KATHRINE G. MCGOVERN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

STRATEGIC PLAN 2022 - 2027

Updated Summer 2024

VISION

The Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts at the University of Houston will become a premier institution for education, scholarship, and innovation in the arts at a major public research university.

Cultivating Curiosity. Fueling Research. Achieving Excellence.

CORE BELIEFS

The College believes in the transformative power of the arts for the individual, community, broader society, and world; and in the arts as a vehicle to unlock the potential of faculty and students to positively impact the broader society through their skills, contributions, convictions, and education.

CORE PURPOSE

The College’s primary purpose is the advancement of the arts, through research, practice, and the cultivating of the next generation of creative professionals and audiences. The College commits to sustainable practices in the arts that actively address and advance the public well-being. The College educates its students to be resourceful, inventive, and engaged creative leaders and arts advocates whose critical thinking and problem-solving skills empower them to profoundly influence their community and culture.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1

Build a nationally recognized, premier public college of the arts that trains students to become leaders through innovative arts education and scholarship.

GOALS

1a. Offer students an exceptional interdisciplinary arts education, through a combination of an innovative, diverse, and accessible curriculum as well as a strong disciplinary foundation, that prepares them for success in the versatile and adaptable workforce of the future.

1b. Engage students through innovative and immersive pedagogy that prepares them to become informed, responsible citizen-artists, arts advocates, and educators.

1c. Support the innovative research of our leading faculty creative professionals. Advance arts disciplines and forms by producing new knowledge and new creative processes.

1d. Support the College’s emerging student creative professionals through advanced research opportunities, including faculty-student collaborative research and creative opportunities.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1:
KPIs AND TARGETS

OVERALL STUDENT SUCCESS AND PREPAREDNESS:

KPI	TARGET
Student retention and graduation rates	Rates for the College meet the goals established by the University
Percentage of graduating students reporting feeling adequately prepared for their future careers, as measured by surveys	Meets national benchmark rates as measured by the national SNAAP survey and the UH Experience Alumni Survey

INNOVATIVE AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES:

KPI	TARGET
Number of innovative and immersive pedagogical activities (e.g., leadership development programs, internships, learning abroad programs, experiential learning opportunities)	Maintain or increase the number annually

FACULTY RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY:

KPI	TARGET
Number of research publications produced by faculty members	Maintain or increase the number annually
Number of faculty-led creative projects or performances	Maintain or increase the number annually

SUPPORT FOR STUDENT CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS:

KPI	TARGET
Number of student-faculty research and creative collaborations	Maintain or increase the number annually

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2

Recognizing the transformative power of the arts as a core value, the College fosters civic and social responsibility through immersive arts education, advocacy, and practice, inspiring students to engage meaningfully with their communities.

GOALS

2a. Affirm and commit to the importance of leading by modeling inclusivity and accessibility within our operational culture and in our operations, events, and facilities.

2b. Support a curriculum that embraces a canon reflecting the scope of the arts in today’s global society, fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for teaching, learning, research, and advocacy in the arts.

2c. Engage the arts institutions and community of the city of Houston to create opportunities for the next generation of artists, leaders, and professionals, ensuring that the breadth of opportunities available in Houston plays an integral role in the College’s curricula.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2:
KPIs AND TARGETS

INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES:

KPI	TARGET
Assessment of inclusivity and accessibility practices in College operations, events, and facilities	Implement all feasible recommended inclusivity and accessibility improvements within a year of assessment, and develop a multi-year plan for larger-scale projects
~~Number of events, performances, exhibitions, and visiting artists programs featuring global and diverse perspectives~~	~~At least 30% of events annually feature global and diverse perspectives~~

INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN THE CURRICULUM:

KPI	TARGET
Percentage of online courses designed to support an inclusive and accessible environment	Percentage meets the goals established and outlined by the University Ally Reports
Number of college courses, productions, and performances that include non-canonic content and repertoire	One-third of college courses, productions, and performances include non-canonic content and repertoire

ENGAGEMENT WITH HOUSTON ARTS COMMUNITY:

KPI	TARGET
Number of partnerships with local arts institutions and organizations	Maintain or increase the number of partnerships annually
Percentage of students participating in innovative and immersive pedagogical activities (e.g., leadership development programs, internships, learning abroad programs, experiential learning opportunities)	Increase the percentage of student participation annually

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3

Through enhanced public communications and visibility, the McGovern College of the Arts will become a major arts and cultural destination on the University of Houston campus and in the city of Houston.

GOALS

3a. Establish an Arts District on the University of Houston campus that positions the College as a leading producer of the arts in Houston and as an arts destination internationally recognized for unique and innovative programming.

