Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are having an enjoyable fall semester.
I am writing to provide an update on the University’s Strategic Plan. Following a retreat held over the summer, we have made a series of modifications that are designed to enhance the impact of this important work.
The plan now features four Outstanding Success Possibilities (OSPs), and we have identified the sub-deliverables that are being pursued during the 2025-26 academic year. Highlights of the sub-deliverables in each OSP are included below.
As part of the Market-Responsive Education OSP, individuals from across campus are working to implement a robust program assessment plan. This involves using metrics and program assessment outcomes to identify academic programs for reimagining, additional investment, or decommissioning. This OSP group is also working to create curriculum proposals that integrate AI literacy into undergraduate programs, and it will continue its work to create new micro-credentials as well as collaborative and interdisciplinary programs that respond to market opportunities and the needs of employers.
In the Transformative Student Experience OSP, which, among other goals, endeavors to increase student retention and graduation rates, staff and faculty are working to implement a team-based advising model that provides both early intervention for at-risk students and timely assistance for students encountering emerging issues. This OSP group will also be utilizing the Student Experience and Campus Climate surveys to assess participation in campus-wide activities, identify barriers to engagement, and evaluate the impact on community belonging.
The Institutional Innovation and Global Impact OSP endeavors to raise $25 million in the current fiscal year to support the development of the Center for Innovation and Applied Technology, in addition to creating up to 15 new master-research agreements with corporate partners. Another sub-deliverable in this OSP includes developing a framework for a Center of Research Excellence to support an increase in faculty scholarly activity. The work of this OSP also aims to implement new MOUs with international institutions across Europe and Asia.
In the People First and Operational Excellence OSP, a sub-deliverable includes conducting six-month pulse surveys to measure organizational effectiveness and employee engagement. An additional sub-deliverable is the development of a Department Chair Council in order to expand professional development and community among Department Chairs. This OSP is also working to create programs, tools, and training opportunities that help differentiate the University through its customer-centric culture.
View complete details on the outcomes, the sub-deliverables and the leaders for each OSP by clicking here.
Thank you for all you do for the University and our students.
Sincerely,
Nancy