Strategic and Cultural Foundation for Student Success at Henry Ford College
Advancing Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (ABIDE)
At Henry Ford College, “Our success is measured by the success of our students” – and that means ALL of our students! An open-access educational community, Henry Ford College strives to provide a welcoming and safe place that ALL learners may call home. We seek to close ALL achievement and equity gaps wherever they exist. We embrace and work collaboratively to advance a culture celebrating and centered on belonging, inclusion, diversity, and equity. These are our shared strengths. They inform and propel our efforts to improve both the educational and economic outlook for Southeast Michigan.
A visual of our ABIDE Strategic Plan:
2022-2024 Strategic Plan Priorities
(See bottom of this page for PDF version of the plan)
Strategic Priority 1: ACCESS
HFC will increase enrollment and improve college readiness especially for underrepresented and historically underserved student populations.
Goal 1: Increase enrollment of Black/African American students by 25% and double the enrollment of Hispanic students within two years.
Goal 2: Increase enrollment of underrepresented student populations in programs leading to high-opportunity outcomes, especially in STEAM, Health Sciences, and the Skilled Trades.
Strategic Priority 2: RETENTION
HFC will achieve improved and equitable retention rates for all students through proactive, student-focused supports and intervention programs.
Goal 1: Increase the percentage of first-time, full-time students who earn 24+ credits in their first year from 52% to 60% and increase the rate of part-time students who earn 15+ credits in their first year from 10% to 25%.
Goal 2: Decrease the percentage of Ds, Es, Withdraws, and Incompletes (DEWI rates) in college-level gateway courses by 15% across all student populations.
Strategic Priority 3: COMPLETION
HFC will increase credential attainment and close completion equity gaps across all student populations.
Goal 1: Increase the total number of certificates and degrees awarded by 20% over two years while raising the institutional Graduation Rate towards 15%.
Goal 2: Reduce time to credential attainment while decreasing the overall number of excess credits students complete by 20%.
Strategic Priority 4: TRANSFER
HFC will achieve improved and equitable results for all students regarding successful and seamless transfer to either advanced study or a career.
Goal 1: Increase the number of transfers to 4-year colleges and universities within three years of starting at HFC by 20%.
Goal 2: Increase the percentage of students completing an Associate degree or other credential at HFC before transferring to another 4-year college or university from 35% to 45%.
Progress toward initiatives supporting each priority
There are currently 12 major initiatives to support the four strategic priorities.
Learn about the initiatives and progress toward completion here.
College Mission
Henry Ford College transforms lives and builds better futures by providing outstanding education. As a student-centered, evidence-based college, our success is measured by the success of our students.
We empower learners through the development of independent, critical and creative thinking, and we foster diversity, inclusion, understanding, and acceptance to prepare learners to succeed in a global society. We anticipate and respond to the needs of our stakeholders, exceed their expectations and serve the public good.