Composed of faculty, staff and administrators at both institutions, the committee will envision the future of a merged institution and provide opportunities for members of campus communities to share ideas for enhancing future student experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte have formed a strategic planning committee with representatives of both campuses working together to explore long-term academic and co-curricular possibilities made possible by the merger of the institutions.<\/p>\n
The SOAR Strategic Planning Committee will engage stakeholders in Elon and Charlotte to envision and position a merged institution for a future that expands and enhances the student learning experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an incredibly exciting moment for Elon and Queens as we imagine a future together,\u201d Elon University President Connie Book told the committee when it met via Zoom on Jan. 30, 2026. \u201cThe work ahead is empowering because it allows us to envision a new future and then decide, collectively, how we will build it, which was the very impetus for our boards making what is truly a 100-year decision to merge our institutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strategic planning work before this committee is about ideation and imagination,\u201d Book added, \u201cbringing forward the strengths of our two legacies to amplify student success and create something genuinely new for higher education.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee\u2019s work will be guided by the following principles:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Build on genuine distinction.
\nKeep students at the center.
\nConsider future attainable goals with aspirational potential.
\nLet data inform thinking.
\nConsider mission alignment.<\/p>\n
Co-chaired at Elon University by Senior Vice President Jim Piatt and Professor of English Megan Isaac, and at Queens University of Charlotte by President Emerita Pamela Davies and McColl School of Business Dean Denise Rotondo, the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee will meet online and in person throughout the spring.<\/p>\n
Before the institutions develop detailed implementation plans, committee members are charged with imagining what the combined strengths of the two institutions could make possible. The emphasis is on academic programs, student experience and co-curricular opportunities, not operational or administrative integration.<\/p>\n
Committee membership was finalized by Book and Queens Acting President Jesse Cureton with input from senior leaders, with an emphasis on broad campus representation and strong faculty participation. Faculty involvement is seen by campus leaders as central to the conversations, particularly as the committee considers curricular opportunities.<\/p>\n
The process will also include opportunities for campus stakeholders to share ideas through forums and online submissions, similar to previous university-wide planning efforts.<\/p>\n
The SOAR committee plans to present a preliminary list of ideas to the universities\u2019 boards of trustees at their springtime meetings as a midpoint check-in.\u202fA final compendium of the best ideas and concepts\u202fis\u202fexpected by July 1. Co-chairs described the list as likely taking the form of a set of curricular and co-curricular themes rather than a\u202fcomprehensive\u202freport.<\/p>\n
Members of the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee<\/p>\n
Dixie Abernathy, Associate Professor of Education \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nLMA Alexander, Executive Director of the Pulliam Center for International Education \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nLauren Burke, Instructor of Accounting \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nLynda Butler-Storsved, Associate Teaching Professor of Wellness; Chair of Academic Council \u2014 Elon University
\nJessica Carew, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy \u2014 Elon University
\nSiu Challons-Lipton, Carolyn & Sam McMahon Professor of Art \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nElle Collins, Executive Director, Center for Access and Success and Instructor \u2014 Elon University
\nMaggie Commins, Professor of Political Science \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nJoe Cornelius, Assistant Professor of Film Production \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nJoAndrea Costner, Assistant Professor of Community Health Nursing \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nShaina Dabbs, Associate Professor of Sport Management and Chair of the Department of Sport Management \u2014 Elon University
\nPamela Davies, Professor of Strategy, President Emerita and Chief Integration Executive \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nEleanor Finger, Assistant Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Campus Life and Assistant Professor \u2014 Elon University
\nCJ Fleming, Associate Professor of Psychology \u2014 Elon University
\nAngie Hatley, Associate Professor of Nursing \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nErin Hone, Associate Teaching Professor of Education and Director of the Teaching Fellows Program \u2014 Elon University
\nMegan Isaac, Professor of English \u2014 Elon University
\nBrandon Johnson, Deputy Athletic Director for External Operations \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nNancy Johnson, Charles A. Dana Professor of Psychology \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nLaurie Judge, Director of Career Services for Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences \u2014 Elon University
\nCaroline Ketcham, Associate Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Exercise Science \u2014 Elon University
\nHyunuk Kim, Assistant Professor of Business Analytics & Director of the Center for Organizational Analytics \u2014 Elon University
\nPatrica Koplas, Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of Biology \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nMegan Koransky, Director of the Hayworth Center for Digital Learning Director \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nBrian Kremer, Associate Professor of Music Theater \u2014 Elon University
\nMark Kurt, Associate Dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business & Professor of Economics \u2014 Elon University
\nLori Lewis, Executive Director of Financial Aid \u2014 Elon University
\nVeronica Marciano, Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies & Founding Chair\/Program Director of Physician Assistant Studies \u2013 Charlotte \u2014 Elon University
\nKelly McKinney, University Controller \u2014 Elon University
\nAllison Meyer-Tucker, Director of Strategic Programming for University Advancement \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nPhillip Motley, Professor of Communication Design and Director of Graduate Programs for the School of Communications \u2014 Elon University
\nMegan Noltemeyer, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Life and Director of Strategic Initiatives \u2014 Elon University
\nPatrick Noltemeyer, Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Board of Trustees and Associate Vice President \u2014 Elon University
\nDawn Norwood, Associate Professor of Sport Management \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nKaterina Panttser, Assistant Professor of Finance & Economics \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nMaria Papapietro, Assistant Director, Semester & Exchange Programs \u2014 Elon University
\nJim Piatt, Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs \u2014 Elon University
\nWill Pluer, Assistant Professor of Engineering \u2014 Elon University
\nRoseann Pluretti-English, Assistant Professor of Communication \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nBetsy Polk, Senior Director of Jewish Life \u2014 Elon University
\nBarry Robinson, Professor of History \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nDenise Rotondo, Dean of the McColl School of Business \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nAlexa Royden, Chair of Faculty Senate and Associate Professor of Political Science \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nKristina Siarzynski-Ferrer, Assistant Vice President of Academics Student Success and Operations \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nWill Sparks, Dennis Thompson Chair & Professor of Leadership and Executive Director of the Center for Leadership and Executive Education (CLEE) \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nJeff Stein, Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer \u2014 Elon University
\nHani Tadros, Associate Professor of Accounting \u2014 Elon University
\nDaniel Terry, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Experience \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nJeffrey Thomas, Professor of Biology \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nStacey Thomas, Assistant Professor of Nursing \u2014 Elon University
\nEric Townsend, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and Media Relations \u2014 Elon University
\nAngela Tsuei-Strause, Executive Director of the Vandiver Center for Career Development \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nJen Uno, Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning \u2014 Elon University
\nChristopher Waters, Associate Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer \u2014 Elon University
\nDarryl White, Assistant Dean of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nRandy Williams, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Associate Professor of Education \u2014 Elon University
\nJay Wills, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences \u2014 Queens University of Charlotte
\nAlan Woodlief, Vice Dean of Elon University School of Law and Professor of Law \u2014 Elon University
\nKaren Yokley, Professor of Mathematics \u2014 Elon University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Composed of faculty, staff and administrators at both institutions, the committee will envision the future of a merged…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2410,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9,24,63,122,124,123],"class_list":{"0":"post-124702","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-queens","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-queens","12":"tag-queens-headlines","13":"tag-queens-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124702"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124702\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}