Gannon University’s board of trustees approved a new strategic plan for 2017-2021 at a meeting that took place Sept. 23.
The plan is composed of three goals; Promoting Learning by Engagement, Advancing Organizational Health and Creating Public Impact, and will be implemented July 2018.
Gannon President Keith Taylor, Ph.D., said the board also welcomed new members at the meeting, began the steps for expanding the Ruskin campus and announced the commencement speaker for December.
Taylor said the Ruskin campus only has one building, and the board talked about renovating the middle section of the building and approved a planning for developing 60,000 square feet next to the main building.
Taylor said this would most likely result in a building with three floors of 20,000 square feet each, which is roughly the size of the School of Communication and the Arts building on Peach Street. This would offer students a space to eat, study and socialize outside of classes.
As for the strategic plan, the university wants to promote learning by engagement by reviewing the curriculum in place and working with the tenets of Catholic Intellectual Tradition to provide education in faith, leadership and social responsibility.
“[The plan] continues to stay focused on things that are important,” Taylor said.
The plan states the liberal studies core and courses at Gannon will be redesigned to focus on faith-based learning.
Taylor Wolff, a senior medical technology major, said she thinks Gannon should offer more options for religious courses.
“I would’ve loved to be able to learn about different religions around the world,” Wolff said. “I think that instead of trying to force more faith-based learning, the school should consider creating more religious courses.”
The second goal, Advancing Organizational Health, will be carried out with an effort to improve communication at the institutional level, down to the employees and review process. The plan states this step will continue to instill a global worldview in the Gannon community, by continued recruitment of global students, integrated housing and fundraising.
The third goal aims to create a public impact, and includes plans for Gannon’s involvement in Our West Bayfront. Gannon will work with the neighborhood organization and its partners like Erie GAINS to improve the environment and security of Our West Bayfront, the plan said.
Wolff said she thinks developing the Bayfront is a great idea.
“I know that Gannon is a beautiful city that just needs a little spit and polish and Gannon has the means to help,” Wolff said.
While the strategic plan will not be put into action until the next fiscal year, Taylor said its planning depends on the funding the university can obtain now.
Although the budget is not what the university planned to be working with because enrollment has decreased by about 70 students this year, Taylor said there is still room for flexibility.
“The budget is balanced,” Taylor said. “All the employees are still employees.”
One of the factors in lower enrollment is the global student population. Taylor said there was a noticeable decrease in enrollment on the international front, but it had nothing to do with the students.
Many students were not able to get visas to study in the U.S. in time for the fall semester, but Taylor said they may be able to start classes in the spring. Even with lower enrollment, Gannon is doing well compared to other schools in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
He said out of 50 other local colleges, 24 of them ended up in a deficit budget this year, but Gannon was not one of them.
“We’re in really good shape,” Taylor said.

KELSEY GHERING
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