Office of the President
Tara Quass, Executive Assistant
President’s Office
Dahl Centennial Union
700 College Drive
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Phone: 563-387-1527
Grounded in Place and Mission, Global in Reach and Impact
Luther College is grounded in its history as the first US college founded by Norwegian immigrants; in its mission as a college steeped in the Lutheran intellectual tradition that is both rooted and open; and in its identity as a welcoming community that values the intersections made possible by living and learning in Decorah, Iowa, and the Driftless Region of the Midwest.
Luther College is global in its curricular approach, in the high rate of participation of international students who study here and of domestic students who study away, and in the impact our graduates have as stewards of the global common good as a result of their education.
In order to advance this vision, Luther College will be adaptable in its response to a rapidly changing higher education landscape, and will focus in the next two years on preparing the path forward in the following strategic and operational areas:
- expanding our reach
- aligning our resources
- strengthening our organization
This diagram visualizes the interconnections and overlaps of many strategic initiatives, all centered on one vision: Grounded & Global.
We will build on our academic strength, attract new students, and amplify the impact of our engaged alumni, our committed parents, and our vibrant community partners. Informed by market research and our strategic goals, we will take on these initiatives to expand our reach:
- Academic programs: Launch new undergraduate majors; identify master’s and certificate programs for development
- First-year and transfer student enrollment: Grow our inquiry and application pool; create program-specific transfer pathways; strengthen athletic recruitment
- Constituent engagement: Align our alumni and friends’ energy, resources, and time to match the strategic needs of the college
- Community partnerships: Seek out new relationships that support students’ community-based and experiential learning
On our campus, we will create an environment where our resources are aligned around supporting all students, faculty, and staff. Guided by our campus master plan, our institutional priorities, and our commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging, we will take on these initiatives to align our resources:
- Campus spaces: Implement the first phase of our campus master plan, including raising funds for the renovation of the Regents Center, completing feasibility studies for the renovation of Preus Library and Main Building, and creating indoor and outdoor spaces that facilitate student engagement and success
- Human resources: Implement a staff performance management plan that foregrounds continuous and forward-looking engagement
- Equity and inclusion: Create an intercultural training and development initiative; establish components of our recruitment, retention, and leadership development plans that attend to equity and inclusion
We will address the long-range needs of our employees and of our institution. Following best practices in fiscal stewardship, marketing, data management, human resources, and student recruitment and retention, we will take on these initiatives to strengthen our organization:
- Compensation and staffing: Improve competitiveness of employee compensation; revise the faculty salary step system; review our staffing structure
- Student recruitment: Refresh our market research and adjust our brand strategy based on findings; develop a multiyear academic department communication plan
- Student retention: Launch a team-based advising program informed by perspectives from academic affairs, student engagement, and student success
- Data management: Inventory existing systems and structures in pursuit of a campus-wide data strategy
- Local integration: Strengthen our presence in and collaborative efforts with organizations throughout Decorah, Winneshiek County, and the Driftless Region
Office of the President
Tara Quass, Executive Assistant
President’s Office
Dahl Centennial Union
700 College Drive
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Phone: 563-387-1527