A Blueprint for Tomorrow

Santa Clara University has unveiled its “Impact 2030 Dashboard,” which actively tracks a six-year strategic plan to strengthen its position in higher education through initiatives across student life, academics and institutional growth. 

President Julie Sullivan delivers her State of the Union. Photo for The Santa Clara by Miguel Ozuna

The plan, unanimously adopted by the University’s Board of Trustees on Feb. 9, 2024, identifies four strategic priorities and foundational commitments to be implemented by the end of the decade. At the time of writing, the four priorities, Reach on a Global Scale, Solutions for the Universal Good, Opportunity for All Talented Students, and Belonging for All Broncos have all recently surpassed the 50% completion mark. 

The strategic plan builds on several institutional developments, including the University’s first inclusion in U.S. News & World Report’s national university rankings in 2019, the completion of a $1 billion fundraising campaign, and the development of three-quarters of a million square feet in new and renovated facilities.

A key component is restructuring the University’s “Residential Learning Communities” program. Previously focused on first- and second-year students, the program will expand to include third- and fourth-year students. 

Margarita Malagon, director of housing business services, emphasized the importance of on-campus living in building community. "We have seen that those connections are easier when those students are actually physically on the campus," Malagon said. 

Malagon connected this approach to the University's Jesuit mission. "It is the Jesuit way of building community," she explained. "This alliance with the overall Jesuit ideology of being in community in the physical space, so that you have those non-scheduled interactions, and as that happens, then hopefully you will feel more connected to others."

Isa Montes ’25, assistant resident director for the University Villas, expressed both optimism and reservations about the implementation. "I think the RLC model is a great living-learning opportunity for students, but it has been ever-changing since Covid-19 and there has been a concerning turnover in professional staff," Montes stated.

She noted challenges within the department that could affect the expansion. "For this 2024-2025 academic year, I don't think there has been any time when the Residence Life department has been fully staffed. I am curious how the University might be able to embrace accountability while pursuing better support for professional staff like resident directors."

University data shows current student retention rates at 94% and graduation rates at 89%. The expanded model aims to maintain these figures while addressing disparities between different student populations. It is unclear at this time how the University plans to achieve this goal.

In regards to student populations, the percentage of enrolled students of color has increased from 44% to 58% in recent years, according to University records.

Julie Sullivan, the University’s President, highlighted that the current first-year class includes 230 LEAD Scholars—composed of first-generation students—during her State of the University address on Feb. 18. Of the total class, 18% of students are first-generation, and 18% are Pell-eligible. Each of these numbers represents a record for the University. Additionally, Sullivan shared that the University has received over 20,000 applications for the Class of 2029, the most in the University’s history.

Kenneth Park ’25, associate director of the Multicultural Center, sees these efforts as essential to the University's mission in light of emerging policies from the Trump Administration.

"The benefits of achieving the goals in Impact 2030 is an increase in student belonging, especially among first-generation/racial and ethnic minority students," Park stated. "Especially among the current administration's actions, it is essential for the University to continue to ensure that it welcomes ALL students from diverse paths of life."

The plan also speaks to life after admission, with plans to launch a new Performing Arts Incubator that will pair faculty artists with students across disciplines to create what the University described as meaningful, interactive artistic experiences.

Evan Fine ’25, a political science and music double major, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative. "It's refreshing to see the performing arts highlighted in this kind of way," he said, noting it follows the successful student-led push for free concert tickets.

Continuing with extracurriculars, the University has also reached their target of raising $500,000 for the REAL summer internship program, which provides stipends for students conducting research, internships, or creative projects with a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences, or, an internship in industry or a non-profit organization sponsor, according to the Dashboard.

The program increased its maximum stipend to $6,000 in 2023 and to $7,000 for qualifying students in 2024, according to Katy Korsmeyer, a professor of biology and director of special projects for the College of Arts and Sciences, who helps run the REAL program. Korsmeyer noted that the REAL program is continuing to fundraise for this upcoming summer.

Meeting these funding metrics are important to align with Sullivan’s goal of "meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for every student that comes to Santa Clara, regardless of their circumstance," which she emphasized in her recent address. 

Despite reaching the targeted $500,000, Korsmeyer wrote “I am now seeing a higher budget need when reviewing the current applications.”

The strategic plan acknowledges this, targeting increasing federally funded grants by 11 percent, from $9 million to $10 million annually.

This goal comes as research funding faces uncertainty at the federal level. A federal judge extended an injunction blocking National Institutes of Health implementation of a directive that would cap "indirect funds" for research grants at 15 percent on Mar. 5.

When asked how current political developments might affect these funding goals, a University representative responded that "Santa Clara's leadership has signaled that it is too early to try to speculate on the future impacts of Trump Administration actions."

A recent article from the University addressed some questions and concerns related to the Trump Administration's executive policies. The article notes that if the indirect cost recovery rates for National Institutes of Health-funded projects were to be capped at 15% across all federal grant programs, the University would incur approximately $450,000 in additional costs. 

“While we are concerned, we are confident we can manage through a possible reduction in indirect cost recovery rates,” the article stated. “This issue is a bigger threat to the major ‘R-1’ research institutions, which receive far more federal research dollars.”

Park emphasized that the Dashboards initiatives align with the University's core values. "By continuing to diversify Santa Clara University, more students and faculty will feel included and cared for. This is in line with the Jesuit values of compassion, competence, and conscience."

The plan also addresses foundational commitments including improving compensation for faculty and staff, developing better financial planning models, enhancing operational effectiveness, and moving toward becoming a climate-positive University.

"Impact 2030 builds upon Santa Clara University's ascent as one of the nation's leading institutions of higher learning," wrote Larry Sonsini, Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees. "It fulfills our promise to equip all talented students with the knowledge and ethical clarity our complex and globalizing world will demand of them."

The University will continue to update the online dashboard, which can be found on their strategic plan website.