Background
Better Together reflects our belief that the University’s strength lies in collaboration, shared purpose, and a commitment to student success, excellence, and community engagement; anchored in our mission, vision, and values.
The four strategic pillars, distinct yet unified, define our priorities, guide our actions, and position the University for lasting impact over the next five years. The pillars include: Thriving Students, Lasting Impact, Expanding our Reach & Deepening Our Roots, Bridging Voices & Vision, and Future-Focused Academic Excellence.
As a hallmark of the GovState student experience, relational teaching directly supports and reinforces each pillar of our strategic framework.
The University finds itself uniquely positioned to build and expand on the successes of our rich past to take the necessary steps to respond to the needs of future students while providing our exceptional GovState culture and learning experiences.
Governors State University (GovState) is committed to offering an exceptional and accessible education that prepares students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in a global society.
GovState will create an intellectually stimulating public square, serve as an economic catalyst for the region, and lead as a model of academic excellence, innovation, diversity and responsible citizenship.
- Invest in Student Success through a commitment to mentoring and a deliberate university focus on student achievement of academic, professional and personal goals.
- Provide Opportunity and Access to a first-class public education to residents of our surrounding communities and all those traditionally underserved by higher education.
- Serve as an Economic Catalyst for the citizens of the State of Illinois and our larger Midwest region, so that our communities grow and flourish.
- Prepare Stewards of our Future to thrive in the global economy, to contribute to ongoing innovative research and to serve as stewards of the environment.
- Demonstrate Inclusiveness and Diversity to encourage acceptance of wide-ranging perspectives among students, staff, faculty and members of the broader community.
- Promote Quality of Life, which encompasses civic, personal, professional and cultural growth.
Pillars
Our guiding pillars are helping us to empower the next generation of leaders to develop creative solutions to the global challenges of our time.
Goal I: Promote Holistic Well-being Among Students and Increase Access to Services
Goal Leader: Tiffani Robertson
Members:
- Tina Hughes-Burke
- Matt Sprong
- Mushtaq Choudhary
- Erin Gutierrez
- Daisy Lozano
- Konya Sledge
- Dustin Hogan
- Susie Morris
- Robbin Mitchell
Goal II: Expand Student Access and Workforce Alignment
Goal Leader: Cesar Flores
Members:
- Christine Watt
- Matt Sprong
- Konya Sledge
- Susie Morris
- Lise Schneider
- Darcie Campos
Goal I: Expand Global Offerings
Goal Leader: Joe Day
Members:
- Matt Sprong
- Kerri O'Shea
- Cynthia Carr
- Cheun-Yeong Lee
- Kneshia Avery
- Marlon Cummings
Goal II: Amplify Civic Engagement and Build Reciprocal Partnerships
Goal Leader: Craig Schmidt
Members:
- Christine Watt
- Kerry Adams
- Erin Gutierrez
- Daisy Lozano
- Renee Bickett
- Danielle Austin
- Antigone Blackwell
- John Sowa
- Marlon Cummings
- C. Kimberly Gonzales
- Joshua Young
- Alice Keane
- Scott Sowinski
Goal I: Unified Messaging
Goal Leader: Zion Banks
Members:
- Konya Sledge
- Erin Sheffner
- Susie Morris
- Patricia A. Owens
- Antonio DeCastro
- Isabella Hollingsworth
- Amy Vujaklija
- Jeff Stevenson
- Keith Werosh
Goal II: Streamlined and Equitable Operations
Goal Leader: Julie Keck
Members:
- Teri Bushey
- Kerry Adams
- Katelyn Matulewicz
- Isaac Lee
- Peter Rockey
Goal I: Expanding Access through Innovative Educational Models
Goal Leader: David Conrad
Members:
- Matt Sprong
- Nikki LaGrone
- Mary Carrington
- Siobhan Dalrymple
- Ujvala Rajadhyaksha
- Katherine Carl
Goal II: Designing Responsive and Sustainable Programs
Goal Leader: Michelle Sebasco
Members:
- Erin Gutierrez
- Nikki Lagrone
- Lannaea Alexander
- Brad Smith
From Strategic Planning to Strategic Execution (AY25–26)
Starting in the fall 2025 semester, 8 working groups, engaging more than 60 faculty and staff, continued refining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), action plans, and implementation roadmaps.
Spring 2026 Planned Timeline:
- January 2026 – Feedback on refined KPIs to working group and continued work on action plans.
