Converse has been unwavering in its pursuit of becoming a thriving institution that champions its people, places, and programs while strengthening its operations and finances and serving as a driving economic force in the region. Here’s a look at the progress we’ve made so far toward our three-year Strategic Vision Plan.
September 2024 Update
Enriching Our Programs
- Created and implemented the First Day Ready Textbook Program, which eliminates the cost and hassle of getting textbooks and required supplies, allowing students to focus on their studies instead of worrying about paying for books and materials
- Introduced six new undergraduate majors in the past year to align with student demand and be responsive to trends in higher education:
- Added two new programs in The Graduate School:
- Master of Arts in Teaching in Multi-Categorical Special Education
- Master in Management in Community Advocacy (fully online)
- Campus Technology refreshes including 14 laptops, 47 desktops, and 9 Macbooks, plus nearly 70 employee, classroom, lab and department computers.
- Expanded Career Development staffing to ensure students’ pathways to success in today’s job market.
- Expanded support and promotion for adult, veteran and military-affiliated students thanks to $1 million in philanthropic funds from Movement 2030, a county-wide initiative led by the Spartanburg Academic Movement focused on advancing economic mobility and career readiness.
- Earned the prestigious Military Friendly® School and Military Spouse Friendly® School designation at the Silver level, in recognition of our work to embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.
- Continued commitment to The Converse Guarantee, which ensures that all undergraduate, full-time students will graduate from Converse in four years and also guarantees that eligible students will be employed full-time or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.
- Ongoing work to reconceptualize the Converse core curriculum requirements to reflect the needs of the 21st-century student while maintaining the academic rigor and excellence that is synonymous with a Converse education.
- Expanded our Board of Visitors and Deans’ Advisory Boards to reignite partnerships within our communities and intentionally create pathways for students to excel in today’s job market.
Empowering Our People
- Welcomed ten new faculty members to campus in fall 2024
- Appointed Dr. Reed Chewning as the new Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning.
- Thanks to a generous legacy gift, our faculty and staff was provided with tiered, cost-of-living salary adjustments and created a sizable endowment for future merit-based bonuses.
- Completed a comprehensive compensation and market analysis for employees.
- Expanded professional development opportunities for employees, including:
- Membership in the Council of Independent Colleges’ Belong Community, which offers resources for faculty and staff to make our campus more welcoming and inclusive;
- Tuition remission policy expansion;
- Strength Finders assessments and training across the Leadership Council;
- Addition of Chea Seed as another self-assessment and goal-planning tool for all employees.
- Conducted a 360 Leadership Survey on Executive Leadership and Academic Deans.
- Enhanced hiring practices, offering hiring managers more tools to ensure fair and non-biased hiring practices; expanded hiring committees and the training offered to each to ensure diverse hiring best practices are being followed.
- Implemented several digital processes into the Human Resources workflow, including a fully online onboarding process and an online benefit enrollment platform, Employee Navigator.
- Expanded the university’s supplemental insurance policy options for benefit-eligible employees.
- Expanded Employee Assistance Program services.
- Continued support for flexible work arrangements.
- Created an HR newsletter with relevant updates for employees, including initiatives, events, anniversaries, and wellness information.
- Expanded use of Guardian as a case management workflow platform to support the proper and timely receipt and tracking of grievance procedures.
Enhancing Our Places
Campus upgrades, including:
- Upgrades to exterior light poles for increased safety and security
- Improved lighting surrounding several facilities
- Hazardous tree removal and restriping of parking lots
- HVAC improvements in select academic spaces
- Floor refinishing in many classroom spaces
- Montgomery Student Center Gym upgrades, including new shock-absorbing rubber flooring and state-of-the-art cardio, strength machines and free weights.
- Renovation of the Fain Langdale McDaniel ’92 Commuter Center to enhance community and belonging for non-residential and Converse II students (currently underway).
- Residential Hall community space improvements to meet the needs of today’s students, including:
- Refreshing bathrooms and common areas in Dexter, Belk, and Andrews
- Painting and other light refreshes in Howard, Kate, Pell and Fleming
- Updating the lobby in Andrews Hall (Class of 1973 gift)
- Renovated and transformed Cudd Hall to become a dynamic learning and living community for students
- Increased the variety of options in dining and market stations located across campus, including grab-n-go offerings in Market C in Mickel Library, a self-serve coffee bar, Richard’s Roast, in Cudd Hall, and our newest addition of pop-up Chick-Fil-A lunches, which are included in students’ meal plans
- Implemented a zero-based budgeting process to prioritize funding for the events, programs, and initiatives that best enhance the student experience
While we are proud of the incredible progress made over the last two years, there is still significant work to be done — doors to be flung open and opportunities to seize. This is a critical time in Converse’s history, and we rely on our Converse communities and supporters to make the vision of our SVP a reality.
Please join us as we create an enduring Converse that ignites creativity, innovation, and transformation in our students. The future is ours to build together.