Our mission communicates what we are striving for, and the three overarching goals within the Strategic Plan outline how we can best advance this mission over the next five years.
2020–2025 Undergraduate Education Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Improve success of minoritized and marginalized students, thereby having a positive effect on all students
Objective 1.1 Develop and utilize data to guide decisions regarding student success
- 1.1.1—Identify and build data measures on gaps, barriers, and differential experiences by minoritized and marginalized students (One Penn State 2025 GP 1)
- 1.1.2—Build data connections with other units to share information and decision-making (One Penn State 2025 GP 5)
Objective 1.2 Lead in efforts to reduce gaps in graduation rates
- 1.2.1—Reform Undergraduate Education practices and policies to enhance the success of marginalized and minoritized students from pre-matriculation to graduation
- 1.2.2—Advocate for change to university-wide policies and curricula that create barriers for graduation, retention, and engagement for marginalized and minoritized students (One Penn State 2020 GP 1)
- 1.2.3—Develop accessible pathways and programs for marginalized and minoritized students that facilitate greater probability of success (One Penn State 2025 GP 1, 3)
- 1.2.4—Create and socialize processes for students to build intentional success actions (e.g: Student Engagement Plan) into their educational journeys (One Penn State 2025 GP 1)
- 1.2.5—Build greater and simplified student access to information and resources of all types (One Penn State GP 1)
Objective 1.3 Collaborate to improve professional practices that better equip individuals to respond to student needs
- 1.3.1—Sponsor and advance professional development for understanding and promoting equitable practices
- 1.3.2—Implement proactive and inclusive measures to improve recruitment and retention of employees and prioritize DEI-focused skills
Goal 2: Foster institution-wide connection and collaboration
Objective 2.1 Grow UE collaborations with students
- 2.1.1—Develop connections with student perspectives and develop a UE Student Advisory Group including students from multiplecampuses and colleges
- 2.1.2—Systematically seek qualitative and quantitative data on student experiences for decision-making
Objective 2.2 Grow connections and collaborations within UE
- 2.2.1—Organize work in themes and topics (One Penn State 2025 GP5)
- 2.2.2—Expand internal activities for connection (ex: job shadow, United Way, social Spikes game)
- 2.2.3—Improve onboarding and retention strategies for employees
Objective 2.3 Pursue UE collaborations with other university entities (One Penn State 2025 GP5)
- 2.3.1—Reduce barriers (silos, budgets, communication, etc.) to collaborations (One Penn State GP5)
- 2.3.2—Map links and lead connection efforts to other units regarding student success (One Penn State GP5)
- 2.3.3—Establish faculty academy for theme-driven research and creation of resources regarding student success
Objective 2.4 Build meaningful UE connections and collaborations with individuals and community entities (One Penn State 2025 GP5)
- 2.4.1—Intentionally identify and foster relationships to develop fundraising plans to further the mission of UE
- 2.4.2—Create a means for increased input from external communities to appropriate elements within UE
Goal 3: Prioritize and model student-centeredness, equity, diversity, inclusion, and transparency in UE work
Objective 3.1 Review and revise policies and processes to be student-centered, equitable, and sustainable
- 3.1.1—Collaborate with Senate and other University entities to increase flexibility for students in meeting curricular requirements (One Penn State 2025 GP 2)
- 3.1.2—Expand opportunities for prior learning to meet curricular requirements (One Penn State 2025 GP 2)
- 3.1.3—Assess UE structures to best promote inclusivity (One Penn State 2025 GP 5)
Objective 3.2 Promote and model a culture of equity and inclusion among UE professionals
- 3.2.1—Sponsor UE professional development to better understand and act in consideration of issues of equity and inclusion
- 3.2.2—Incentivize and reward innovations in UE that shape a transparent, equitable, and inclusive culture impacting the university
Objective 3.3 Practice critical reflection that challenges assumptions
- 3.3.1—Train staff in practice of critical reflection
- 3.3.2—Collaboratively identify issues and implications of decisions, options, and practices