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Why an Academic Master Plan?

Our Academic Master Plan will serve as the foundation for all strategic planning for the university for years to come. Academic planning is not a new processÂ鶹´«Ã½”we already engage in thoughtful work through assessment, accreditation, department reports, and mission-based planning. This initiative brings those efforts into shared alignment across schools and colleges, supported by the ProvostÂ鶹´«Ã½™s Office.

Our Vision for Success for the Academic Plan

Â鶹´«Ã½ will be the leading New York City-area school that combines academic excellence with professional preparation and a longstanding commitment to community engagement. We leverage innovative research and teaching, a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, and unparalleled access to New York City and the lower Hudson Valley to deliver hands-on and transformative learningÂ鶹´«Ã½”empowering students to become future leaders, changemakers, and drivers of social mobility and lifelong success. Pace will be a school of choice in our identified areas of focused excellence for our students.

Core Values

Opportunitas means:

• Liberal arts, humanities, and sciences undergirding of your path and profession
• Experiential learning through placements, research, community engagement
• Excellence in curriculum, research and scholarship
• Authentic quality demonstrated by outcomes, rankings, innovative curriculum, experiential opportunities, teaching excellence, inclusion, diverse perspectives

Goals

The goals of the Academic Master Plan are designed to position Â鶹´«Ã½ for long-term academic excellence, institutional resilience, and national distinction. Rooted in our mission and values, these goals articulate a clear, strategic vision for defining areas of academic strength, aligning programmatic efforts across the University, improving outcomes and reputation, and ensuring that our academic portfolio remains responsive, sustainable, and forward-looking in a dynamic higher education landscape.

Goal 1: Define PaceÂ鶹´«Ã½™s Areas of Focused Academic Excellence

• Pace will clearly define areas of focused academic excellence in which we seek to achieve regional, national, and international recognition for outstanding academic programs.
• Pace will become a school of choice for students in these clearly defined areas.

Goal 2: Ensure Each College, Academic Unit, and Program Has a Clearly Defined Strategic Role in the UniversityÂ鶹´«Ã½™s Academic Master Plan

• Role clarity will empower programs to make more efficient and effective decisions that collectively support the goals of the Academic Master Plan.

Goal 3: Improve the UniversityÂ鶹´«Ã½™s Academic Outcomes to Strengthen Our Reputation and Brand

• Continue to cultivate a culture of quality across all academic units, enhancing the strength and perception of PaceÂ鶹´«Ã½™s academic offerings.
• Improve undergraduate retention and graduation rates:
  • Achieve an annual retention rate of 85 percent
• Specifically, Pace will strive to:
  • Achieve an R2 Carnegie Classification for research institutions
  • Improve our U.S. News & World Report rankings:
    • Move into the top 150 national universities
    • Secure one top-50 graduate program in each college

Goal 4: Achieve an Optimal Academic Program Portfolio That Supports Enrollment, Budget, and Admissions Stability

• Determine the ideal size, scope, location, and modality of all academic programs and degrees across the university.
• Develop optimal student enrollment and faculty staffing models to deliver an outstanding and sustainable academic experience.

Want to get involved or learn more? Email the steering committee.