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HT STRATEGIC PLAN
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE Huston-Tillotson University, located in the heart of East Austin on a 23-acre, tree-lined campus, has the proud distinction of being Austin’s first institution of higher education. On February 28, 2005, Huston-Tillotson College became Huston-Tillotson University and started another chapter in its continuing legacy. With an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, mostly of whom are African-American, HT is home to students from various racial ethnic and religious backgrounds, thereby fostering a diverse and inclusive campus community. Since 1875, the sons and daughters of HT have made a dramatic difference in the quality of life for the communities and individuals they touch. Huston-Tillotson is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to offer associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. As such, more than 2,000 of the University’s graduates currently live and work in the Austin metropolitan area, thereby contributing to the greater Austin community, the economic growth and development of Central Texas, and the global society. Huston-Tillotson’s academic programs are facilitated by qualified faculty members, many of whom are leaders in their academic disciplines. To date, the University maintains its reputation as a teaching university with a stellar faculty and a place where students can achieve their goals. Within the ranks of the forty faculty, nearly 80% of the full-time members have a terminal degree in their teaching fields. Among the faculty are authors and other recognized scholars from prestigious programs such as the Fulbright Scholarship Program, Henry C. McBay Research Fellows Program, Piper Professors, and Sam Taylor Fellowship Programs. Faculty spend their summers completing research in their field, studying at the New York Faculty Institute, attending the UNCF/Mellon Faculty Seminar, engaging in international travel, and other initiatives that further define their specialized areas. Furthermore, the University is deeply committed to cultivating leaders and providing activities that enhance learning inside and outside the classroom. The University embraces diversity. We consistently welcome students and faculty of diverse backgrounds, interests, and talents. As we continually lay a foundation to grow and retain our students, we are increasing our ability to serve them with Centers of Excellence, enhanced learning and study spaces, and innovative peer-based learning services. Further, while we will provide curriculums that reflect academic programs in high-demand fields, we will continue to promote spirituality, critical thinking, science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship as our foundational values. Notwithstanding, HBCUs are facing some compelling and challenging questions in a post-COVID pandemic era. Now more than ever, institutions of higher learning have had to rethink their business models and conduct strategic planning, particularly in an indefinite and increasingly competitive educational marketplace.The pandemic tested the adaptability and agility of colleges and universities, forcing them to effectively pivot and quickly adopt new methods of educational service delivery that are safe, effective, and cost-efficient. In addition, shifting demographic trends and economic considerations fuel a preference for asynchronouslearning and a heightened demand for more flexible and affordable online educational options. In a broader perspective, racial and social injustices, health disparities, and economic inequalities are bringing into sharper focus the roles progressive colleges and universities might play in formulating and implementing innovative solutions to these problems. The escalating scale and complexity of these problems will require thoughtful collaboration with other responsive organizations and industries. In this context, HT must reexamine its strategic direction and forge new strategic partnerships predicated on its aspirations and fulfilling its distinctive mission.
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