Strategic Plan: Louisiana.edu
UL releases new strategic plan - https://www.katc.com/news/covering-l.strategic-plan
Follow the link here to download the documentSTRATEGIC PLAN 2023 - 2028
VISION. LOUISIANA.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s vision for its future is unapologetically bold. It is anchored in a strong identity and committed to ensuring its students and community thrive. The past 25 years have demonstrated unprecedented expansion of the University’s programs, services and physical footprint. That momentum must continue.
The 2023-2028 Strategic Plan for Louisiana outlines the values, enduring commitments and strategic priorities that will guide the institution toward its next level of growth. This plan was developed through a multiyear process with significant engagement of University stakeholders.
At the Heart of the University
Mission, Vision and Values
Any strategic planning process must begin by identifying an institution’s mission and vision statements and its values. Such core language reflects the very heart of an organization and lays the foundation for planning. The following revised mission and vision statements and institutional values are the result of a multiyear dialogue led by the University administration with significant community input.
Mission Statement – What is Our Purpose?
Revised Fall 2022
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette provides an exceptional educational and professional experience driven by diverse worldviews and enriched by shared cultural traditions. Through public impact research, inspirational teaching and transformative service, we develop citizens, leaders and innovators who create solutions to community and regional challenges, improving the world for future generations.
Vision Statement – Where are We Headed?
Revised Fall 2022
Together, as a nationally prominent research University, we shape our community, region and world by embracing our unique culture, leveraging our deeply rooted traditions and fostering our competitive spirit to improve the human condition.
University Values – What We Agree is Important
Revised Fall 2022
Collaboration Collegiality Honesty
Understanding and fostering connections with others across disciplines and perspectives Being cooperative, considerate and respectful while working together to reach common goals Exhibiting sincerity and truthfulness through our actions, words and interactions with others
Integrity
Demonstrating trustworthiness and ethical behavior, and exercising responsible stewardship of the resources with which we are entrusted
Respect
Honoring the dignity of each person and fostering a spirit of inclusiveness
Transparency
Embracing open and continuous communication through consistent sharing of information
ENDURING COMMITMENTS
The University’s enduring commitments are those with which the institution has longstanding and unwavering engagement and are interwoven with its current strategic priorities. They are the foundational building blocks for an exceptional student experience and are essential to both student and institutional success. Defining these enduring commitments helps reinforce their vital nature and underlines the institutional desire to keep them at the forefront of our work. Over time, these commitments shape the University’s identity, establish opportunities and limitations, and set its direction.
Access, Opportunity and Success is striving to achieve inclusive excellence beyond the boundaries of comfort to engage across cultures, discovering, appreciating and leveraging the rich diversity of our campus community.
Innovation is striving to always be forward-thinking, encouraging novel and creative ways to positively impact students and find success in our strategic priorities.
Organizational Culture is the environment that influences the nature of collaboration and respect. It helps move the University toward our vision as we focus on the “people side” of the institution.
Service is fostering mutually beneficial community partnerships to exchange knowledge, collectively solve problems, enhance quality of life, and develop educated and engaged citizens.
Sustainability is fully embracing our environmental, social and economic responsibilities and preparing each student for success as a globally responsible, productive citizen committed to environmental stewardship.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The Strategic Plan is rooted in the University’s mission and values and creates a five-year roadmap toward the realization of our vision. It includes five strategic priorities that address critical areas requiring resources and significant effort. These priorities, together with the intentional delivery of the University of Louisiana System Core Competencies for Student Success throughout our academic and student enterprises, will enable students to become agents of change in support of our vision to improve the human condition. The core competencies supporting successful student outcomes include communications competence, critical and creative problem solving, adaptable resilience, cultural competence and self-reflective awareness.
These strategic priorities emerged from a three-year process of collecting and analyzing data, discussions, deliberations and the categorizing of thousands of pieces of information provided by University constituents. From that process, a clear set of trends emerged. It was evident the Strategic Plan would require a focus on academics, the student experience, research, scholarship and service. Dozens of suggestions fit into these categories, which grew to become the foundational pillars that will align University activities.
Academic Excellence is our responsibility to ensure the University imparts a learning and service mindset and instills in our students a desire to impact the human condition in a positive, meaningful way.
