A Strategic Plan for Illinois Wesleyan University

Approved by the Board of Trustees
May 16, 2014

 

Introduction from President Richard F. Wilson

Background and History

Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Goals and Strategies:

I. Teaching and Learning
II. Cultivating an Enriched Campus Community
III. Diversity
IV. Communications and Engagement
V. Human Resources
VI. Financial Resources

Background and History

As part of the reaffirmation process for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 2012-2013, the University conducted a self-study that was completed in October 2012. As the self-study reached its conclusion, President Wilson launched a new strategic planning process. The Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee (SPBC) was charged with this task and began its work by reviewing strategic plans from several peer institutions. Through this effort the Committee identified several important features that should comprise the revised plan for IWU.

One early decision of the Committee was that the new plan should move beyond simply a statement of goals and objectives and include both strategies for accomplishing each goal and, wherever possible, measures for assessing progress. The Committee also concluded that the six major goals used to structure the 2006 plan were, with perhaps some minor adjustments, still relevant.

The first substantive task of the Committee involved reviewing the University's existing Mission and Vision statements. Very minor changes were made in these two statements. The Committee then turned its attention to the goals comprising the plan. Work Groups were formed to examine and update the six goals of the 2006 Strategic Plan. Each Work Group consisted of members of the Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee, as well as a number of additional students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni. The Work Groups provided periodic progress reports to the SPBC during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Drafts of the Work Group reports were shared with internal and external constituencies during the 2013-2014 academic year. President Wilson and the SPBC Work Groups ensured an inclusive planning process through the use of open forums, web-based surveys, online feedback forms, e-parent newsletters, alumni magazine communications, and numerous meetings with campus constituencies and committees. President Wilson sought reactions to the final draft of the plan at a Staff Council meeting and at two Faculty Meetings in April 2014. The plan was formally approved at the Faculty Meeting held on April 21, 2014. The new plan, IWU 2020, was adopted by the Board of Trustees in May of 2014.

Those responsible for creating IWU 2020 are listed below:

Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee

Cabinet Officers (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Richard F. Wilson, President and Chair of the SPBC
Jonathan D. Green, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Dan Klotzbach, Vice President for Business and Finance
Matt Kurz, Vice President for Communications
Karla Carney-Hall, Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
Michael D. Thompson, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research, Planning and Evaluation

Trustees
John Jordan '57, Trustee Emeritus (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Ceasar Douglas '75 (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Kathy Lewton '70 (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Richard King '67 (2013-14)

Faculty
David Bollivar, Professor of Biology (2012-13)
Lynda Duke, Associate Dean of Curricular and Faculty Development (2011-12 through 2012-13)
Vickie Folse, Director of School of Nursing (2013-14)
Carolyn Nadeau, Professor of Hispanic Studies (2013-14)
Jerry Olson, Professor of Accounting (2011-12)
Ella Pana, Associate Professor of Business Administration (2012-13)
Michael Seeborg, Professor of Economics (2011-12 and 2013-14)
Kevin Sullivan, Associate Professor of Religion (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Dan Terkla, Professor of English (2011-12 through 2012-13)
Marcia Thomas, Director of Collections and Technical Services (2012-13)
Curtis Trout, Director of School of Theatre Arts (2013-14 )
Joe Williams, Associate Professor of Psychology (2013-14)

Staff
Linda Biehl, Telecommunications Systems Specialist (non-exempt) (2011-12 through
2013-14)
Van Miller, Assistant Director of Admissions - (exempt) (2012-13 through 2013-14)
Trey Short, Assistant Provost and Chief Technology Officer (exempt) (2011-12 through 2013-14)
Stacey Shimizu, Director of International Office (exempt) (2011-2012)

Students
Brexton Isaacs, Class of 2015 (2012-13 and 2013-14)
Rachel Paturi, Class of 2013 (2011-12 and 2012-13)
Blair Wright, Class of 2015 (2013-14)

Strategic Planning Work Groups
1. Teaching and Learning
Jonathan Green (Chair), Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Sue Anderson, Information Services Librarian and Professor
David Bollivar, Associate Professor of Biology
Ceasar Douglas, Trustee
Brenda Lessen, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Bob Murray, Dean of Enrollment Management
Trey Short, Assistant Provost and Chief Technology Officer
David Wallace, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Dan Terkla, Professor of English

2. Enriched Campus Community
Karla Carney-Hall (Chair), Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Matthew Damschroder, Assistant Dean of Students
Lynda Duke, Associate Dean of Curricular and Faculty Development
Vickie Folse, Director of the School of Nursing and Associate Professor of Nursing
Brexton Isaacs, Class of 2015 and Student Senate President
Van Miller, Associate Director of the Wesleyan Fund
Trey Short, Assistant Provost and Chief Technology Officer
Jim Sikora, Professor of Sociology

3. Diversity Work Group
Karla Carney-Hall (Chair), Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Josie Banales, Class of 2014
Akash Bhatia, Class of 2014
Meghan Burke, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Lynda Duke, Associate Dean of Curricular and Faculty Development
Eileen Galvez, Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Affairs
Jonathan Green, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Carolyn Nadeau, Byron S. Tucci Professor of Hispanic Studies
Lisabeth Searing, Assistant Professor of Nursing

4. Communications and Engagement Work Group
Matt Kurz (Chair), Vice President for Communications
Tony Bankston, Dean of Admissions
Josh Butts, Class of 2001
Stephanie Davis-Kahl, Scholarly Communications Librarian and Associate Professor
Fred Hoyt, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Kathy Lewton, Trustee
Pat Palmer, Class of 1987
Sherri McElroy, Professor of Art
Van Miller, Associate Director of the Wesleyan Fund
Rebeccah Erickson, Class of 2014
Tara Simpson, Class of 2014
Laura Steenburge, Class of 2015

5. Human Resources Work Group
Dan Klotzbach (Chair), Vice President for Business and Finance
Linda Biehl, Telecommunications Systems Specialist
Dale Conover, Assistant Manager of Custodial Services
John Jordan, Emeritus Trustee
Chandra Shipley, Director of Academic Advising/Coordinator of Disability Services
Karen Schmidt, University Librarian and Professor
Marcia Thomas, Director of Collections and Technical Services and Professor
Devin Ross, Class of 2014
Joerg Tiede, Professor of Computer Science

6. Financial Resources Workgroup
Dan Klotzbach (Chair), Vice President for Business and Finance
Jane Baines, Director of Research
Kent Larson, Class of 2014
Kathy Lewton, Trustee
Diego Mendez-Carbajo, Associate Professor of Economics
Bob Murray, Dean of Enrollment Management
Mike Seeborg, Robert S. Eckley Distinguished Professor of Economics
Kevin Sullivan, Associate Professor of Religion

IWU 2020 Managing Editors
Michael Thompson, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research, Planning and Evaluation
Jenny Hand, Institutional Effectiveness Specialist

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For reports from the Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee at Illinois Wesleyan, go here.