The Reich College of Education’s Strategic Positioning Platform is a living framework for working toward collegiate goals and identifying areas for progress to be measured, shared, evaluated and improved over time.

What Is a Strategic Positioning Platform?

Unlike a traditional strategic plan, a Strategic Positioning Platform (SPP) is dynamic and responsive to changing needs of the college and its stakeholders. 

As we welcome this period of leadership transition, I want to affirm that our Strategic Priorities remain steady and central to our work. These priorities reflect the thoughtful, intentional efforts of our college community and continue to guide our progress. They represent not a shift in direction, but a continuation of the important work already underway — work grounded in innovation, collaboration, and responsiveness to the evolving needs of education and the workforce.

Our strategic plan provides a consistent framework for decision-making and resource alignment, ensuring that our efforts remain focused on what matters most. It also supports a shared understanding of our goals and reinforces our collective responsibility to advance them. Together, we will continue building on this strong foundation, maintaining momentum while seeking new opportunities to enhance our impact.

I value the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement. At the same time, meaningful progress depends on clarity of purpose and sustained commitment. This strategic plan is a living document — one that evolves through reflection and collaboration — but its core priorities continue to anchor our work.

I look forward to working alongside our community to further strengthen the Reich College of Education’s impact, ensuring that we remain focused, forward-thinking, and committed to the success of those we serve.

-- Dr. Herb F. Brown, III, Interim Dean, Reich College of Education

The outline below presents our Big Goal, Key Priorities, and Subgoals/targets. We will assess and update this platform at least annually.

The Big Goal

Serve RCOE faculty, staff, students, and community partners by advancing an innovative culture and advocating for public education and human development.

Key Priorities & Targets

Priority One: Student-Centered, Innovative Programs

Provide student-centered, innovative, relevant, and flexible educational programs and experiences.

  • Ensure cohesion and relevance within program offerings.
  • Identify and develop innovative new learning opportunities.
  • Ensure that candidates have a solid foundation in media and technology and their implications for practice.
  • Create initiatives, resources, and supports to enhance student success before, during, and after their academic careers.

Priority Two: A Connected RCOE Culture

Cultivate a collaborative RCOE culture grounded in intentional alignment and proactive engagement.

  • Develop internal capacity and deliberate structures for collaborative, strategic, and adaptive thinking, with increased cross-collaboration between all departments, units, centers, and programs.
  • Cultivate a unified RCOE identity and culture by integrating departments, structures, and programs around a shared roadmap for future impact and growth.
  • Support RCOE staff and faculty in the development of agile and innovative practices to design, facilitate, teach, and co-construct our future.
  • Increase transparency in decision-making, funding, and communications through a framework to support innovation and flexibility.
  • Enhance connections between RCOE faculty, staff, and students.
  • Ensure excellence efforts are embedded and centered within every department and level of the organization via specific outcomes, measures, and supports on an ongoing basis.
  • Ensure staff, faculty, and student support.

Priority Three: Access, Retention, and Completion

Expand access for students and improve retention and completion rates.

  • Improve enrollment management, retention, completion rates, and learning outcomes.
  • Partner with community colleges to create accessible, high-quality 2+2 programs to build an expanding pipeline of future teachers.
  • Expand differentiated and high-quality online programs aligned to alternative pathways (e.g., paraprofessional to teacher, 2+2, district partnerships, therapeutic virtual workshops, etc.).

Priority Four: Advocacy and Leadership

Advocate through expanded leadership, voice, and outreach in public education and human development—regionally, nationally, and globally.

  • Build capacity for increased research, resources, scholarly contributions, and creative activity.
  • Continue to enhance partnerships with P-20 and other organizations to ensure RCOE is continuously examining and improving teaching, learning, and counseling practices.
  • Ensure RCOE has visibility and voice as a respected leader in statewide and national P-20 and human development policy conversations, particularly in support of existing teacher education programs,  as evidenced by activities such as speaking engagements, lab efforts, and partnerships.
  • Empower RCOE students to become the next generation of leaders and advocates for the teaching, educational leadership, and human development professions.

This Strategic Positioning Platform is a living framework. Progress will be tracked and shared, and targets will be refined as needs evolve.