Environmental Factors

A plan that focuses on "Building a Learning Community" requires an examination of the environment in which strategic initiatives will take place. The College has identified the following challenges and opportunities as it plans for the future:

Strengths:

  • Reputation as one of the best Catholic women's colleges in the country, rich in traditions; ranked first among midwestern liberal arts colleges by US News & World Reports; highly rated by Barron's, Peterson's and other national college guide books
  • Academic program offering a sound liberal arts base with an inventory of thirty majors in five undergraduate degree programs; writing proficiency and senior comprehensives required; internships encouraged
  • High quality of faculty and students, low ratio of students to faculty (12:1) and average class size of 16; classes taught by faculty, not teaching assistants; high retention and graduation rates
  • Study abroad in Rome (Italy), Maynooth (Ireland), Seville (Spain), the Semester Around the World Program based in Cochin (India), and the summer European Study Tour; students also participate in Notre Dame international study programs
  • Co-exchange program with the University of Notre Dame providing academic, cultural, social and spiritual opportunities for students on both campuses
  • Highly residential, geographically diverse student body representing 48 states and territories and 10 countries
  • Benefits of a women's college environment: leadership opportunities, development of self-confidence, self-knowledge and self-esteem
  • Participation in varsity athletics and an extensive intramural program; membership in NCAA Division III and Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
  • Substantial endowment and an aggressive Campus Master Plan.
  • Three consecutive years of growth in the number of entering first-year students, an increase of approximately 32% between 1997 and 2000

Weaknesses:

  • The rising cost of tuition and the tuition-dependent revenue stream of the operating budget resulting in inadequate financial resources to fund new initiatives
  • Persistent cultural homogeneity of the student body; enrollment patterns of multicultural students suggesting institutional obstacles to recruiting these students
  • Geographic location and seasonal weather conditions of the South Bend area influence recruitment and retention
  • Perceived lack of social life on campus, inordinate reliance on Notre Dame for activities and events, and the competitive tension between Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame students
  • Lack of connection to Saint Mary's rich history and traditions

Opportunities:

  • Women's College Coalition studies indicate that women participate more fully in and out of class; have more opportunities to hold leadership positions and are able to observe women functioning in top jobs; report greater satisfaction than their coed counterparts with their college experience in almost all measures; develop measurably higher levels of self-esteem; score higher on standardized achievement tests; tend to choose traditionally male disciplines in greater numbers; are more likely to graduate; are more successful in careers; and tend to be more involved in philanthropic activities after college
  • A liberal arts education is widely viewed as the best preparation for an increasingly complex, information-based world that requires a commitment to life-long learning.
  • Alumnae are active, highly successful in their careers, very involved in their communities and provide strong role models for current students.
  • The President's outreach efforts are gaining greater visibility for the College.
  • The number of public and non-public high school graduates will continue to rise moderately over the next half-decade; average annual growth rates for enrollment of college-bound women will continue to outpace that of college-bound men.
  • Women's collegiate athletics are growing in popularity and participation rates.
  • Nationwide, more students are expressing interest in social values and community service- both characteristics associated with a Saint Mary's education

Challenges:

  • Higher-education providers becoming more numerous, more diverse, more technologically capable, shifting the focus from teaching to learning
  • Competition with regional state universities that offer lower cost, broader curricular choices and more social opportunities
  • Students who choose to enroll at Saint Mary's with the intention of transferring to Notre Dame
  • Declining interest in single-sex colleges and a perceived lack of preparation for the competitive post-graduation world
  • Declining state and federal funding for higher education relative to costs
  • Increasing demand for need-based and merit-based financial assistance
  • Increasing trend of students moving off-campus, posing a challenge both for retention of students and for revenue generation
  • Creative uses of and resource support for continuously changing technology