Strategic Plan
Commonwealth University’s inaugural strategic plan identifies student-centered initiatives and ideals to advance our mission, vision, values, and goals, empowering students to achieve their personal and professional aspirations. Our strategic statements, priorities, and commitments will guide this journey of learning, discovery, growth, and achievement.
Strategic Planning Committee (SPC)
Through an inclusive nomination process, President Hanna appointed a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) to analyze the feedback from the CU community and develop the final strategic plan for approval. After the plan was endorsed by the Senate and Council of Trustees, the SPC’s role transitioned from developing the plan to overseeing its implementation and attainment. The current SPC charge, responsibilities, and membership are listed below.
Charge:
The SPC guides and assesses institutional effectiveness by ensuring that the Strategic Plan is implemented and evaluated through planning, monitoring, and assessment across all divisions and units. The SPC is central for the coordination, communication, and as a result, the sustainability of data-driven planning and improvement.
SPC Responsibilities:
- Monitoring progress and making recommendations on the implementation of the strategic plan priorities, goals, and initiatives through supporting divisional and unit plans and assessments
- Producing an annual report on progress towards implementation of the Strategic Plan and goal attainment
- Providing input for developing the strategic plan dashboard of performance indicators and monitoring performance against measurable targets
- Reviewing annually the Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plan and recommending updates as needed based on analysis of University outcomes, new opportunities or challenges, and/or emerging strategic issues
- Providing leadership in creating and implementing a robust system for integrating resource allocation and strategic planning
- Communicating regularly with the University at large about implementation and outcomes of the Strategic Plan
- Serving as a conduit of information as members cascade information to the constituencies they represent
Last Revised on 12/15/2023
- Mr. Mike Abplanalp
Director of Institutional Research
Lock Haven - Ms. Elizabeth Arnold
Executive Communications and Editorial Director
Lock Haven - Dr. John Bodenman
Professor of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences
Bloomsburg - Ms. Amy DeLozier
Director of Student Recreation Center & Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisor
Mansfield - Dr. Amy Downes
Associate Vice President for Student Success and Campus Life
Lock Haven - Ms. Tess Fosse
Executive Director, Disability Services and ADA Coordinator, University Disability Services
Bloomsburg - Mr. Kenneth Hall
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Lock Haven - Mr. Drew Hostetter
BU Foundation Board Chair
Bloomsburg - Ms. Brandy Hower
Clerical Assistant 3, Nursing UG Nursing Department
Bloomsburg - Mr. Rick Lilla
Professor, Media Librarian
Lock Haven - Ms. Hope Lineman
Strategic Advisor to the Chancellor on Workforce Innovation, PASSHE Executive Director Workforce Development
Bloomsburg - Dr. Michael McFarland
Director of Athletics, Professor, and Chair of Department of Athletics Faculty
Bloomsburg - Dr. Lynda Michaels
Associate Vice President for Alumni and Professional Engagement
Bloomsburg - Dr. Cori Myers, Chair
Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness
Lock Haven - Ms. Janeyda Ortiz
Business Administration Student
Lock Haven - Ms. Amy Osborne
Assistant Provost
Bloomsburg - Ms. Gretchen Osterman
Academic Advisor, Academic Advisement
Bloomsburg - Dr. Latha Ramakrishnan
Dean, College of Science and Technology
Bloomsburg - Tanya M Reese
Statistician 2
Enrollment Management
Mansfield - Ms. Jen Riter
LHU Foundation Board Chair
Lock Haven - Ms. Barbara Romano
'83, '21M BL Alumna
Vice President, IT Product Development & Governance - Ms. Stacy Wagner
Associate Vice President, Facilities
Mansfield - Ms. Christine Wise
Assistant Director of Community Service
Lock Haven
Strategic Planning Process
Following the integration of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities and adoption of unified Mission, Vision, and Values statements in August 2022, Commonwealth University embarked on its first-ever strategic planning process. This effort, which kicked off in fall 2022 and carried through early summer 2023, involved input and perspectives from across our entire CU community. CU received final endorsement of its five-year plan at the September 14, 2023, Senate, and October 6, 2023, Council of Trustees (COT) meetings. While a comprehensive strategic planning process occurs, at minimum, once every five years, the SPC monitors the implementation of the Strategic Plan and recommends changes to President’s Cabinet during the life of the plan to address emerging opportunities and challenges.
As we aspire toward our vision to be a premier regional public institution that supports and prepares all students for success in the global workforce, CU’s steadfast efforts resulted in a strategic plan that reflects broad perspectives from everyone who has an important stake in the university – our students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors, and business and community leaders.
To accomplish this, many opportunities for inclusive engagement through the course of the strategic planning process were offered and included surveys, focus groups, town halls, and local assembly meetings. The fall 2023 Senate and COT endorsements provided the support for CU to move forward with action planning at the institutional, divisional, and unit levels. Plans were submitted in Nuventive Solutions Premier and mapped to the Strategic Plan commitments and priorities. Ongoing discussion and the SPC’s periodic review of the five-year plan assures that it remains relevant as CU implements initiatives and tracks progress through the plan’s KPIs, selected metrics, and other institutional, divisional, and unit-level assessments.
Strategic Planning Timeline The strategic plan development launched in fall 2022 and concluded in summer 2023.
Phase 1 - Research, Design, Plan
August – September 2022
- Background research and planning
- Meetings with leadership and core team
- Conduct stakeholder interviews
Phase 2 - Draft Initial Plan
October – December 2022
- Nominate CU Strategic Planning Committee (SPC)
- Partner with key stakeholders to draft an initial framework
- Introduce web-based comment tool
- Deploy community survey
Phase 3 - Refine and Validate
January – March 2023
- Host SPC kickoff meeting
- Facilitate SPC working session(s) to further develop strategic priority areas and initiatives
- Collaborate with university leadership on key plan elements
- Share and validate draft plan with community via brief survey and existing shared governance structures
- Facilitate culture and communication-focused listening and community building sessions
Phase 4 - Finalize, Share, and Prepare for Implementation
April – September 2023*
- Partner with SPC to finalize goals, measures, and metrics
- Finalize and design the strategic plan
- Solicit feedback and endorsement through new Shared Governance Constitution and Council of Trustees
- Ensure the organizational structures and processes are in place for effective plan implementation
- Begin implementation process in partnership with university leadership
*The timeline was extended through September to accommodate when the new Senate first met.
Plan implementation will occur during the next five years with regular review and revision, as needed, each year.
During fall 2022 and through early summer 2023, numerous opportunities for all members of the CU campus communities to participate in the strategic planning process were available through various forums and surveys.
In March, CU invited your input through the Strategic Planning Framework Feedback Survey and used the responses to make revisions. A brief presentation and opportunities for feedback were offered at the Local Assembly on each campus in April as a final opportunity to offer feedback.
Please review the most recent Strategic Plan.
Click here to download our Strategic Plan Visual Rendering.
Updates will be given during town halls, various divisional / unit meetings, local assemblies, senate meetings, etc., as appropriate. Members of the CU community can certainly offer feedback at those forums, through the SPC members, by using the feedback form in the next section, or by emailing mailto:StrategicPlanning@commonwealthu.edu.
Should you have any questions, please contact StrategicPlanning@commonwealthu.edu.
While a comprehensive Strategic Plan review takes place at least once every five years, CU invites your input at any time about emerging opportunities or challenges that impact the Strategic Plan. Please provide your insights using the feedback form below.
Feedback will be shared with the Strategic Planning Committee to consider as recommendations in its year-end report to CU leadership.