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Eastern Illinois University

Strategic Planning

theme one: achieve

Achieve Success for All Learners

ACHIEVE priorities align and invest in policies, practices, and resources that ensure every learner at EIU thrives. The ACHIEVE activities comprise a broad collection of strategic investments and student success supports. For Eastern Illinois University, ACHIEVE focuses on retention, learning outcomes, creating and maintaining active learning environments, adequate financial assistance, degree completion, career preparedness, and student wellness. ACHIEVE priorities leverage EIU’s commitment to student success using a holistic array of academic and other organizational supports.

Champions:

  • Lucy Ade
  • Bradley Tolppanen
  • Danny Gourley Fischer

Implementation Team:

  • Melinda Mueller
  • Nichole Mulvey

1.1 Invest in Academic Excellence & High Impact Practices

Activity

 Goal Metrics (KPIs) Lead Unit(s)

1.11 Increase Student Teaching, Learning, and Research Experiences

Increase opportunities for and involvement in high-impact academic experiences
  1. Increase the percent of students participating in study abroad by 50% by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  2. Increase total participation in Pine Honors College SRCA program by 25% by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  3. Increase total student participation in NCUR and regional undergraduate venues by 50% by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  • Office of International Students & Scholars
  • Pine Honors College
 

Increase total student applications for external scholarship programs
  1. Increase the total student applicants for the following programs from AY 2023/24 to AY 2028/29: Fulbright, Truman, Udall, Goldwater, Mitchell, Rangel, and other national fellowship program appropriate to student interests
  • Pine Honors College

1.12 Increase and Enhance Internships and Related Career Learning Opportunities

Establish, implement, and assess an internship advisor network with a goal of all departments with internships participating to share data and best practices
  1. Establish an EIU Internship Advisor Network by AY 2024/25
    • Student Affairs: Career Services
 

Assess and increase student participation in events, classroom visits, and one-on-one meetings with Career Services, beginning with baseline data collection
  1. Collect benchmark data during AY 2023/24 and increase annual engagements through 2028
  • Student Affairs: Career Services

1.21 Expand Affinity-Based Housing Living & Learning Communities, Hubs, & Active Learning

Enhance successful living and learning communities, academic hubs, and active learning
  1. Increase student retention and total student participation in these activities by 25% by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  • Student Affairs: Housing
  • Academic Affairs: Student Success
 

Create new active learning spaces (i.e. remodel, technology, and furniture)
  1. Create at least one new active learning space (i.e. remodel, technology, and furniture) per year
  • Academic Affairs
  • FDIC

1.22 Eliminate Structural Outcomes Gaps for All Learners

Increase EIU’s position against IBHE benchmarks for graduation and retention for all students
  1. Increase the overall 6-year graduation rate for all students and demographic sub-groups with an overall 60% graduation rate for the Fall 2023 cohort and beyond
  2. Increase first-year fall-to-fall retention annually and obtain a retention rate that exceeds 76% for the Fall 2028 first-time, full-time cohort
  • CORE
  • Academic Affairs
  • Student Affairs

1.23 Expand Student Services Focused on Academic Success

Increase student engagement with academic support services
  1. Increase tutoring and mentoring resources and engagement opportunities for first- and second-year students between 2023 and 2028
  2. Reshape NCAA compliance initiatives and student-based mentoring programs between AY 2023/24 and AY 2028/29
  • Academic Success Center
  • Intercollegiate Athletics
  • Inclusion & Academic Engagement

1.31 Expand Financial Support to Students

Initiate a donor campaign focusing on closing the needs gap & supporting emergency short-term financial assistance programs for Pell-eligible students
  1. Increase donor-supported scholarship resources and total awards to support the Panther Retention and Panther Scholarship Funds programs by 25% by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  • University Advancement
  • Financial Aid
  • Enrollment Management

1.32 Assist in Meeting Students’ Basic Needs

Support and enhance faculty/staff training around student mental health resources
  1. Increase additional opportunities for student mental health awareness and training for EIU employees by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  • Student Affairs
  • Academic Affairs
 

Increase student access to mental health and wellness resources
  1. Increase student participation in HERC programs and “pop ups” that support student mental health and wellness annually by AY 2028/29 compared to AY 2022/23
  • Student Affairs: Health Education Resource Cente

 

CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT

Joshua Reinhart

jdreinhart@eiu.edu

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Last Modified 5/8/25