. SWOT analyses have been used frequently in the strategic planning process in business and higher education due to their relatively low cost and ability to quickly identify key issues. However, SWOT analyses are not meant to prioritize issues or offer solutions; as such, they must be both followed by and integrated into an intentional planning process that leverages the SWOT results. Process and calendar: September 9, 2015 September 18, 2015 September 25, 2015 October 1, 2015 October 2, 2015 October 9, 2015 October 20, 2015 October 21, 2015 October 30, 2015 Committee charged by Chancellor Sartarelli First committee meeting; decided on the goals for the committee and strategy that would be used. Committee met to discuss the content and structure of an online survey to be distributed to faculty and staff. October 1 was set for distribution of the survey, with October 7 ending date Online survey is announced at Strategic Planning Open Forum Online survey is released to faculty and staff Committee met to discuss quick reaction to survey results and to formulate a strategy for analysis. Four subcommittees were formed to provide analysis of each SWOT element Committee met to discuss preliminary findings of the survey responses and to refine the strategy for completing the analyses. Preliminary results of the SWOT survey were presented at an open forum of faculty and staff Committee met to discuss preliminary findings of the survey responses
November 11, 2015 November 17, 2015 November 24, 2015 December 2, 2015 December 8, 2015 and to refine the strategy for completing the analyses Preliminary results of the SWOT survey were presented to the Extended Leadership Council and members of the seven strategic planning committees A second online survey was generated and distributed to select student leaders. The closing date of the survey was set to November 23, 2015 Results of student survey distributed to committee members for review Results of Faculty/Staff survey distributed to other workgroups Final report presented to Chancellor Sartarelli and the Extended Leadership Council Faculty/Staff Survey: An online survey was prepared for distribution to all faculty and staff at UNCW. The survey was designed to solicit brief, open ended responses to perceptions of SWOT elements at UNCW. Guidance was provided regarding the definition of each SWOT element, and guiding questions were provided to aid respondents. Faculty and staff were asked to provide up to four responses for each SWOT element. Responses were limited to 150 characters each. The cover memo and survey are included as Appendix A and Appendix B. The survey was released to the faculty on October 2, 2015 with a closing date of October 7, 2015. Survey responses were collated within each SWOT element and subcommittees assigned to analyze and summarize responses. Each subcommittee identified emergent themes in the responses, classified each response according to those themes and tallied the number of responses associated with those themes. In addition, each subcommittee classified the responses according to strategic priorities to facilitate communication with other strategic planning working groups. Each response could be classified into more than one theme and more than one strategic priority area. Both quantitative (frequency of response theme) and qualitative analysis was conducted to provide insight into survey responses. 227 individuals responded to the survey. Nearly 60% of responses came from three organizational units (Figure 1): the College of Arts and Sciences (36%), Academic Affairs (15%), and Business Affairs (9%). Faculty Administrative Unit Academic Affairs Business Affairs Cameron School of Business College of Arts and Sciences College of Health and Human Services Randall Library Student Affairs University Advancement University College Watson College of Education Prefer Not to Respond Other Figure 1: Frequency of responses received from faculty and staff in each administrative unit. represented 54% of respondents, while staff comprised 38% of respondents. The remaining respondents chose Other (3%) or Prefer Not to Respond (6%).