Exceptional Student Experience is our responsibility to meet the needs of contemporary students both inside and outside the classroom.
Intentional Stewardship is our responsibility to cultivate a space in which the human, physical and financial aspects of the University may thrive.
Public Impact Research is providing the academic and scholarly atmosphere for our students, faculty and staff to be ambitious and prolific in scholarship, innovation and creative activity through all disciplines across the University.
Transformational Community Engagement is our responsibility to foster collaboration and mutually beneficial partnerships locally, regionally, nationally and globally to enrich teaching and learning, prepare educated and engaged citizens, strengthen our communities and improve the world for future generations.
VALUES, ENDURING COMMITMENTS AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
STRATEGIC PRIORITY ONE:
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Excellence in teaching and learning is the conduit through which the University delivers the core of its mission. At the heart of educating students is the University’s responsibility to instill a desire within them to impact the human condition in a positive and meaningful way.
Through quality academic programs and exceptional faculty who design and deliver impactful learning, service and research experiences, students are provided the knowledge, skills, competencies and values required for their future success.
KEY INITIATIVES
1: Expand high-quality academic programs
1. Develop new interdisciplinary, online and graduate offerings
2. Strategically increase the number of doctoral programs
3. Create new academic pathways for working adults
4. Institutionalize ADVANCE student research experiences as part of the University’s commitment to becoming a national leader in undergraduate research
2: Invest in faculty excellence and innovation
1. Recruit outstanding faculty from varied backgrounds by offering competitive compensation packages to attract top talent
2. Increase tenure-track lines
3. Develop a comprehensive faculty retention plan
4. Ensure a transparent, equitable, merit-based faculty promotion system
5. Establish a Center for Teaching and Learning
6. Study current faculty travel resources and develop a plan to support resources for conferences, meetings and professional development
3: Recognize and reward faculty contributions and service
1. Recognize and celebrate faculty contributions to their disciplines, teaching excellence, research, and scholarly and creative works
2. Reward faculty contributions for service to the University, their college, department, program of study and the broader community via a defined faculty workload structure
SUCCESS MEASURES
Number of new programs; academic program rankings and recognitions; faculty satisfaction; faculty turnover rates; program and faculty participation in ADVANCE undergraduate research initiatives; faculty recognitions and awards; increased diversity among faculty; effectiveness of faculty professional development opportunities; and meaningful community service.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY TWO:
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will enrich the integration of students’ intellectual, extracurricular and residential experienc_es. Louisiana provides opportunities for students to reap the benefits of a world-class education. The University works to help students identify and lever_age their talents in an increasingly diverse society.
Louisiana gives students the full support they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom.
KEY INITIATIVES
1: Ensure an institutional culture of excellence in professional advising
1. Determine the attributes that define a culture of excellence in advising
2. Develop institutional resources designed to support advising services
3. Implement a professional advising structure for all students
2: Enhance support for student retention and completion
1. Create a one-stop shop for student enrollment, registration, retention and support needs
2. Enhance academic support services
3. Institutionalize ADVANCE student research experiences and the Student Center for Research, Scholarship and Creativity to engage more students in undergraduate research activities
4. Analyze and mitigate bottlenecks and practices that prevent timely graduation
5. Improve communication channels and customer service, and modernize technology
3: Enhance student experiences through high-impact practices and meaningful co-curricular experiences
1. Cultivate a welcoming environment for all students and foster opportunities for student community-building
2. Leverage service-learning, community service and learning communities to foster a shared sense of affinity and enhanced quality of life for campus and community
3. Develop and maintain campus infrastructure, spaces and programs aimed at improving student health and wellness
4. Enhance career preparedness and employability through internships and other learning experiences that build workplace competencies
5. Partner with campus and community stakeholders to develop and expand student leadership development programs
6. Support co-curricular student organizations, including Greek life, to build and nurture connections and provide opportunities for students’ personal development
4: Become an institution of choice for new students
1. Strategically grow enrollment to 20,000 students
2. Increase student enrollment by targeting in-state, out-of-state, international, online, graduate and non-traditional populations
3. Continue to improve student recruitment and enrollment processes
4. Continue to increase parent engagement
SUCCESS MEASURES
Increased student retention and graduation rates; reduced registration holds and students on probation and suspension; reduction in student stop-outs and non-returners; increased levels of student satisfaction; increased utilization of academic and student support services; increased number of undergraduates pursuing research pathways through ADVANCE; increased participation in extracurricular and experiential activities; increased enrollment; increased satisfaction with enrollment and matriculation processes.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY THREE:
INTENTIONAL STEWARDSHIP
Stewardship is an expression of integrity and is necessary to provide an excellent education. It involves the management and care of human, physical and financial aspects of the University. The future success of the organization rests on our shared commitment to nurture our vital resources—the environment, finances, stakeholders and the community—to enable the University to better support academic aspirations and enrich our community. The University embraces new approaches to our work that support our ability to attain our mission.
