Today we had a unique opportunity to get information on the behind the scenes work that goes on at Elon. I was personally amazed to see how much goes into running a University and how many departments it takes. Our speaker today was head of the technology department at Elon and had seventy two people working under him. Elon is a private non-profit University that is owned by a board of trustees. The only employee for the board is Leo Lambert and he makes the decisions based on the boards opinions. Elon has been at constant expansion since 1973. They have increased their student and faculty body and have improved drastically the schools reputation. The average freshman SAT scores have increased more than eight hundred points since ’73. Elon is a very big up and coming school and is constantly rising on the education quality scale. Over the recent years Elon has taken a strong stance towards sustainability and eco friendliness. They are making green buildings, green purchases, and even getting the student body involved. They are taking pride in their new moves towards an eco friendly school and it is saving them money in the process. We also heard today the relationship with Elon University and its residents. The school is trying to create a town and gown community where both parties benefit. They are teaming up with the town on construction projects, and residential areas and are employing many Elon residents. The school values a tight community and wants the rest of the town to feel a part of it.
Elon has provided a very extensive and detailed mission statement via their website. It says the following “Elon University embraces its founders’ vision of an academic community that transforms mind, body, and spirit and encourages freedom of thought and liberty of conscience 1.We nurture a rich intellectual community characterized by active student engagement with a faculty dedicated to excellent teaching and scholarly accomplishment. 2.We provide a dynamic and challenging undergraduate curriculum grounded in the traditional liberal arts and sciences and complemented by distinctive professional and graduate programs. 3.We integrate learning across the disciplines and put knowledge into practice, thus preparing students to be global citizens and informed leaders motivated by concern for the common good. 4.We foster respect for human differences, passion for a life of learning, personal integrity, and an ethic of work and service.” As you can see here Elon has tried to remain a place that focuses entirely on the betterment of their students. They want to ensure those enrolled will be able to come out of this school cultured, enlightened, and prepared.
The customer at Elon are the students. Because this is a non-profit school the students tuition is put right back towards their education. They also seek help from fundraising and donations. The school is meant to be for those who can get in and pay for it. They don’t typically see the student as a customer but more as a contributor for the betterment of their own education. They try to do what they think is best for the young adults that attend the school and budget their money accordingly.
The students that attend Elon have many values that the school has presented with them. Above all the students value their education. They value everything that the university has to offer otherwise they simply wouldn’t be here. I know personally that there are many things outside the classroom that I value at this school, such as; the professional development center, the dining halls, the teaching staff, the facilities, and the list goes on and on. With an organization such as a university there are many things that go into creating a happy student. Elon created a town within itself and is attracting students from all over the country and globe.
The results that Elon receives for its hard work is a continuous recognition as the southern school on the rise and top ten nations most beautiful campuses. Elon puts a lot of focus on appearance, they want the visiting students to have a reason to get out of the car and the current students to want to be on campus. From the crack of dawn the grounds staff are picking up trash and managing the landscaping and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Elon has reached the level of botanical garden status and it can easily be recognized on a simple stroll through campus. The university prides itself on appearance and academics and they have been recognized and rewarded for both.
Elon operates on a ten year plan strategy, every ten years they have major and minor plans for the university and when they reach that tenth year the cycle starts all over again. As of now the university is focusing on expanding and improving. They are averaging an extra fifty students each year while increasing the difficulty of admission. Walking around campus you can see the drastic construction that they have been undergoing. There is always something going on either internally or externally on the campus and it is all for the betterment of the students present and future.
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