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Student Affairs Strategic Plan

The Division of Student Affairs is developing a strategic plan that will give direction to our collective work in service of our vision, mission, and values. It will also support and advance the university’s new strategic plan

Our Planning Process 

Our planning process is inclusive, iterative, and guided by our vision, mission and values. 

Staff Feedback Informs Our Direction

Our staff are our most important resource—this process is not possible without them! Through many events and gatherings, we’ve captured frank and thoughtful feedback from hundreds of staff about the future of our division. We’ve posed the questions: 

  • What should we achieve?
  • What should we avoid?
  • What should we preserve?
  • What should we eliminate? 

The broad themes that emerged from staff responses became the foundation for our divisional strategic plan. We are committed to making this process iterative and inclusive.

Strategic Plan Themes

Based on the themes that emerged from staff feedback, we’ve identified four strategic commitments: 

  • Our People/Us - Our Well-Being and Development
  • Our Students - Their Learning, Success, and Well-Being
  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Social Justice
  • Our Division - Community, Collaboration, and Connection

Two other areas of focus emerged. These are “critical enablers” that help us achieve our strategic commitments: 

  • Policies, Processes, & Programs
  • Infrastructure - Human, Physical, and Financial

It is important to note that divisional colleagues have already been working on a divisional strategy for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) and our physical infrastructure. Their work will be incorporated into our overall strategic plan.

Strategic Plan Timeline

Our planning process has been ongoing and organic since fall 2020. It began with the development of our new vision, mission and values, which launched in September of 2022. 

Our final strategic plan will be about forward action. We will make choices to address specific challenges and set priorities for how we will act to improve in critical areas.

This timeline will be updated as we progress.

Current status: staff Strategic Plan Work Groups are defining and developing goals for DSA strategic commitments. View the Work Group roster. 

September: New vision, mission and values announced 

October: Strategic plan input solicited from all staff in division-wide Town Hall 

November: Input sought from divisional leadership meeting

December: External consultant reviews staff feedback, identifies themes

January: Vice President of Student Affairs Counsel coalesces themes into strategic commitments and enablers

February: Strategic Plan Work Groups, composed of staff from across the division, are formed

March to June: Strategic Plan Work Groups meet to define and develop goals for DSA strategic commitments 

July: Work Group outcomes reviewed by Student Affairs Leadership Team, next steps determined

Strategic Plan Communications

All-staff, division-wide communications dedicated to the DSA Strategic Plan. 

Feb. 9, 2023: DSA Strategic Plan: Moving Forward Together

Feb. 16, 2023: Sign up for a Strategic Plan Work Group

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