KEY INITIATIVES
1: Foster a culture of wellness
1. Promote the well-being of all students
2. Promote the well-being of all employees
3. Build appropriate staffing levels in key administrative areas
4. Provide meaningful professional development opportunities for all employees
5. Celebrate employee achievements and contributions
6. Develop a competitive staff compensation plan on par with peer institutions
2: Enhance physical resources to support teaching, learning, research and the University experience
1. Create formal and informal student spaces
2. Modernize teaching facilities
3. Leverage technology to better serve students and employees
4. Undertake new facility construction, and repurpose or upgrade existing facilities
5. Enhance Edith Garland Dupré Library through robust collections and modern spaces
3: Enhance communication efforts to increase brand recognition and reputation
1. Create a shared communication platform
2. Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy and unified branding efforts
4: Improve key policies and internal processes
1. Improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness
2. Enhance equitable staff performance and accountability models
5: Ensure shared governance across the University
1. Establish a staff council
2. Review and revise the committee structure to address current University needs
6: Successfully complete University’s Together Campaign
1. Create and implement campaign completion plan
2. Create a campus-wide sense of ownership for the campaign
3. Celebrate internal and external participation in the campaign
SUCCESS MEASURES
Increased employee and student satisfaction; improved staff capacity in key areas; number of employees engaging in professional development activities; number and types of awards and recognitions given; improved competitive compensation for staff; increased expenditure levels for the library; increased utilization levels and student satisfaction with new and enhanced spaces; extent of facilities upgrades and modernization; increased number of resources available online to students, faculty and the general public; alignment of new construction with Master Plan; number of revised and improved processes and procedures; data from Great Colleges to Work For and ViewFinder surveys; progress toward the Together Campaign goal of $500 million; and new donor participation benchmarks.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY FOUR:
PUBLIC IMPACT RESEARCH
Public Impact Research describes how the University’s research initiatives improve lives and serve society—locally, regionally, nationally and globally. The U.S. has led the world in fundamental discoveries and innovations that meet essential societal needs. Developments through research and related technology advancements continue to alter society and offer opportunities for improvement. Innovation and partnerships are critical to discover new solutions to health emergencies, climate change and increased societal division, among others. The University draws upon engagement between stakeholders and the faculty and researchers who employ fundamental research approaches required to build new knowledge to address issues of real impact and value to the public.
KEY INITIATIVES
1: Enhance research culture, values and infrastructure across the entire University
1. Support faculty engagement in research, scholarship and creative activity
2. Create new research and collaboration spaces
2: Increase research expenditures and scholarly productivity across all disciplines
1. Establish Vision 2030 Research Engines for National Prominence
2. Hire and retain distinguished researchers, scholars and new externally funded faculty
3. Expand research development opportunities for faculty
3: Grow University’s research and innovation capacity
1. Establish priorities for new program development
2. Expand opportunities for student engagement in research, innovation and entrepreneurship
3. Increase non-faculty researchers and post-doctoral staff
4: Increase the number of doctoral graduates
1. Enhance the support and resources for existing doctoral students and doctoral programs
2. Support the creation of new doctoral programs aligned with regional and national innovation and workforce needs
5: Expand public-private partnerships to create new research and economic development opportunities
1. Increase resources through advocacy with federal, state and local elected officials and agencies
2. Collaborate to expand opportunities for funding student internship experiences
6: Communicate research, scholarly and creative activity to public audiences
1. Enhance the University’s reputation and visibility by showcasing achievements of faculty and their impactful work
SUCCESS MEASURES
Increased funded research and related metrics to strengthen the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education R1 designation; increased funded research, scholarly and creative production across all disciplines; increased faculty satisfaction with funded research processes and services; increased faculty and student engagement with research librarians and digital resources; number of faculty who receive external funding annually; number of faculty publishing and presenting at high impact venues; increased number of tenure-track faculty; achievement of SREB Four-Year 1 status; increased private- and industry-funded research; increased researchers and post-doctoral staff in STEM and health disciplines; expanded research opportunities for graduate students; becoming a national leader in undergraduate research.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY FIVE:
TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
University of Louisiana at Lafaywette, as an institution of higher education and assembly of diverse students, faculty and staff, is part of a larger community that extends far beyond campus boundaries. From local neighborhoods to the global environment, our communities shape our experiences, opportunities and worldviews. In turn, the University has the opportunity to positively impact the world around it.
