We have set the stage for Adelphi’s future with a plan to make a difference for a new generation of higher education students, our community and our world.
2022 has been a celebratory year at Adelphi, a time to look back at our many accomplishments over the past 125 years.
It has also been a year to focus on the changes and challenges the future will bring. New technologies are remaking the economy and creating constant demand for new job skills and lifelong education. Remote learning seems poised to take an even larger role in higher education. Demographic shifts are affecting enrollments and challenging colleges and universities to be more inclusive and equitable.
More than 1,400 faculty members, students, alumni and staff came together in 2022 to help plan Adelphi’s future. Together, they helped lay out the University’s path forward, reaffirming our values and identifying our goals. The direction they helped set is laid out in Momentum 2: The Strategic Plan for Adelphi University, 2022–2027.
Building on the original Momentum plan, which guided the University for the previous six years, Momentum 2 places even greater emphasis on remaining nimble, modern and relevant in today’s rapidly changing educational environment. At the same time, it stays true to Adelphi’s mission of providing a rigorous, personalized education that transforms the lives of our students.
A Record of Success
Launched in 2015 by Adelphi’s new president, Christine M. Riordan, PhD, the original Momentum plan set six goals intended to transform the University. It brought about significant changes in academics, student success, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, finance and operations, and national stature.
By the end of the 2020–2021 academic year, Adelphi had:
- Introduced 52 new undergraduate and graduate programs, including eight new majors, 18 minors, 15 4+1 degree programs and three joint degree Pathway programs
- Developed award-winning career development and mentoring programs and increased financial assistance and support
- Greatly increased the diversity of our student body and faculty, receiving numerous national awards
- Received the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for our commitment to community engagement and service
- Took new budgetary approaches that allowed the University to maintain its A- rating from Standard & Poor’s throughout the pandemic
- Made significant gains in prominent rankings, including recognition by U.S. News & World Report as a Best College, Top Performer on Social Mobility, Best First-Year Experience and Best College for Veterans
A New, Sharper Focus
Momentum 2 continues this work, setting three overarching strategic goals.
- Goal 1 is rooted in our mission and focuses academic distinction in our Core Four academic areas: arts and humanities, STEM and social sciences, the business and education professions, and health and wellness. Our goal is to advance intellectual rigor, research, creativity and community engagement in each area, while expanding academic opportunities for nontraditional and returning students and increasing our online learning options.
- Goal 2 focuses on people, extending our commitment to ensuring an inclusive campus community, strengthening connections within it, and building new connections with the larger community. This involves a continued emphasis on student success as well as holistic support for the wellness of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.
- Goal 3 applies to our resources, reflecting our reliance on smart growth to keep up with the changing demands of higher education. We will strengthen our infrastructure and increase efficiency and effectiveness, all informed by our commitment to sustainability.
The Values We Commit To
Four essential themes run through each Momentum 2 goal. All four reflect the core values that are shared across our University. And all four inform our strategic priorities.
- We will all foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging: We will work to eliminate equity gaps, support an environment of respect, and build a sense of belonging in everything we do.
- We will all serve one another and the community around us: Promoting engagement within our own community and with the world around us will guide our actions.
- We will all work collaboratively: We vow to continue working together to accomplish our strategic vision. Success is rarely achieved in isolation.
- We will all ensure accountability and effectiveness: We will share our plans, progress and successes with one another to help build teamwork and ensure effectiveness.
The Challenge Ahead
The coming years will test the ability of universities to adapt to new realities and develop new ways to serve students and society. Our experiences over the past six years—our successes in reaching goals set by our first Momentum plan and the way our community came together in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—assure us that Adelphi will be up to the challenge.
Momentum 2 reflects this optimism as well as a common purpose and a continuing commitment to our shared values.