Reaching Vision 2020

Lead: Director of Recruiting and Outreach
 
GOAL 1:  Implement a comprehensive undergraduate enrollment recruiting strategy that focuses on increasing the enrollment of a diverse freshmen and transfer student body.

GOAL 2:  Plan and implement strategic partnerships with regional high schools that target high performing first year students.

GOAL 3:  Develop and maintain community, high school and community college partnerships that support enrollment goals.

Leaders: Tony Bates, Director of Athletics and Dean Jennings, Program Director of Recreation and Fitness

GOAL 1:  Establish a tradition of academic and competitive excellence where student athletes meet and exceed Governors State University measures for athletic and academic success and embody the NAIA Champions of Character core values.

GOAL 2:  Athletics and recreational activities will serve as a catalyst for building institutional pride, promoting campus traditions, engaging alumni and strengthening institutional visibility and connections to Chicago and Chicago Southland community.

GOAL 3:  Establish a culture of inclusion and gender equity by meeting and exceeding all Title IX compliance and educational requirements.

GOAL 4:  Inspire and develop Governors State University as a healthy community by promoting personal wellness and fitness activities and events, and increasing student, faculty and staff in the Fitness Center.

GOAL 5:  Through sound business planning and fundraising efforts, promote facilities development and expansion of competitive and recreational activities consistent with institutional and divisional goals.

Lead: Mushtaq Choudhary, Director of Auxiliary Services and University Housing

GOAL 1:  Establish a model residential program defined by a supportive, caring and inclusive living and learning community with high levels of engagement by resident students both on campus and in the community.

GOAL 2:  Develop student leaders who will positively impact the residential community. 

GOAL 3:  Create a residential culture of respect, responsibility and accountability. 

GOAL 4:  Support Enrollment Management through meeting and exceeding recruitment and retention goals.

GOAL 5:  Develop and implement assessment practices that will better inform decision-making. 

GOAL 6:  Establish a comprehensive dining and catering program that meets the needs of the GSU community. 

GOAL 7:  Develop and sustain a climate of continuous improvement within the University Bookstore that supports student success, academic excellence and the University's transformation to a comprehensive public institution. 

Lead: Darcie Campos, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Director of Career Services

GOAL 1:  Create, promote and navigate undergraduate students through a Four-Year Career Development Plan (Four Year Career Compass) from freshman to senior year with an emphasis on fully preparing students to define their career goals and ensuring they are career ready professionals by graduation.

GOAL 2:  Develop, implement and assess comprehensive career mentoring and internship opportunities focused on the development and enhancement of transferable real-world skills associated with exemplary leaders and citizens, and career ready professionals.

GOAL 3:  Strategically promote meaningful on-campus employment for students, and provide education, development and support for hiring managers to advance the student experience and expand upon relevant transitional skill sets.

GOAL 4:  Strengthen and expand relationships with employers and corporate partners in the Chicago and Chicago Southland region. 

GOAL 5:  Develop new strategies that are specific to meeting the career development needs of the graduate student population.

Lead: Kelly Grab, Director of Community Standards and Student Advocacy

GOAL 1:  Evolve, administer, and assess the Community Standards program to ensure for a thorough, transparent, and fair student-centered process that advances a campus culture of civility and the highest levels of ethical student behavior.

GOAL 2:  Design, implement, and assess educational programming that promotes an increasing awareness of the Student Code of Conduct, inspires a culture of respect and sense of responsibility for oneself as well as for others, further reduces the frequency of conduct violations, and reflects the values of Governors State University.

GOAL 3:  Enhance, coordinate, and assess programs designed to foster student success as well as promote the well-being of students and the campus community as a whole.

Lead: Robert Clay, Executive Director of Student Engagement and Intercultural Program

GOAL 1:  Increase campus-wide intercultural learning by developing, implementing and assessing a purposeful programming agenda that empowers and educates campus community on diversity, social justice & inclusion and provide support services for underserved student populations.

GOAL 2:  Advocate, garner and oversee funding support, such as TriO Programs, for necessary resources and support that will increase retention rates of underserved student populations

GOAL 3:  Establish and promote the Male Success Initiative as the premiere pathway to increase the enrollment, retention and graduation of first year and transfer men of color.

GOAL 4:  Serve as an integral partner with Enrollment Management in the recruitment and admission of underserved student populations and with Academic Resource Center to ensure their degree attainment and post graduate success.

GOAL 5:  Re-envision and cultivate leadership development initiatives that reflect and infuse interdisciplinary theories to establish a comprehensive model for co-curricular success and achieve our mission to prepare leaders that advance the public good and transform communities.

Lead: Jessica Specht, Director of Dual Degree Program

GOAL 1: Expand, enhance and promote the Dual Degree Program (DDP) as a model pathway to the baccalaureate degree for transfer students from our partner community colleges.

GOAL 2: Support the establishment and implementation of the Center for the Junior Year to provide an exemplary physical and virtual resource center for native and transfer students to come together for information, support and guidance as they transition to their chosen major.

