Final Strategic Plan

Final Strategic Plan Endorsed by the Board of Trustees on March 1, 2012. more »


Strategic Plan Submitted to the Board of Trustees

The new strategic plan has been submitted to the Board of Trustees for a first reading. Click here to download a copy of the executive summary submitted to the Board. more »


Developing Common Goals: Conference Outcome

On November 1, about 70 individuals from across the campus participated in a Goals Conference. Participants reviewed the strategic themes and vision, proposed and prioritized five goals for each of the strategic themes, and drafted action plans for the top two prioritized goals for each theme. Results are presented below.

Click on each question to reveal the conference outcome.Academic Excellence

Marketing and Communication

Campus and Community Life

Financial Sustainability

Emerging Technologies

Global Competition and Changing Demographics



Creating a Shared Vision: Conference Outcome | Next Page

More than fifty individuals, representing the campus community and external constituents, created an outline of a shared vision for Eastern Illinois University based on the six strategic themes. Participants were asked to envision Eastern Illinois University five years from now, and then to articulate what the university would look like. The following shared vision, presented verbatim, emerged: printable version (pdf)

Click on each question to reveal the conference outcome.What does Academic Excellence look like at EIU? How have we improved this important area?

What does campus life look like? Feel like? How is it different? Describe EIU’s relationship with the community.

What does the role of technology look like at EIU? In the classroom? Throughout the campus?

What does the student body look like? What’s the composition? How have we prepared our students for a global world?

When people describe EIU, what do they say? What is our message/brand? What strengths did we build on? How are we different?

What does our financial picture look like? What did you actually do in order to be financially sustainable?

What is one specific accomplishment we achieved – that you are most proud about?


Making Sense of the Issues: Six Strategic Themes

Working in teams of two or three, the steering committee members facilitated more than 60 planning discussions with the campus community and external constituents. More than 900 people participated in the process. Click here to read the six strategic themes that were developed from these meetings.









Honor Our Heritage: Academic Excellence

Bob Augustine- Chairperson
Assege HaileMariam
Kraig Wheeler
Andy McNitt
John Dively
Mike Mulvaney

Nearly universal support for and appreciation of the academic quality at Eastern exists among students, faculty, staff and external constituents. Most respondents see small class sizes, student-faculty interactions, and integrative learning as university strengths. Some respondents stress the importance of general education and employment-related skills, while others express perceptions of uneven quality of courses (especially, off-campus and online courses) and insufficient support for faculty research and creative activity. The desire to raise admissions standards and enhance academic rigor is a consistent theme among faculty. Read the Concept Paper »

Enhance and Strengthen: Marketing and Communication

Cay Kolling - Chairperson
Jody Stone
John Pommier
Ken Baker
Paul Johnston
Vicki Woodard

Another strong theme that emerges from our discussions with both on- and off-campus constituents is the perception that the university needs to do more to promote and market its efforts. Eastern has many success stories to share, but many respondents believe that these messages need to reach wider audiences. The need to improve internal communications and better share information among units is noted by some campus constituents. Read the Concept Paper »

Enhance and Strengthen: Campus and Community Life

Heather Webb - Chairperson
Ashley Aardsma
Janet Werden
Terri Fredrick
Tina Jenkins
Tony Oliver

Constituents recognize that a vibrant campus and community life is essential to attract the best students, faculty and staff. They note that Eastern has some excellent facilities (e.g., the Renewable Energy Center, the Doudna Fine Arts Center), while other facilities are dated and could use significant improvement (e.g., the Life Sciences building, Coleman Hall). While some stakeholders appreciate the comfort and safety offered by Charleston, others want more options for shopping, dining and transportation. The need to strengthen school pride is also a strong theme among student respondents. External constituents are nearly universal in their desire to strengthen strategic partnerships with EIU. Read the Concept Paper »

Navigate the Future: Financial Sustainability

Mike Dobbs - Chairperson
Bill Weber
Grant Sterling
Mike Maurer
Ryan Siegel

Both internal and external constituents recognize the severity of the state's fiscal challenges and their impact on tuition rates and the university's financial sustainability. Affordability and accessibility to an Eastern education remain high priorities for constituents. Performance-based state funding is identified as a new opportunity for the university. Respondents mention several strategies for ensuring our financial sustainability, including identification of alternative revenue sources, enhanced fundraising efforts and reallocation of funds. Read the Concept Paper »

Navigate the Future: Emerging Technologies

Roger Beck – Chairperson
Amy Edwards
Assege HaileMariam
Karen Drage
Kathy Reed
Tiffany Leschke

Internal constituents are particularly mindful of the impact that technology has on educating today's and tomorrow's students. Faculty and administrators emphasize that technology is changing students' learning styles and attitudes. While technology has many dimensions, respondents most frequently raise issues related to online learning. In particular, quality control of online courses is a concern to the faculty at large and some students. Administrators and other respondents stress that alternative education delivery has created new competition from for-profit institutions. Other technology-related issues mentioned by constituents include the quality of laboratories and other facilities and the expectation of constructing a new science building. Read the Concept Paper »

Navigate the Future: Global Competition & Changing Demographics

Dawn VanGunten - Chairperson
Brenda Major
Gene Deerman
Jocelyn Tipton
Kaninika Bhatnagar

A final emergent theme is the need to adapt to increased globalization and diversification. Respondents are aware of the reality of competing in global markets and the importance of preparing the future workforce to be competitive both at home and globally. International programs, study abroad and cultural enrichment are seen by many as essential to students' educations. Most understand that educating the diverse citizenry must be coupled with cultivating the benefits offered by human and cultural diversity. Further, many constituents see these benefits as a key component to recruiting and retaining the best students, faculty and staff, as changing demographics for these groups strengthen the expectation for a culturally diverse educational environment. Read the Concept Paper »




Meeting Schedule & Results

The engagement schedule and results page houses comprehensive results of the steering committee's data gathering and engagement meetings. Meetings are designed to fully engage on- and off-campus stakeholders in discussions of our core values, the current and future challenges we face, and the critical issues we must proactively manage. more »


What is it?

What is it?

Strategic planning is a collaborative process that encourages us to step out of our day-to-day routines and spend some time discussing and focusing on the future. By participating in a strategic planning process, we create a shared vision and goals for the University.

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Why it's important.

Why it's important.

At Eastern Illinois University, we are here for our students: to support their learning, to encourage and challenge them to expand their horizons, and to provide them with an educational environment in which they can dream, build and achieve. We aspire to be....

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Desired Results

Desired results.

The strategic plan will focus on a set of five to ten strategic priorities that emerge from the discussions with faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders. Strategic goals will be established for each priority, and each strategic goal will be supported...

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News & Updates

  • Three open sessions are being held prior to presenting the strategic plan to the Board of Trustees. more »
  • Four strategic planning open sessions are being held to obtain your ideas... more »
  • Unable to participate in one of the engagement sessions? Take the survey!

Comments

  • I am concerned that the strategic planning statements out so far..." Newton Key | read more comments