Seven years ago, we began an institution-wide process to assess Towson University’s strengths, opportunities and ambitions for the future. The result: six key goals that define the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan—Leadership for the Public Good.

With its emphasis on academic excellence, student success and community engagement, TU’s strategic plan established a bold charge to build upon our momentum and advance our position as a national leader in higher education for the public good.

This framework has steered the university through many unforeseen challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic and attacks on inclusion programming to federal funding cuts, research regulations and recent state budget reductions. 

The strategic plan has given us clear targets to work toward, and we have made significant progress in many areas—exceeding our goals in partnerships, first-generation student enrollment and applications for competitive awards. We have also seen steady growth in our efforts to increase research spending and doctoral degree production—two important steps in our goal to achieve R2 Carnegie Classification.

2030 Goals

853 External Partnerships
Goal: 769

17% First-Generation Students
Goal: 16%

90 Annual Applications for Competitive Fellowships & Awards
Goal: 80

These are just a few of our strategic targets, all of which keep us accountable to our mission and our future aspirations. And while we should take pride in our achievements thus far, we should also continue raising the bar for what we can accomplish. 

One metric we are particularly focused on is the four-year graduation rate. While our six-year graduation rate is among the state’s best, we are working to ensure more students can complete their academic program in four years—an outcome we know will improve early career success and limit the cost of education. That is the genesis for the new Finish in Four initiative, one we believe will help more students realize the full value of a TU education.

4-Year Graduation Rate

46.5%

national average

51.9%

state average

47.1%

TU's current rate

51%

TU's goal for 2030

National, state and TU figures are based on IPEDS data for the 2018 cohort.

We have a responsibility to do everything we can to help retain and graduate each student who chooses to enroll at Towson University. That responsibility is at the center of all we do.

As we look to the future, we do so with pride, ambition and purpose—guided by the strategic plan and the vision we have set for our university community. We must continue this important work together to ensure success for our students, meaningful contributions for Maryland and national prominence for Towson University.

Thank you for your partnership and for all you do in support of TU.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
President

Melanie Perreault, Ph.D.
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs