Student Experience
Strengthening Community on Campus and Around the World
Our
dynamic approach to engaging with the world — through academic experience,
research, service, campus culture, and expanded alumni outreach — grounds
Northeastern's sense of community. Globalization and technological change
require universities to broaden their communities, developing new approaches to
attract and retain diverse, talented students from the world over.
Under
the Long Range Plan, we will continue to advance the vibrant, broad-based
experience that engages our students with diverse communities on campus, in our neighborhoods,
and around the world.
Campus Life and Athletics
Goals
- Continued rise in engagement and satisfaction levels among
students, and high participation in out-of-classroom academic and service
offerings
- Strong sense of undergraduate community, with
deepened feeling for campus and community traditions
- Innovative campus programming that attracts students from
around the world
- Distinctive, high-quality offerings that attract and
build community among adult learners
- A competitive range of intercollegiate athletic
programs, with high campus attendance and strong alumni engagement, that
contribute to sense of community
- High retention rate for all University students
- Continuing strength of academic performance by scholar-athletes
and strong overall athletics compliance record
- Leadership in popularity and competitiveness of intramural
and club sports
Action
Steps
- Strengthen infrastructure to support broader extra- and
co-curricular offerings
- Develop Living Learning Communities as the standard for
freshman housing
- Redesign Co-op Connections to support
students pursuing experiential learning opportunities
- Introduce new locations, course offerings, and modes of
instruction for adult learners
- Build nationally excellent marquee athletic programs,
generating excitement and sense of community
- Develop enhanced facilities for intercollegiate, club, and intramural programs, and retain coaching talent
Selected
Metrics
- Freshman retention and student graduation rates
- Adult learner market share
- Athletic fundraising levels
- Academic performance and retention of
scholar-athletes
- Size of club and intramural rosters
- Intercollegiate team results and post-conference play
Enrollment
Goals
- Continued increase in yield of high-talent students, driven by
their affinity for the richness of our opportunities for global learning and
research
- Highly diversified enrollment, with robust channels for
international students
- Increased share of top applicants enrolled in our adult and master's
degree programs
Action
Steps
- Broaden geographic base of applicants in the United States through recruiting, guidance counselor cultivation, and
expanded visit and hosting programs
- Strengthen outreach to international students through distinctive
preparation and pipeline programs and new partnerships
- Implement superior enrollment management strategies and practices,
with a focus on student quality, retention, and affinity for our unique
learning model
- Continue to enrich experiential opportunities through our
four-year option
- Enhance career placement through a strong employer-relations
strategy
- Contribute to scholarly research on the value of co-op and
experiential learning
Selected
Metrics
- Number and quality of applications relative to peer institutions
- Applications growth by region and by high schools
- International application numbers, quality, and diversity
- Yield, retention, and graduation rates
- Employer surveys and rankings
Student Support and University Services
Goals
- Continued increase in the value of a Northeastern education, with
correspondingly higher graduation rates
- Increase in international and out-of-region co-op and study
programs
- Strengthened services for students on University-affiliated travel-study programs
- Enhanced infrastructure support to simplify University business
processes and communications for students
- Expanded services for adult learners
- Continued leadership in career services
Action
Steps
- Increase support for talented students with financial need
- Elevate crisis response and technology use to advance student
health and safety services
- Develop support-service infrastructure for students studying or
engaged in experiential learning outside our region
- Enlarge services and financial support for students with learning
disabilities
- Pursue Web 2.0 support and service initiatives, including a
service evaluation campaign in social media
Selected
Metrics
- Retention and graduation rates
- Key satisfaction survey benchmarks
- Conversations on college choice websites, blogs, message boards,
and opinion sites