3b. Strengthen the College’s marketing and communications infrastructure in order to enhance our public presence and visibility, including our digital presence, on the web, social media, and other digital outlets.

3c. Engage the entire university community, including non-arts majors, with productions, performances, exhibitions, and opportunities for continuing education in the arts.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3:
KPIs AND TARGETS

COLLEGE AS THE HUB OF AN ARTS DISTRICT FOR THE UNIVERSITY:

KPI	TARGET
Number of public performances, productions, exhibitions, and events	Maintain or increase the number annually
Total attendance at public, ticketed events	Increase total attendance annually
Measure of recognition as a leading producer of the arts in Houston	Increase the number of mentions annually

STRENGTHENING MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE:

KPI	TARGET
Website traffic and engagement metrics (e.g., page views, time spent on site)	Increase website traffic and engagement metrics annually
Social media followers and engagement (e.g., likes, comments, shares)	Increase social media followers and engagement annually
Brand perception and awareness by all stakeholders	Achieve a 90% positive perception of the College brand among survey respondents

ENGAGEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY:

KPI	TARGET
Attendance at productions, performances, exhibitions by faculty, staff, and students	Percentage increase in attendance at College events by UH faculty, staff, and students annually
Number of art continuing education opportunities and participation rates	Maintain or increase the number and participation rates annually
Number of performances, exhibitions, and showcases by the College offered outside of the Arts District in other locations across the campus	Maintain or increase the number of College events held outside the Arts District annually

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4

Develop and manage a philanthropic network that provides sustainable funding to support the College's mission.

GOALS

4a. Secure significant financial contributions by increasing the number and diversity of donors, establishing endowments, and building partnerships with corporations and foundations to ensure long-term financial stability and a broad, sustainable funding base.

4b. Strengthen alumni engagement by fostering strong relationships to encourage their ongoing support and contributions.

4c. Implement effective stewardship practices to build donor trust and confidence.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4:
KPIs AND TARGETS

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY:

KPI	TARGET
Total funds raised annually	Increase total funds raised by 3% each year
Number of new donors acquired annually	Increase the number of new donors by 10% annually
Number of corporate and foundation partners	Secure at least 1 new partnership with corporations and foundations each year
Amount of new annual endowment funds	Raise $1M in new endowment funding annually

STRENGTHEN ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT:

KPI	TARGET
Alumni participation in College events and activities	Increase by 5% annually
Percentage of alumni who contribute financially to the College	Increase by 5% annually
Number of engagement touchpoints (e.g., emails, events, newsletters) with alumni	Minimum of 15 touchpoints annually
Satisfaction rate among alumni with their engagement and involvement with the College	Achieve a 90% satisfaction rate

EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES:

KPI	TARGET
Retention rate of existing donors	Maintain a donor retention rate of 80% or higher annually
Annual donor satisfaction rating	Achieve a 95% satisfaction rate in donor feedback surveys
Number of engagement touchpoints with donors (e.g., reports, updates, newsletters)	Minimum of 13 touchpoints annually

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 5

The College will build the intellectual and physical infrastructure required to advance its strategic goals.

GOALS

5a. Recruit and retain an innovative, engaged, and accomplished faculty and staff reflective of the City of Houston as a global, international destination city.

5b. Optimize and enhance the delivery of administrative services throughout the College and ensure that the staff support is proportional to the scope of the College’s operations.

5c. Work collaboratively with the Offices of the Provost, Finance and Administration, and Facilities and Planning to improve the College’s facilities with respect to building maintenance, renovations, safety, and sustainability.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 5:
KPIs AND TARGETS

FACULTY AND STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION:

KPI	TARGET
Faculty retention rate over a specified period	95% of full-time faculty retained annually
Staff turnover rate compared to industry benchmarks	90% of full-time staff retained annually

EFFICIENCY OF OPERATIONS AND SERVICES:

KPI	TARGET
Ratio of administrative staff to overall College operations (e.g., staff:faculty, staff:students)	Ratios meet national benchmarks and standards
Feedback from College stakeholders on service improvements and satisfaction	Achieve at least 85% positive feedback from College stakeholders on service improvements and satisfaction annually

FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE:

KPI	TARGET
Number of facility maintenance and renovation projects completed	Ensure completion of all scheduled facility maintenance and renovation projects for which the College is solely responsible
Facility assessment conducted annually to evaluate building maintenance, renovations, safety, and sustainability	Ensure the facility assessment results in a documented plan with specific timelines, responsibilities, and measurable objectives for addressing identified areas of improvement
Feedback from College stakeholders on facility improvements and satisfaction	Achieve a satisfaction rating of at least 90% from College stakeholders regarding facility improvements annually, as measured through surveys or feedback mechanisms