ASCO Strategic Plan 2023-2027

MISSION STATEMENT

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) advances optometric education and research to enhance the health and well-being of the public.

MISSION DESCRIPTION

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) accomplishes this mission through collaboration with educators, administrators, residents, students, industry, government, healthcare organizations, and other stakeholders through its education, research, advocacy and development activities, in order to nurture robust, forward-thinking, and evidence-based optometric education and research.

VISION STATEMENT

The public benefits from enhanced eye and vision health through excellence in optometric education and research.

VISION DESCRIPTION

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) serves as a catalyst for the advancement of optometry. ASCO member schools and colleges provide the best education, conduct the most innovative research, and attract and graduate the highest quality professionals who reflect the diversity of the populations we serve. Our graduates go on to serve as doctors of optometry, researchers, educators, collaborators, and leaders in the health care community.

CORE VALUE DESCRIPTIONS

The strength of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is rooted in our core values: providing forward thinking leadership; making a difference in the lives of our students, residents, patients, faculty, and administrators; seeking creative and innovative approaches in our pursuits; and striving for excellence in all that we do. As we increase our effectiveness as an association and expand our reach and endeavors, our core values allow us to stay true to our founding principles and proud legacy.

  1. Diversity and Inclusion
  2. Collaboration
  3. Leadership
  4. Innovation
  5. Integrity
  6. Wellbeing

What do these core values mean?

  1. Diversity and Inclusion.  No individual is as creative or effective as a group of well-focused, collaborative individuals. The same is true for organizations. ASCO sustains a strong sense of community among those involved in optometric education. ASCO creates an environment where students, residents, faculty, administrators, patients and their families, other healthcare practitioners, researchers, scientists, and staff all feel heard, safe, included, respected, and supported. This value is evidenced by appreciation for a diversity of opinions, perspectives, and backgrounds, by strong teamwork among volunteers and staff, and by actively pursuing opportunities to work cooperatively with other organizations. It is further supported by an inclusive organizational structure that provides opportunity for engagement and a sense of belonging, allowing a variety of stakeholders to contribute, and providing for enhanced communications and collaboration.
  2. Collaboration. Associations function on the premise that individuals and organizations working together for a common purpose contribute to society – and the association’s mission – through solving common problems, meeting common needs, and accomplishing common goals. ASCO believes that the interweaving of ideas, knowledge, and resources among our members, and between ASCO and other organizations and professions, will build stronger consensus, produce better solutions, heighten awareness, steward resources, and enhance creativity, thereby bolstering the tensile strength of the optometric education community.
  3. Leadership. ASCO leads the optometric education community and encourages excellence and leadership in students, residents, faculty, and administrators through the promotion of an inspiring vision for the future. ASCO is a highly trusted source/authority for information about optometric education. Its audiences include the public, the media, and public policy makers. ASCO promotes outcomes that are best for students and patients.
  4. Innovation. ASCO is a catalyst for a better future through innovation. Creative approaches to education, research, scholarship, and service are demonstrated by a culture that recognizes and celebrates diversity of thinking and perspectives; strives for excellence; accepts reasonable risk, and appreciates the learning that comes from valuable failures.
  5. Integrity. ASCO acts consistently in accordance with its mission, being honest and transparent in what we do and say, with an unwavering desire to conduct the highest quality programs and to collaborate with other groups and organizations with similar goals. ASCO focuses on pursuits that have a direct impact on people’s lives, through the thoughtful establishment of priorities, and the use of evaluation processes, centered on the impact to students, residents, faculty, administrators, researchers/scientists, and patients. This value is demonstrated in behavior that exhibits commitment to high professional standards; that upholds accountability for the trust placed in us by our faculty, students, and residents; and that promotes ethical behavior among all individuals involved in the work of the association and in optometric education.
  6. Wellbeing. ASCO provides a community for optometric educators, administrators, residents, students, and employees that enhances awareness of the value of a healthy lifestyle, and enables these groups to develop integrated programs and resources that encourage a focus on quality of life and positivity, nurturing a culture of wellbeing and balance.

KEY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES & MEASURABLE RESULTS

  1. Applicant Pool Development
    1.1 Recruit at least 2 applicants with a GPA > 3.0 from their undergraduate institution(s) for every available training slot in a U.S.-based optometry program by June 2027.
    1.2 Increase by 100% the number of highly qualified applicants from Black and Hispanic backgrounds by June 2027.
  1. Organizational Sustainability & Infrastructure
    2.1 Design and support internal systems that provide appropriate controls, staffing, resources, policies, and procedures in order to meet ASCO’s goals.
    2.2 Increase income funding for ASCO operations and programs at least 5% per year.
  1. Advocacy
    3.1 Optimize relationships with external stakeholders who look to ASCO as a resource for reliable information pertaining to optometric education and research, and advocate for policy changes that will promote excellence in optometric education.
    3.2 Advocate for increased funding for more optometry-led research at ASCO member institutions.
  1. Career & Leadership Development
    4.1 Provide programs and resources to faculty and administrators at optometry schools and colleges to improve individual proficiency and effectiveness.
    4.2 Enhance engagement and sense of belonging among faculty, administrators, residents, staff, and students who come from underrepresented backgrounds. 
    4.3 Increase the number and diversity of students pursuing optometry residencies.
    4.4 Promote academic career options to optometry students and residents.

Strategic Plan Overview 2023 – 2027

Posted 4/2023