Earlier this month, Commonwealth University’s Council of
Trustees formally approved and endorsed the university’s first-ever strategic
plan.
The life of a university is marked by many notable
milestones. As Commonwealth University continues to grow and evolve, the launch
of our first strategic plan is an important accomplishment. I am proud beyond
measure of the talented team members who have devoted their time, energy, and
talent to the strategic planning process over the past year. Their collaborative
efforts have brought forward a long-range plan that is notable for its focus
and commitment to putting students first.
Each of the plan’s four strategic priorities is built around
the principle that students are at the heart of our mission, goals, and
purpose. Not only does the plan lay out measurements of success through
well-defined metrics, but each of the plan’s strategic priorities is buoyed by
three core commitments that will guide and inform our work well into the
future.
|
Strategic
Plan Priorities ·
Student
Success ·
Academic
Excellence and Innovation ·
University
Success ·
Welcoming
and Inclusive Community |
Strategic
Plan Core Commitments ·
Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging ·
Strategic
Communications ·
Thriving
Students, Faculty, and Staff |
The four priority areas speak to our areas of greatest urgency and
significance, starting with student success. As we implement the strategic
plan, we will offer inclusive support to meet the needs of all students as we champion
initiatives designed to provide meaningful opportunities for career readiness,
grow our exemplary and holistic student support services, offer support to
graduates as they launch their careers, and embed financial literacy into the
learning process.
The Academic Excellence and Innovation priority focuses on incorporating high-impact practices, accelerated programs, and innovative credentialing opportunities into the educational offerings, as well as investments in both employee professional development and student-faculty engagement to foster innovation and the development of scholarly and creative works that make an impact far beyond the campus community.
The University Success priority focuses on student enrollment,
retention, and graduation rates, as well as employee recruitment and
onboarding. It includes the launch of strengthened marketing efforts and
fundraising campaigns to support our plan’s progress.
The Welcoming and Inclusive Community priority seeks to build a culture that embraces change, improves communication across the complex organization, supports the affinity groups that foster a sense of belonging through student organizations, athletics, and other co-curricular programs, and enhances the university’s mutually beneficial relationships with its surrounding communities.
As we begin the important work of bringing our strategic
plan to life, I want to thank our entire strategic planning committee,
especially our core team members who have worked tirelessly to lead this
process with a robust and bright vision for the future of Commonwealth
University and its students. Cori Myers, John Bodenman, and Amy Osborne are to
be commended for the yeoman’s work they have done in shepherding the strategic
plan from concept to completion.
Dr. Cori Myers, Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, notes that, “CU engaged in a consultative, data-informed process that identified priorities essential to delivering transformative educational experiences that will be life-changing for our students. The plan emphasizes having a culture that embraces change and an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity of thought and intellectual inquisitiveness. Work to operationalize the plan currently ensues as all divisions and units have defined actions that will mark definitive progress toward the achievement of key measures of success and excellence.”
“Now that we have a dynamic plan, the most important
part lies ahead of us to bring our institutional priorities to life,”
shares Assistant Provost Amy Osborne. She says, “The plan is bold and
simple, which will allow us to execute with focus and speed. There is so
much we are already doing, but the plan intentionally embraces innovation from
the experts across all levels of our new institution. It will be exciting
to see everyone emerge and engage.”
Dr. John Bodenman, Professor of Environmental, Geographical
and Geological Sciences, acknowledges the challenges Commonwealth University
has faced in its early stages, but also recognizes the significant achievement
in launching our first strategic plan. He says, “For many of us, aspects of integration have
certainly been challenging and difficult, but most surprising to me was how
well the students, faculty, staff, coaches, administration, and alumni
representatives from each of our four campuses--serving alongside our partners
at Blue Beyond—were able to come together as a Committee and create a strategic
plan for Commonwealth University that reflects input from our many stakeholder
groups--a truly unique experience, and a pleasant surprise indeed!”
Witnessing our university community work through the process
of developing a strategic plan and now beginning to bring it to life through
dynamic and impactful initiatives has affirmed my belief in the strength and
heart of our Commonwealth University family. I look forward to continuing this
important journey together in service to our students as we work to ensure a
promising future for them.
If you want to learn more about the strategic plan, visit www.commonwealthu.edu/strategic-planning
Bashar W. Hanna, President