Not all respondents provided 4 responses to each SWOT element, so there were ~500 to ~750 responses for each SWOT element. Strengths and Weaknesses received the most responses (723 and 776, respectively), while Opportunities and Threats received fewer (532 and 589, respectively). The following are summaries of the most common themes that emerged from responses to the survey questions. The order of presentation of themes within each SWOT element generally corresponds with the frequency of mention Strengths Committed Faculty and Staff Respondents commented very positively on the willingness of personnel to go the extra mile. Comments praised the faculty and staff for their overall excellence and hard work. Their efforts were characterized as notable, especially given the available resources. Excellent Academic Programs and High Quality Research/Scholarship UNCW has fostered several programs of national prominence and has excellent facilities in some areas. The most often cited programs in this theme were Creative Writing, International Programs, Marine Biology/Marine Science, Nursing, and Psychology. The high quality of our students was also frequently mentioned alongside the high quality of our academic programs. Student Centered Approach UNCW is perceived as being committed to student success, especially with respect to applied learning and student scholarship. The commitment of faculty and staff, the high quality of faculty scholarship, and the quality of infrastructure were frequently mentioned as strengths associated with student success. Coastal Location/Campus Environment We have a beautiful campus in a desirable and strategically beneficial location. This location was cited as critical for both attracting faculty, staff, and students and for the role it plays in successful programs. High Quality Teaching UNCW attracts and fosters dedicated instructors, who are passionate and expert in their fields. In addition to excellent instructors, small class size was frequently cited as a primary contributor to high quality teaching. Culture of Collegiality and Support UNCW is perceived as friendly, collaborative, and collegial. It was clear from the responses that faculty and staff value this aspect of the university very highly. Community Engagement UNCW is a regional hub and the level of engagement with the community was noted frequently by respondents. Notable mentions were OLLI, CIE, and the arts. Excellent Student Support Programs The student experience outside of the classroom is engaging and supportive. Respondents cited committed faculty and staff, especially in the Student Affairs division, as primary contributors to the excellence in this area. Specific programs mentioned were Student Affairs, Advising, Career Center, CARE, and the Fitness Center.
Weaknesses Salary Concerns The overwhelming sentiment among respondents regarding a specific weakness at the university was the woeful state of compensation for all employees. Respondents cited lack of pay raises, salary compression, inequity among salaries, and criticisms of employee benefits most frequently, which they said led to a variety of problems including low morale and high turnover. Campus Identity and Vision The question of Who Are We? echoed through a great deal of responses. Faculty and staff cited issues pertaining to lack of direction for the campus, low morale and school pride, mission creep (regional university vs. R1), lack or underrepresentation of select academic programs/disciplines, online instruction vs. traditional classroom instruction, and graduate vs. undergraduate education as especially important for understanding UNCW s identity and vision. Many of the issues raised in this theme were related to recent turmoil in the senior administration. It should be noted that although this was the largest category as far as sheer number of comments that we coded, it was also the broadest theme and contained the most varied responses. Faculty/Staff Workload and Support Faculty and staff perceived a disconnect between workload and expectations, as well as general level of support/resources for that workload (e.g. research budgets, grant support, library, campus process and workflow, etc.). These concerns are magnified by two things: an ever changing target as to what the faculty/staff should be trying to achieve (see Campus Identity and Vision) and recent budget cuts and reductions in staff that result in a constant edict to do more with less and oftentimes do even more with even less. Leadership/Shared Governance Respondents cited recent Senior Administrator turnover as a particular weakness affecting UNCW s direction and morale. Respondents also expressed concerns about the commitment of the administration to shared governance and transparency in decision making. These concerns are also reflected in a general mistrust of policies and procedures. Infrastructure While UNCW has some excellent facilities, we have many needs regarding space availability and equity, disrepair of several buildings, inadequate library facilities, and a generally aging infrastructure. Technology Respondents cited UNCW s technology infrastructure and support as being of particular concern. Most frequently cited concerns were a lack of leadership within ITS, aging and insufficient technology (Wi Fi, Network Connectivity), and archaic or cumbersome products (Banner, SeaNet, Blackboard, Digital Measures, etc). Diversity Respondents cited a lack of diversity in both students and faculty/staff as notable weakness for the campus community. UNCW s demographic profile is not