- February 2026 – Board of Trustees update; begin early implementation and pilot initiatives.
- March 2026 – Cross-pillar collaboration; identify synergies and shared resources.
- April 2026 – Finalize documentation for ISF 2030; campus recognition of early achievements.
April 2026
Finalize documentation for ISF 2030; campus recognition of early achievements.
March 2026
Cross-pillar collaboration; identify synergies and shared resources.
February 2026
Board of Trustees update; begin early implementation and pilot initiatives.
January 2026
Feedback on refined KPIs to working group and continued work on action plans.
August 18, 2025
Share Final Plans with the BOT.
July 2025
Consultation visit to review initial plan with Leadership team and President Ester.
- • 7/28/25: Deadline to get on the BOT books for August 18th meeting.
June 16, 2025
Provide initial Draft with BOT.
April - May 2025
Develop KPI’s refine the plan based on feedback, and finalize the draft by April 30, 2025.
- • 4/21/25: Provide feedback with examples and focus on vision and values.
- • 5/9/25: Feedback from all groups regarding revisions based on the 4/21 feedback and format suggestions.
- • Early May: Steering Committee meeting and feedback from final progress reports from the Working Groups.
- • 5/23/25: Deadline to get on the BOT books from the June 17th BOT meeting. Prepare slides to review each pilar concept, proposed languages to describe the pillars, expectations to review with President Ester.
March - April 2025
Establish SMART goals, key initiatives, and timelines; submit a draft to Dr. Stephen Wagner by April 16, 2025.
Early March 2025
Evaluate past outcomes, analyze environmental and readiness data, and synthesize input from our strategic event.
January - March 2025
Developing Working Groups and Steering Committee.
- • 1/13/25: ISP 2030 Leadership Team Meeting: Better Together Event Planning and Working Team Charter.
- • 1/15/25: Recruiting of Better Together Volunteer Facilitators.
- • 2/7/25: Better Together Event.
- • 2/10/25: Email than you to Better Together Volunteers.
- • 2/12/25: AI generated transcriptions of flip charts and note cards for each pillar are produced.
- • 2/22/25: ISP 2030 Leadership Team Meeting: Review of Working Group Volunteers, Identify potential chairs and co-chairs, steering committee recruitment.
- • 2/27/25: Recruiting of Working Groups Chairs and Co-Chairs.
- • 3/6/25: Emails sent out to Working Group Members introducing their chairs and provided links to key strategic documents to review (notes from Better Together Event, summaries of previous strategic planning efforts/SCOT analysis, and Strategy 2025 review.
- • 3/14/25: Doodle Pooll for Kickoff Meeting for Each pillar Working Group distributed.
- • 3/20/25: Invitations for Kickoff Meeting Distributed and link to MS Teams site made available.
- • 3/20/25: Recruitment for Steering Committee Begins.
- • 3/25/25 - 3/27/25: Kickoff Meeting for Working Groups in MS Teams – Review of Charters, MS Teams Site, and Worksheet for Working Groups.
- • 3/27-28/25: Follow up emails to working group chairs.
December 2024
Emerging Themes Summary Created.
November 2024
Held Meeting with RNL.
October 2024
Began Analysis of Assurance Argument 2024 for themes of Strategy 2025.
Strategic Planning Committee
Core Strategic Planning Committee
Dr. Beverly Schneller
Provost Vice President for Academic Affairs
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Dr. Stephen Wagner
Division Chair, Management, Marketing &Entrepreneurship
Consultant Dr. Reena Lichtenfeld
Ruffalo Noel Levits, RNL (2024)
Dr. Robert A. Stanley
Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Effectiveness
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Board of Trustees
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President's Cabinet
Working Groups and Planning Process
2030 Working Groups (4)
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Pillar 1: Thriving Students, Lasting Impact:
Co-Captains
Pillar 2: Expanding Our Reach, Deepening Our Roots:
Co-Captains
Pillar 3: Bridging Voices and Vision:
Co-Captains
Pillar 4: Future-Focused Academic Excellence:
Co-Captains
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Planning Process
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Charettes, All Campus Meetings, and Sessions Held
Working groups formed with volunteers from across
Institutional strategic planning framework
Message from the President
Quote from Joyce Ester
This is our time to reimagine GovState. We must continue to transform our campus by fostering a culture centered on supporting a diverse student population through innovative partnerships within our community.