Goal 2: Human Flourishing
Whitworth will build up our flourishing community of students, faculty, staff and external partners.
Student Flourishing
Objective 2.1 – Enhance overall student success for all Whitworth students in a way that promotes retention and graduation rates, incorporates career preparation, and works to eliminate equity gaps among demographic groups, so that we can successfully provide our diverse student body an education of mind and heart that culminates in graduates who are well-equipped to honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity.
Objective 2.2 – Promote emotional, mental, spiritual, relational, financial and physical wellness to all our students in a way that provides education and resources, and identifies and addresses the specific needs of our demographic and identity groups, so that all students experience holistic well-being.
Objective 2.3 – Enhance inclusion and belonging throughout our curricular and co-curricular programming in a way that promotes cross-cultural engagement, equitable access to study abroad opportunities, and intercultural competencies and understanding; encourages critical reflection on issues of equity, social justice and diverse perspectives; and maintains our commitment to faith integration, so that our programming connects more effectively to the varied lived experiences, backgrounds, cultures and perspectives of our increasingly diverse student body, thereby increasing their sense of belonging and better fulfilling our mission to equip our graduates to follow Christ and serve humanity throughout the world.
Objective 2.4 – Strengthen mentoring and advising practices for all students in a way that is culturally sensitive and informed by an understanding of the various barriers that students from diverse backgrounds and identities face to their sense of belonging and their educational success, so that all students, regardless of background or identity, form a strong personal relationship with an academic advisor and/or mentor who offers affirmation, encouragement, guidance and support throughout their academic career, thereby better supporting students' educational success and overall flourishing.
Faculty & Staff Flourishing
Objective 2.5 – Strengthen faculty and staff work environments in a way that gives everyone compelling and equitable career opportunities and resources for professional development and Christian formation, so that all Whitworth employees are treated fairly and are supported to carry out Whitworth's mission.
Objective 2.6 – Enhance Whitworth's salary and benefits packages in a way that allows the university to be competitive with local and regional peer institutions, so that our faculty and staff can flourish and be retained.
Objective 2.7 – Strengthen the partnership and collaboration between academic affairs, student life and other co-curricular departments in a way that collaboratively integrates curricular and co-curricular programming, so that faculty and staff are less isolated and can strengthen meaningful partnerships to promote personal and spiritual flourishing and success for our diverse student body.
Objective 2.8 – Strengthen Whitworth's recruitment and retention practices for faculty and staff in a way that establishes equity throughout the search and hiring process and promotes hiring exceptional Christian faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds and identities, so that we achieve a diverse community in which our collective potential as an educational institution is realized and our diverse students see themselves represented throughout the university.
Flourishing External Community Partnerships
Objective 2.9 – Strengthen Whitworth's engagement with existing community partners and develop new regional, national and international community partnerships in a way that provides community points of connection for our students, staff and faculty and enhances our curricular and co-curricular programming. These community points of connection will increase scholarship activity for faculty; enhance university internationalization initiatives and student-scholar global education opportunities; and promote equity in underserved and underrepresented communities in our region, so that we can increase accessibility and impact for external community partners and enrich the educational opportunities for all Whitworth stakeholders in support of our mission.