Strategic Planning

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Motlow Strategic Plan 2025-2030

Motlow State operates on a ten-year planning cycle prescribed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). The Motlow Strategic Plan (below) extends for a ten-year period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030.

Open Access Priority

OBJECTIVE 1: Motlow State Community College will enhance access to higher education. 

F24 Baseline

GOAL 1.1: By 2030, the institution will increase enrollment for all students by 5% annually.

5978 

GOAL 1.2: By 2030, the institution will increase enrollment for dual enrollment students by 5% annually. 

1926

GOAL 1.3: By 2030, the institution will increase enrollment for adult students by 5% annually.

1031

GOAL 1.4: By 2030, the institution will increase enrollment for Pell Eligible students by 5% annually. 

2670

COMPLETION PRIORITY

OBJECTIVE 2: Motlow State Community College will develop and implement programs and methodologies to enhance student persistence to the completion of the post-secondary credential or degree. F24 Baseline
GOAL 2.1: By 2030, the institution will increase student indicators of timely progression (annual achievement of 12, 24, & 36 SCH) toward completion of all students by 5% annually.

12 SCH – 2090 

24 SCH – 1465 

36 SCH - 1118
GOAL 2.2: By 2030, the institution will increase student indicators of timely progression (annual achievement of 12, 24, & 36 SCH) toward completion of adult students by 5% annually.

12 SCH – 222 

24 SCH – 212 

36 SCH - 200
GOAL 2.3: By 2030, the institution will increase student indicators of timely progression (annual achievement of 12, 24, & 36 SCH) toward completion of Pell Eligible students by 5% annually.

12 SCH – 1137 

24 SCH – 867 

36 SCH - 703
GOAL 2.4: By 2030, the institution will increase student indicators of timely progression (annual achievement of 12, 24, & 36 SCH) toward completion of Academically Underprepared students by 5% annually. 

12 SCH – 1071 

24 SCH – 895 

36 SCH - 705

COMPLETION PRIORITY 

OBJECTIVE 3: Motlow State Community College will increase the number of students who complete associate degrees or certificates. Baseline
GOAL 3.1: By 2030, the institution will increase the number of associate degrees by 12% & certificates by 30% annually for all students. 

Associates – 915

Certificates - 150
GOAL 3.2: By 2030, the institution will increase the number of associate degrees by 10% & certificates by 10% annually for adult students.

Associates – 257

Certificates - 73
GOAL 3.3: By 2030, the institution will increase the number of associate degrees by 7% & certificates by 10% annually for Pell Eligible students.

Associates – 593

Certificates - 95
GOAL 3.4: By 2030, the institution will increase the number of associate degrees by 6% & certificates by 10% annually for Academically Underprepared students.

Associates – 563

Certificates - 63

GOAL 3.5*: By 2030, the institution will increase its 150% graduation rate by 7% and its 300% graduation rate by 7%.

*Baselines determined by F17 (300%) & F20 (150%) cohorts. 

150% Grad. Rate – 29%

300% Grad. Rate – 39%

COMPLETION PRIORITY

OBJECTIVE 4: Motlow State Community College will monitor and improve the effectiveness of educational programs and services.
GOAL 4.1: The institution will annually meet or exceed the comparative or college peer group scores for academic success measures, including exit exams, major field tests, & licensure programs.
GOAL 4.2: By 2030, the institution will increase the percentage of course sections implementing high impact practices by 5%.
GOAL 4.3: The institution will increase the percentage of regular full-time and part-time employees involved in professional development activities by 5% annually.
GOAL 4.4: The institution will annually meet or exceed its peer cohort regarding student support services to all students as determined by student satisfaction surveys, including, but not limited to, CCSSE & SENSE.
GOAL 4.5: The institution will acquire and/or maintain accreditation for 100% of its accreditable programs & maintain a satisfactory audit/review with an average rubric score of 2.5 or higher for non-accredited programs. 

COMMUNITY & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY

OBJECTIVE 5: Motlow State Community College will monitor and improve the development and enhancement of institutional capacity for community and workforce relations.
GOAL 5.1: The institution will increase external resources by 5% annually.
GOAL 5.2: The institution will maintain a composite financial index that will equal or exceed that of its peers.
GOAL 5.3: The institution will meet or exceed an annual job placement rate of 72% annually for Associate of Applied Science (AAS) & technical certificate graduates.
GOAL 5.4: The institution will increase the number of workforce contact hours by 10% annually.

Motlow State Strategic Plan Definitions

  • Academically Underprepared: Any student who scores below certain thresholds on the ACT (below a 19 on the Composite, Math, or Reading, or below an 18 on Writing), and any student who is ever identified by the community college as requiring a remedial or development course.
  • Accreditable Programs: Programs eligible for specialized accreditation through evaluation of faculty qualifications and curriculum standards in accordance with accrediting agency criteria. Some professional fields require students to graduate from an accredited program to be eligible for licensure and jobs.
  • Adult Student: College students who are 24+ years of age.
  • Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE): A national survey that provides information on student engagement. The survey asks questions that assess institutional practices and student behaviors that are correlated highly with student learning and student retention.
  • Composite Financial Index (CFI): A single metric that presents a composite analysis of the financial health of the institution at a point in time. A CFI score of 3 is the threshold of expected performance standard for institutional financial health.
  • Dual enrollment: A program that allows high school students to take college-level courses and earn both high school and college credits simultaneously
  • External Resources: Funds raised through unrestricted education and general sources other than state appropriations and students’ tuition and fees. Examples of such funds include money awarded from donations.
  • High-Impact Practices (HIPs): Active learning practices that promote deep learning by promoting student engagement. Ten learning experiences are recognized as high-impact practices- first-year seminars and experiences, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, writing-intensive courses, collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research, diversity/global learning, ePortfolios, service/community-based learning, internships, and capstone courses and projects.
  • Job Placement Rate: The rate of graduates, less university parallel graduates, employed in the year following graduation.
  • Pell Eligible: Students that qualify for the Pell Grant based on their initial FAFSA information.
  • Student Credit Hour (SCH): Represents the total number of credit hours a student is enrolled in during a term and/or academic year. Associate degrees require a minimum of 60 credit hours, and certificates are any program which a student can complete with less than 60 credit hours.
  • Student Progression: The number of students reaching 12, 24, or 36 credit hours during an academic year.
  • Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE): A survey of new students and their experiences in the first few weeks of attending a college.
  • Timely Progression Indicators: Metrics that suggest a student is on track to graduate within the expected timeframe.
  • Workforce Contact Hours: The clock hours students spend in non-credit, supervised instruction for career or technical training.

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