reflective of the region or state, and efforts to promote diversity were perceived as inadequate. Opportunities Identification of external factors that might contribute to UNCW s future success is difficult and responses were varied. The variety of responses received required a more qualitative approach to the analysis. The committee also noted that many opportunities were paired with known barriers, suggesting that faculty and staff were aware of the difficulties in capitalizing on the suggested opportunity. Distinctiveness This theme consisted of references related to geographic location and UNCW s unique educational and professional relationship to its coastal location. Respondents articulated the need for future growth to be consistent with our distinctive character. A critical factor related to this theme is telling our story and promoting the distinctiveness of the institution and its programs. Such story telling provides possibilities to market the university, promote and communicate our value, and reach out to the larger community, state, and international areas to promote the role of UNCW/higher education and how it enhances life in the community. Effective communication enhances community engagement, in addition to regional and state pride. These efforts should include the Chancellor and Provost who can trumpet the value of UNCW to a skeptical Board of Governors and state legislators. Finally, UNCW can serve as a benchmark for other colleges in providing support/services to early college, transfer, and non traditional students. Expand and enhance academic programs UNCW has an opportunity to grow or begin academic programs, but it should be deliberate in those actions. Respondents frequently raised the topic of serving veterans and increasing the University s reach to veterans, through distance education. Programmatic growth in areas such as increasing the number of graduate programs in critical areas was a significant sub theme. Respondents called for more or enhanced Ph.D. programs and master s programs in areas ranging from marine science and business, to exercise science, STEM and International programs. Respondents also expressed desire to provide students with more applied learning opportunities (inside and outside the classroom) and internships (credit bearing and unpaid) to better prepare students for their careers. Develop strategic partnerships Respondents saw great opportunity to partner with other private and public institutions to enhance the quality of academic programs, to enrich the student experience, to better engage the region and state, and improve the overall quality of the university. Partners should be supportive of UNCW s mission and might include businesses, governments, and institutions to build new opportunities for scholarship and learning. Strategic partnerships with local to regional technology oriented businesses such as PPD, GE, SAS, and Corning might be particularly beneficial. Innovative programs that would permit faculty, staff, and student residence at such partners should be explored. Enhance technology and online education Investments in technology were seen as opportunities to access to new markets and more efficient teaching. Survey responses included calls for institutional support for utilization of new technology to enhance teaching and learning
and to innovate, and a general call for improved access to new technologies and additional information technology resources with training. Specific opportunities included: improvement of the online Learning Management System (currently Blackboard); evaluating cloud based applications, specifically the learning management system; using robust software already on campus instead of trying to reinvent the wheel (e.g. Banner, Campus Reservation System, etc.); to be on top of new technologies and to train (and cross train) staff on them. In the online sub theme, comments frequently consisted of calls to expand distance education and online delivery programs. Related to the call for DE was the desire for more or enhanced DE classrooms, additional online course offerings, improved technology for digital learning, e.g. digital humanities. Improving and increasing distance education programs could engage military, non traditional students, and students outside the region. Create a foundation for our commitment to diversity and international students Responses illustrated the need and desire for recruitment and retention of diverse (international and domestic) students and faculty, and enhanced study abroad opportunities. A few respondents pointed out opportunities for tapping into the state s growing Latino population, as well as the underrepresented Native American population. Funding Respondents frequently expressed support for efforts to increase funding for scholarships, academic programs, teaching and research, and employee compensation. Respondents spoke of leveraging external relationships with private businesses and forprofit corporations to create and receive more funding. Increasing scholarship dollars and funding for academic programs were sub themes respondents saw as connected to ways UNCW could strengthen and grow diversity and successful programs. The subtheme of teaching and research contained comments geared toward leveraging current excellence to attract donors, deepen community engagement, and grow programs and research opportunities in coastal science and medical research. Themes were evenly divided between internal and external and suggest building on what UNCW is as opposed to taking a different direction. Threats Identification of external factors that might impact UNCW s future success is difficult and responses were varied. The variety of responses received required a more qualitative approach to the analysis. Lack of Support from the State Respondents cited the current political and funding climate as a primary threat to the mission and quality of the university. Mistrust of administrators at all levels (UNCW, UNC GA, General Assembly, and Governor) was apparent in the responses. It was also clear that respondents perceived the actions of state level administrators and politicians to be overtly hostile, rather than neglectful. Lack of funding Respondents frequently mentioned a lack of funds as a threat to the number and quality of programs at UNCW. Primary areas of concern were declining state appropriations, inadequate scholarships to attract the best students, reduced federal and state funding for research and creative works.