GOAL 3: Using DDP as a model, expand transfer/articulation partnerships, pathways, and resources, especially for part-time students.

GOAL 4: Develop initiatives to increase transfer student enrollment and engagement at GSU from both underrepresented populations and populations of interest for enrollment expansion.

Leaders: Paul McGuiness, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment and Director of Admissions and Tim Carroll, Registrar

GOAL 1: Develop and maintain a comprehensive communication plan with prospective and current students, faculty and staff related to enrollment services.

GOAL 2: Assess the effectiveness and efficiencies of student services operations including internal and external review. Develop strategies for continuous improvement.

GOAL 3: Develop and maintain a comprehensive review cycle for all policies and procedures related to enrollment services (admission, registrar). 

GOAL 4: Create and implement a comprehensive customer service/student service plan for all enrollment service functions (training, communication, expectations) that includes student learning outcomes from enrollment service functions.

Lead: Dr. John Perry, Interim Executive Director of Student Financial Services and Sylvia Ponce de Leon, Interim Director of Financial Aid

GOAL 1:  Develop a comprehensive plan of internal and external review to ensure financial aid is responsibly awarded and disbursed.

GOAL 2:  Simplify the student financial aid process for students while maintaining efficiency and accuracy of processing.

GOAL 3:  Provide web based, written, verbal, and electronic information to students maximizing understanding of financial aid programs.

GOAL 4:  Collaborate with Admissions on the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan to incorporate financial aid into new student and family communication planning and relationship building including financial literacy related to college affordability.

Lead: Director of New Student Programs and Leadership Initiatives

GOAL 1: Develop an exemplary first-year experience program designed to both support student success and attain first year to second year retention rates that surpass the national average for peer institutions.

GOAL 2: Develop a comprehensive Academic Advising model to transition students from high-touch general education advising to quality program based advising.

GOAL 3: Establish a model orientation program for first-year, transfer and graduate students, each distinctly designed to provide support and encouragement to new students and help ensure they succeed personally and academically.

GOAL 4: Create a two year strengths-based curriculum that focuses on student self-efficacy and building identity capital.

GOAL 5: Foster cohort communities built on knowledge and trust through continuous development of our Peer Mentor Program and ongoing training of our Peer Mentors.

Lead:  Kara Johnson, Director of International Services and Amy Schoenberg, Assistant Director

GOAL 1:  Develop initiatives to increase international student enrollment and engagement at GSU. 

GOAL 3:  Enhance the GSU global experience for all students, alumni and community members.

Lead: Robert Clay, Executive Director of Student Engagement and Intercultural Programs

GOAL 1:  Develop, implement and assess co-curricular programs that promote student involvement, participation in annual events and campus traditions, build institutional pride and strengthens connections to the university community.  

GOAL 2:  Develop and support sustainable and robust student clubs and organizations by focusing on developing student leaders through mentoring, leadership and training initiatives, and enhancement of transferable skills and leadership efficacy; and supporting and sustaining student organization faculty advisors.  

GOAL 3:  Establish and expand involvement opportunities in student media that include sustained support of student newspaper and developing and sustaining new media organizations aligned with student interest and campus-wide collaborations.

GOAL 4:  Create, implement and assess civic engagement and community service opportunities for students to develop awareness and understanding of civic learning and democratic engagement through understanding of societal issues.

GOAL 5:  Sustain civic and community engagement initiatives by developing sustainable relationships with faculty, community partners, and state and national organizations that support civic learning and democrat education for students.

Lead: Amy Comparon, Director of Academic Resource Center

Kristy Goodwin, Director of College Pathways

GOAL 1:  Design, implement, and assess a broad range of tutoring and academic support services for both general education and upper-division course work which nurtures the highest levels of academic success.

GOAL 2:  Develop a more intrusive and supportive approach to academic recovery, especially for lower division students with academic difficulties.

GOAL 3:  Recruit, train, and evaluate student and paraprofessional employees; staff focused on providing highly quality academic support services. 

GOAL 4:  Enhance academic support resources and facilities to serve students at all levels (undergraduate and graduate) and modes (on campus, online and hybrid) of instruction. 

GOAL 5:  Design and implement an event for high school students that will provide professional development opportunities and enhance higher education readiness.

Lead: Erica Wade, Director of Counseling and Wellness

GOAL 1:   Develop students, those enrolled on campus and online, holistically by designing, implementing and assessing services and programs that encourage sustainable self-advocacy, independence, wellness, knowledge and life balance.

GOAL 2:   Promote a residential community focused on personal health and emotional strength strategies in order to develop sustainable practices that enhance personal wellbeing.

GOAL 3:  Advance health related outcomes and services by promoting healthy behaviors, educating students, and providing current knowledge information regarding specific health topics.

GOAL 4:   Create, implement and assess Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention programs, training and educational services throughout the year that promote a culture of gender equity on the campus.

GOAL 5:  Ensure student access to quality, comprehensive, and cost-effective healthcare.