Rowan College at Burlington County Unveils Strategic Plan

Rowan College at Burlington County has finalized its five-point plan to transform the college into the model of 21st century education following the announcement of the partnership between Rowan University and Burlington County College last year.

“The 2020 Strategic Plan leverages our many successes of the past year and memorializes our vision to transform Rowan College at Burlington County into the model of 21st century higher education,” said Rowan College at Burlington County President Paul Drayton. “This plan will quickly lead us to the future in which more Burlington County students graduate with a bachelor’s degree three years after high school, we will have robust corporate partnerships for academic and workforce programs and we will feature modernized offerings that remain on the cutting-edge of what employers need.”

The plan is divided among four strategic pillars: access, affordability, quality and effectiveness, and student success. It includes a new mission statement: Rowan College at Burlington County transforms lives by delivering innovative, high-quality and affordable educational experiences in an accessible and diverse environment.

Access: Technology has made the world smaller, and Rowan College at Burlington County plans to evolve to provide more access to students throughout the globe and earlier in their educational pursuits, according to the plan posted on rcbc.edu.

Annually, nearly 2,300 high school students earn college credit through programs such as the College Acceleration Program. Earning college credit in high school enables students to earn a college degree more quickly and at less cost and debt. The college will focus on these programs to provide high school students a head start toward their college education.

The goals are to expand awareness of these programs and expand on its offerings; provide high school students with skills evaluation and access to opportunities to prepare for college-level work; provide support services and resources for increased access; and provide more convenient access to academic programs.

Affordability: Rowan College at Burlington County’s premier partnership cuts in half the price of a high-quality Rowan University degree to about $25,000, with a plan to allow students to earn their bachelor’s degree after three years at RCBC and one at Rowan University.

The goal is to align expenses with revenue, and to develop significant partnerships for cost-effective academic and employment pathways.

Quality and Effectiveness: Rowan College at Burlington County ranked among the top 3 percent of community colleges in the nation for its ability to increase graduates’ salaries, according to the independent nonprot Brookings Institution. e college was commended by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for its commitment to assess and improve academic programs.

The goals are to measure quality and effectiveness in educational design and delivery; standardize information to measure the college’s quality and effectiveness; and provide meaningful opportunities, including professional development and continuous improvement.

Student Success: Rowan College at Burlington County ranks at, or slightly above, the national average in terms of graduation and retention, which is not a desirable position when considering more than a third of the incoming class does not remain enrolled at RCBC aer one year, and just 40 percent of full-time first-year students successfully graduate or transfer within three years.

The college is placing a greater emphasis on program recruitment and retention. To help students succeed, Rowan College at Burlington County will provide guided pathways for students to have a clear route from high school to college to transfer or career, align academic certificate and Workforce Development Institute programs with the needs of employers, and implement innovative programs to improve enrollment, retention and graduation efforts.

The goals are to strengthen those pathways and student persistence and retention, and to be more supportive of curricular and co-curricular activities.

The plan also includes tactical initiatives and benchmarks so the college can evolve as student success methods change.

Updates and progress reports will be posted on rcbc.edu.

In the past year, the college has:

• Implemented a historic partnership with Rowan University that allows students to earn a high-quality bachelor’s degree for as little as $25,000.
• Began a transition to transform the Mount Laurel campus into the ultimate modern student experience while transitioning out of the college’s original Pemberton campus.
• Reengineered the organization structure to place a greater emphasis on student success, workforce development and academics.
• Launched a new Workforce Development Institute, an innovative combination of county, college and private-sector resources, which has earned national acclaim for addressing workforce needs of today and tomorrow.

“Every day we see how Rowan College at Burlington County transforms lives – whether it’s a young person straight out of high school pursuing an engineering degree from Rowan University, or a nontraditional student looking for a mid-career change through our Workforce Development Institute,” Rowan College at Burlington County Board of Trustees Chair George Nyikita said. “This plan keeps both of those students – and all of them in between – in mind in a comprehensive, holistic approach to modern education.”