NEWS

Preview CMU’s next strategic plan

University community invited to explore new plan priorities and goals

After months of listening and engagement meetings with students, faculty, staff and supporters, Central Michigan University has a complete draft of its next strategic plan. Now, members of the CMU community are invited to preview the new plan’s priorities and goals during two campus updates.

Provost Nancy Mathews, chair of the Strategic Planning Team, invites students, faculty and staff to attend one of the following campus update sessions:

Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. – UC Auditorium & virtually on Webex
Thursday, Sept. 7 at 9 a.m. – Virtually on Webex

Following these sessions, Trustees will review and discuss the plan at the CMU Board of Trustees meetings on September 27-28.

The planning process

Since the strategic planning process began last year, the university placed a high value on gathering the input of everyone who has a stake in the success of CMU and its students, Mathews said.

“If the plan is a success, faculty, staff and students will see themselves in it. They will be excited by the vision rolling out over the coming years and know this is the place they want to be,” said Nancy Mathews, CMU Provost and Executive Vice President.

In addition to offering an online option to provide feedback, the Strategic Planning Team hosted 40 general engagement sessions in the spring of 2023, with hundreds of faculty, staff and students participating in the face-to-face and virtual sessions. Several focused engagement sessions were held for CMU stakeholders including the Academic Senate, the Student Government Association, alumni, donors, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the greater Mt. Pleasant community. During the process, participants also were asked to share thoughts on CMU’s mission and vision statements.

These engagement sessions resulted in more than 200 pages of input that were reviewed, distilled and edited into the draft plan’s four priorities. Each priority is accompanied by several objectives and measurable goals.

“We are encouraged that the hard work of the entire strategic planning team resulted in an actionable and functional strategic plan,” said CMU President Bob Davies. “In addition to defining CMU’s strengths and goals, the proposed plan truly focuses on student success.”

Davies says the priorities put students first, stress the creation of leaders, ensure inclusion, and focus on generating positive impact on communities – all while being good stewards of resources.

If approved by the CMU Board of Trustees next month, Mathews said work toward the plan goals will begin immediately. Mathews also notes that the Academic Vision, a more focused set of academic priorities under development by faculty, staff and students, will be forthcoming in November.