Salaries Among the most frequently cited threats to the university was employee compensation. Factors that contribute to this threat are salaries that are too low, policies that keep employee compensation below market rate, a lack of meaningful raise in eight years, and no opportunity for merit increases. These factors create a climate of poor morale, poor retention, and inconsistent commitment from those who remain. Competition from other schools Faculty and staff perceived other colleges and universities as threats to our position as a strong regional university, to our student recruitment, and to our primacy in the Cape Fear Region. In particular, UNCW is seen as less competitive relative to other colleges and universities due to inadequate resources, lack of coherent vision, and lack of capital investment in new facilities and programs. Competition from online programs and other new learning environments In addition to competition from other schools in our region and state, many respondents identified the threats posed by online courses and learning technologies. These threats fall along two lines. First, online programs may siphon students from UNCW, especially in areas in which we are unable to respond effectively. Second, online programs may have reduced rigor and accepting transfer credits from online programs or instituting our own online programs would dilute the academic quality for which UNCW is known. Cost Respondents cited increasing tuition as a threat to the university, and there is considerable fear that UNCW is pricing itself out of our traditional market. In fact, our market, like our identity, is not well defined. Aging and insufficient infrastructure Respondents identified outdated or missing technology, aging buildings, and a lack of space for growth as threats to the university s ability to meet current and future needs. SWOT Element Overlap Committee members report some overlap between the SWOT elements: Within strengths and opportunities, common themes include what is distinctively UNCW, e.g. academic programs, campus environment, campus culture, staff and faculty, values, community and regional engagement. Within weaknesses and threats, common themes include the current political climate in the region and state; evolving institutional identity/brand and equally rapidly evolving strategic directions; infrastructure (facilities, information technology, library, resources/support, systems and processes). The state of the state as concerns public higher education is both a strength/opportunity as well as a weakness/threat, e.g. the challenges facing the UNC system by North Carolina s community colleges; opportunities/threats posed by the challenges of recruiting and retaining both faculty and students; the opportunities/threats posed by the rapidly evolving online and blended learning landscape.
We further sorted the results into categories that would be relevant to each of the other strategic planning committees. Those results are appended to this report as Appendices D through G. Student Survey: A second online survey was formulated to solicit feedback from the UNCW student population. The survey was designed to allow students to contribute their ideas regarding the most important Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that will impact the future of UNCW. The survey was also designed to engage students with language that would be familiar, rather than SWOT jargon, in order to promote authentic and honest feedback. Students were asked to provide one response for each SWOT element and had the option of providing open ended comments. The survey was opened on November 17 and closed on November 23. The survey is included as Appendix H. The Student SWOT Survey was distributed through the student leaders and faculty advisors for the following campus organizations: Association for Campus Entertainment Centro Hispano Graduate Student Association (and disciplinary subsidiaries) Honors Scholars Association LGBTQIA Resource Center Residence Hall Association Student Ambassadors Student Athlete Advisory Board Student Government Association Upperman African American Cultural Center Veteran s Education and Transition Support Group We received 57 responses to the student survey. Survey responses were collated within each SWOT element and emergent themes in the responses were identified. Where appropriate, responses were classified into themes similar to those used in the Faculty/Staff survey. However, this was neither always possible nor appropriate; several new themes emerged in each SWOT element. In addition, each response was categorized according to strategic priorities to facilitate communication with other working groups. Each response could be classified into more than one strategic priority area. Both quantitative (frequency of response theme) and qualitative analysis was conducted to provide insight into survey responses. Responses are provided as Appendices I through L. In general, student responses echoed many of the themes that emerged from the faculty/staff survey. However, the student responses were also distinct in their character and content. Strengths Students identified many of the same strengths that were identified by faculty and staff. The most frequently cited strength was the positive, friendly, and open campus culture.
