Now in its 26th year, Florida Gulf Coast University is set to release its next Five Year Strategic Plan that will outline the institution's updated goals and priorities, and identify ways to achieve them.
FGCU’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee has created a final draft of the proposed new plan, officially called the 2024-29 strategic plan Innovating for Student Success: FGCU’s Journey to Excellence, and the university’s Board of Trustees approved it on Dec. 7, 2023. The committee included deans from all six colleges and the library, a faculty senate and a student government representative, as well as students, alumni, and University Marketing.
The university collected information for more than a year through a series of conversations and feedback sessions, and the steering committee distilled it down to what is most important to students, faculty, and staff — and what will best serve the university’s mission to support the Southwest Florida community and regional economy.
The new Strategic Plan includes updated Mission and Vision statements, and five main goals, which are to “Innovate in Academic Excellence,” “Enhance Student Success and Well-being,” “Elevate Partnerships for Regional Impact,” “Strengthen Organizational Culture and Commitment to Employees” and “Champion Sustainable Practices and Resiliency.”
The updated Mission states: Florida Gulf Coast University is a transformative, learner-centered institution dedicated to student success that strategically serves SWFL and beyond.
The updated Vision states: FGCU aspires for national prominence and global recognition as a community-focused, comprehensive institution driving positive changed and shaping the future of higher education.
It also includes a Statement of Free Expression that states “FGCU vigorously protects freedom of inquiry and expression and categorically expects civility and mutual respect to be practiced by faculty, students and staff in all deliberations on its campus.”
The State University System Board of Governors is meeting today and tomorrow (Jan. 24-25), during which FGCU President, Dr. Aysegul Timur, will be presenting the Strategic Plan and it is expected to be approved.
We talk with the three members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee to get a sense of what the new plan contains, how it differs from the previous plan, and how the process of finalizing it worked.
You can read the Strategic Plan draft document here.
GUESTS:
Dr. Clay Motley, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University and co-chair of the university’s Strategic Plan Steering Committee
Jorge Lopez, Associate Vice President of Student Financial Enrollment & Business Services in the Department of Student Success & Enrollment Management at FGCU and co-chair of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee
Dr. Eileen DeLuca, Interim Chief Strategy and Program Innovation Officer, Provost & Executive VP for Academic Affairs, at FGCU and the Steering Committee’s Ex-officio
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