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Strategic Plan

The 2021-2026 Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan supports Appalachian State Universitys strategic directions through the mission and expertise of our division. This plan identifies five divisional priorities with goals and objectives to achieve over the next five years.

Strategic Plan Committee Leads

  • Climate Concerns: Jeff Cathey and Lamont Sellers
  • Facilities: Matt Dull and Dr. Brandon Nelson
  • Operational Excellence: Margaret Bumgarner
  • Staff Development and Wellbeing: Traci Royster and Jordan Perry
  • Student Learning, Development and Success: Dr. Heather Strine-Patterson and Dr. Heather Jo Mashburn

Divisional Priorities

The Division of Student Affairs commits to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence.

Goal: Communicate our commitment and actions to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence

Objective:

Increase the number of communication strategies used to convey our commitment and actions to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence to stakeholders

Objective:

Demonstrate the use of departmental and divisional funding to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence efforts

Objective:

Increase the knowledge and self-efficacy of staff to report and respond to injustices

Goal: Support the professional development of staff that advances diversity and inclusive excellence

Objective:

Articulate professional development outcomes for the intercultural knowledge, competence, and sensitivity of staff

Objective:

Increase the annual number of opportunities for staff to improve their intercultural knowledge, competence, and sensitivity

Objective:

Increase the intercultural knowledge, competence, and sensitivity of staff

Goal: Enhance and support the wellbeing of staff with minoritized identities

Objective:

Increase the number of initiatives used to support prospective, new, and current staff with minoritized identities

Objective:

Increase the sense of belonging and trust for staff with minoritized identities with Appalachian and the local community

Objective:

Increase the retention of staff with minoritized identities

The Division of Student Affairs will provide facilities that support our mission and address the needs of our campus community.

Goal: Enhance facilities that address the needs of our growing campus community

Objective:

Build a larger west campus housing community with more green space

Objective:

Build a Career Development Center that is easily accessible to students on central campus

Objective:

Build a Child Development Center that expands access to high-quality childcare for the campus community

Objective:

Develop a strategic facilities plan to improve the physical spaces for Student Health, Wellness, and Recreation

Goal: Create processes that optimize the use of current space and identify future needs

Objective:

Implement a divisional space management process

Objective:

Implement a capital improvement plan

The Division of Student Affairs will work to improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of departmental and divisional operations.

Goal: Strategically lead the work of departments and the division

Objective:

Implement shared leadership practices that leverage the divisional leadership structure

Objective:

Implement a divisional strategic financial and staffing plan

Objective:

Engage in regular, systematic planning and quality improvement efforts that inform budgetary decisions

Goal: Improve efficiencies across the division

Objective:

Develop centralized support for administrative and personnel operations across the division

Objective:

Utilize consistent and transparent operational policies, practices, and resources

Objective:

Utilize consistent, transparent, and inclusive hiring policies, practices, and resources

Objective:

Implement software applications that will improve efficiency, effectiveness, and data collection across the division

Goal: Improve our communication and engagement with external stakeholders

Objective:

Implement a strategic communications plan to share how the division fulfills its mission to care, engage, and transform students

Objective:

Increase the number of communication strategies used to tell our story

Objective:

Implement a strategic engagement plan, including policies and practices, for fundraising and sponsorship

The Division of Student Affairs will support an environment that allows employees to grow professionally and optimize their occupational wellbeing.

Goal: Provide and support professional development opportunities for staff

Objective:

Implement a strategic professional development plan for the division

Objective:

Utilize consistent training and resources for onboarding new employees

Objective:

Increase the self-efficacy of staff to engage in the leadership process within the context of their jobs

Goal: Enhance the occupational wellness of staff

Objective:

Strengthen professional relationships across the Division

Objective:

Optimize employee engagement and workplace quality improvement efforts

Objective:

Increase employees sense of doing meaningful work

The Division of Student Affairs commits to facilitating students learning and development with career readiness, inclusive communities, personal development, and wellbeing, and their ultimate success to persist and graduate from Appalachian.

Goal: All educational and support strategies are intentionally designed to enhance student learning, development, and success

Objective:

Articulate the divisions educational priorities, goals, and intended outcomes

Objective:

Create a divisional cocurricular map of educational and support interventions

Objective:

Strengthen the orientation of students, and parents and families joining the Appalachian community

Goal: Improve data-informed decision making and planning efforts to improve student learning, development, and success

Objective:

Establish systematic ways to collect and integrate data across the division about student engagement opportunities and participation so that it can be disaggregated

Objective:

Implement a strategic measurement plan for student learning, development, and success

Objective:

Make relevant data readily accessible to division and department leaders

Print the Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan 2021-2026