The inviting campus setting was noted both for its own beauty and convenience, as well as its location on the coast. Clearly, the beach setting is a strength for recruiting students, as well as providing opportunities for teaching and scholarship. Students cited committed faculty and staff nearly as often as campus location as a primary strength of UNCW. Passion, accessibility, caring, and responsive are qualities that resonated with respondents. Respondents also identified several excellent programs that contribute to their success. Those singled out for praise included the Upperman African American Cultural Center, Centro Hispano, and Educational Leadership. Weaknesses As with faculty, students identified a poorly defined (or missing) campus identity as a primary weakness of UNCW. Students tended to express this in terms of school spirit or sense of campus pride, rather than in terms of mission or vision. Aging and inadequate infrastructure as also cited as a primary weakness. Most of the responses in this theme reflected student frustration over on campus parking. Campus dining and inadequate computing resources were also cited in this theme. Students frequently (15%) cited weaknesses associated with poor communication. These responses were both general ( Communication between departments! ) and specific ( Make mental health resources more known on campus ). The high frequency of responses in this theme suggests a widespread feeling that communication channels are not effective for students. 10% of student respondents identified career and academic advising as being weaknesses for UNCW. Opportunities Students identified the creation of a football program as the most desirable opportunity for UNCW, although several acknowledged the practical difficulties with pursuing this suggestion. Students identified opportunities related to supporting their success as often as they cited football (20%). However, these responses were more varied and were related to topics such as registration, advising, support for online courses, and scholarships. Just as students found the lack of campus identity as a primary weakness, they cited opportunities to enhance campus identity as a top priority. Development of traditions that increased school spirit were cited often. Students recommended new or enhanced academic programs, enhanced technology, and increased engagement as important opportunities for UNCW s future. Threats Students identified threats to campus culture most frequently in their responses. Students indicated that changes in attitude or behavior (e.g. increased discrimination) that could negatively impact the campus atmosphere and changes in the learning environment (e.g. bigger classes) that could negatively impact academic quality are their primary sources of concern. Several students also indicated their concern that athletics may take precedence over academics.
Threats to academic quality were associated most often with inadequate resources (space, course availability) and faculty (focus on research, high turnover). Notably campus safety was identified by 12% of respondents as a significant threat to the university. Safety concerns ranged from bike/skateboard traffic on Chancellors Walk to violent crime to discrimination. The frequency with which this theme was identified suggests that it is a considerable concern for our students. Open ended Comments Two themes dominated the open ended comments provided by students: praise for the university and exhortations to maintain, and enhance, the positive culture that exists on campus. Students expressed strong, positive feelings for UNCW as an institution. It is clear from the comments that students take pride in the university and are committed to its success. Students perceived that UNCW s culture of openness and collegiality was one of its primary strengths and opportunities for the future. It is not surprising, then, that this culture was frequently mentioned in their comments. Students would like to ensure that the campus remains open, academics focused, and positive. They would like to see greater diversity reflected in the students, faculty, and staff. And, they recommend modest changes that would enhance their experience at UNCW (parking, better processes, and enhanced technology). Summary: While both surveys suggest that UNCW has considerable strength in its culture, location, and excellent programs, they also suggest that UNCW is faced with weaknesses associated with a poorly defined campus identity, significant funding challenges for programs and infrastructure, and a substantial morale problem brought on by poor compensation for faculty and staff. Opportunities can be found in community partnerships, efforts to increase diversity and international presence, capitalizing on excellent programs, and developing new areas of expertise that are aligned with our mission and capitalize on our strengths. We must also be cognizant of threats that have the potential to derail future growth and success. In order to thrive, UNCW must engage state leaders to improve the overall climate for higher education and to find resolution to ongoing salary and funding concerns. In addition, we must confront competition that diverts top students and may diminish academic quality. We must be mindful of protecting our campus culture and ensuring that students are meaningfully engaged in a safe environment.