Community service and engagement are foundational to the institution’s mission, identity and culture. We are committed to preparing students to be engaged citizens who are confident in addressing social, economic and environmental challenges. The University embraces its role to strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships to share knowledge, enhance learning and implement meaningful change that improves the quality of life for our community for generations to come.
KEY INITIATIVES
1: Create a University culture that values interaction with the community and service to it
1. Foster a culture of community engagement and service
2. Increase community engagement through scholarly and artistic activities
3. Increase opportunities to leverage physical assets and spaces to engage the community
4. Partner with alumni leadership to develop and implement a comprehensive alumni relations plan
5. Recognize and reward engagement and service in the greater community
6. Develop a comprehensive system for tracking student, faculty and staff participation in service-learning and community service activities
7. Embed service-learning initiatives throughout in-class and out-of-class programming
8. Establish policies governing employee use of time for service to the greater community
2: Foster successful athletic programs resulting in statewide and national prominence while elevating the University’s profile
1. Achieve academic, athletic and personal success among all student-athletes
2. Provide a game day experience highlighting traditions that unify the entire campus community
3. Increase opportunities to leverage athletics visibility to enhance community partnerships and engagement
4. Position all athletic programs to win championships
3: Elevate the University’s presence in and contribution to the local community, region, state and beyond
1. Continue and expand both public and private partnerships
2. Begin the formal process to achieve the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Community Engagement
3. Communicate positive actions in public and private partnerships
4. Increase interaction and collaboration between the University, the Foundation, the Alumni Association, other support organizations and the community
SUCCESS MEASURES
Number and type of college, department and program activities open to the public; attendance at activi_ties and events; increase in bookings for the spaces available for community events; increase in alumni outreach and engagement; hours of service given by University constituents to the community; number of students and employees and types of service provided to the greater community annually; student-athletes achieving an overall semester GPA of 3.0 or higher; athletic programs achieving a top finish in the Sun Belt Conference standings in community service; annually increasing the number of athletic teams that are ranked in their respective national polls at the end of the season; number and scope of partnerships and collaborations established; related metrics to begin the formal process to achieve the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Community Engagement.
THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIC PLAN –
How did we get here?
2019 Louisiana began preparing the University community to engage in discussions about a new Strategic Plan that would chart the institution’s path into the new decade.
Early planning efforts began with an environmental scan to identify factors inside and outside the organization that could impact the overall success and long-term viability of the University. This scan was an effort to develop the context within which the new strategic plan would be formulated. Demographics, public policy and sentiment, economies, academic interests, technology, research, philanthropy and other information was collected and examined.
2020 The onset of the pandemic upended the original information from the environmental scan and the University’s ability to engage constituents in the strategic planning process in a meaningful way.
As a result, Louisiana extended the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. It remained active through the process of constituent reengagement, revised environmental scanning and identification of University priorities post-pandemic.
Additional efforts included:
• All strategic plans for key operational areas throughout the University were collected and studied to determine common priorities, key operational efforts and unique aspirations (i.e., Athletics Strategic Plan, Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, Research Strategic Plan, Sustainability Strategic Plan).
• New expectations from external partners and regulators were cataloged and aligned to ensure all goals and mandates were incorporated into conversations about priorities and required activities.
• Performance indicators among peers and aspirational peers were studied and analyzed to determine Louisiana’s standing against peer institutions.
