Strategic Plan Beyond 2010
Our Name
Comprised of representative students, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees (who are also alumni), the Commission on Planning and Action of Southwestern University has put forth a Strategic Plan draft that, if approved, would provide the University with a 10-year strategic direction. One priority in the draft plan is to reaffirm the University’s identity and increase the number of people who know this institution to be “a rigorous national undergraduate liberal arts and sciences institution known for engaging minds and transforming lives.” This will require the development and implementation of a broad-based visibility effort that strengthens and builds upon the integrated marketing research and strategic actions implemented by Southwestern over the past five years.
As part of the overall visibility and reach effort, the draft plan calls for the commissioning of market research on the University’s name and, based on the outcomes of the study, making decisions about a process to change the name. If outcomes of the study do not support a name change, then proceed with the visibility effort. If the research outcomes support a name change, then plan and orchestrate a name change process that is transparent and inclusive of the University’s stakeholders as part of the overall visibility effort. These decisions will rest with the Board of Trustees.