2021 Led by the Office of the Provost, administrators and employees engaged in virtual discussions about institutional expectations and challenges during early planning retreats. Comprehensive planning designed to engage all constituents resumed in late spring and summer when employees and students were welcomed back to campus as pandemic restrictions eased.
Planning resumed with a focus on ensuring clarity regarding the University’s direction and priorities; the agility to strategically identify and leverage emerging opportunities; the alignment of priorities, people, efforts and resources; and transparency with stakeholders.
• Data gathering continued and presentations to key constituent groups about the strategic planning process commenced. Presentations were delivered to all Louisiana divisions, Student Government Association, Faculty Senate, the Foundation Board, and all colleges’ faculty and staff to communicate the strategic planning process and solicit volunteers to support widespread engagement in the process.
• Surveys were administered to faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, community members and donors to gather information regarding their perceptions and aspirations for the University’s vision and goals. Over 5,500 unique responses were collected and analyzed.
• A Strategic Planning Task Force was appointed to guide the development of the strategic plan based on data and information gathered from constituents.
• Information from survey responses was used to identify constituent perceptions of the University’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Preliminary feedback indicated an emerging overall vision to attain the Carnegie R1 designation and provide exceptional academic and student experiences as overriding priorities.
• Based on information gathered, new mission and vision statements were discussed; leadership worked to define the overarching direction they hoped the new strategic plan would establish.
• Existing value statements were reviewed and updated to incorporate social sentiments that emerged during the pandemic.
• Interwoven priorities emerged as potential goals that would be better integrated across all strategic priority areas that were emerging; these later became enduring commitments.
• Discussions about a framework for the new strategic plan ensued.
2022 To restart the planning process, a new information-gathering phase began. It centered around building a clear understanding of where the University had been, what it has accomplished, for whom the University organizes its work, and the value it brings. New information and data were gathered to better understand the post-pandemic environment and ensure all University constituents were afforded the opportunity to give feedback for the new strategic plan and its priorities. These data helped orient Louisiana toward positive outcomes and provided the foundation for the development of a new vision and purpose.
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette is designated a Carnegie R1 institution in December 2021, altering one of the key priorities that originally emerged from planning discussions.
• Leadership reconsidered Louisiana’s new Vision Statement and Strategic Priorities considering the new R1 designation.
• New R1 peers studied and metrics re-analyzed to begin envisioning new achievement expectations.
• An initial framework for the strategic plan begins to emerge.
• Leadership considers and deliberates priorities, high-level objectives, new values, enduring commitments, and how to strategically stage activities chronologically.
• During the annual State of the University address, the provost presents a draft Strategic Plan framework to Louisiana's community and invites constituents to participate in final deliberations about emerging cross-functional goals.
• President and provost appoint cross-functional teams to deliberate priorities and key objectives. The kickoff gathers over 80 employees and students to analyze existing and new data and recommend highest priority goals for each cross-functional topic.
• Cross-functional teams submit recommendations; a Strategic Plan Task Force synthesizes information to develop final framework, priorities, goals and strategies.
2023 • Final draft of Strategic Plan framework, priorities, goals and objectives presented to University Council for final review, determination of highest-level priorities based on chronological staging and dependencies, as well as determination of alignment to funding.
• University Council adopts Strategic Plan.
OPERATIONALIZING THE PLAN –
Our Next Steps
Goals and objectives accompany each strategic priority. These represent more specific outcomes the University, as a collective enterprise, intends to achieve. While there are institutional priorities and strategies each leader will pursue to attain collective goals, individual divisions, colleges and units will then create objectives and strategies supporting the institutional plan at a more local level.
Guided by these five strategic priorities, all major academic and administrative units will develop and implement strategic plans specific to their college, school or division.
As each division and college adopts its own plan to support the new University Strategic Plan for 2023-2028, leaders will align goals, priorities and objectives for their respective divisions and identify units that will support the plan’s implementation.
While the plan is designed to take the entire University toward our vision for success over the next five years, transformational initiatives require flexibility as the plan may require periodic assessment and reorientation.
The Office of the Provost and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness will track key performance indicators and annual progress toward strategic priorities and goals. The Strategic Plan will be a guide that shapes the efforts, resources and strategic implementation as we move forward—together.
https://louisiana.edu/strategicplan2023
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Re: New Strategic Plan
Originally Posted by cajun4life
