Strategic Plan

SIU System Strategic Planning

History

The highlight of the February 10, 2022 SIU Board of Trustees meeting was the adoption of a comprehensive system-wide strategic plan which was one of the first goals set by President Dan Mahony when he took office in March 2020. Even before his start date, Mahony charged a series of working groups to begin laying the foundation for the plan’s development. In July 2020, Vice President Gireesh Gupchup was given the role of organizing the plan’s creation and working with co-facilitators Dr. Lakesha Butler, clinical professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy and Professor John Pollitz, dean of library affairs at SIUC on its successful implementation.

“The success of our strategic plan is not just going to be the outcome of bringing together all corners of the system to set goals for our future, but will also and more importantly track the outcomes and measure the success of the goals we have set. If we see the same level of enthusiasm in executing this plan as we had in creating it, I believe the result will be tremendous for everyone across the system,” said Dr. Gireesh Gupchup.

The plan, unanimously approved by the board, focuses on six goals: academic innovation and student success; anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion; community impact; research, creative activity and partnerships; faculty and staff and infrastructure. President Mahony rolled out the Strategic Plan to the campus community in April.  SIUC https://youtu.be/H7msXMUOk_E and SIUE https://youtu.be/G60y8eWiwEo

“I want to begin by thanking Drs. Gupchup, Butler and Pollitz for their tremendous leadership, as well as every member of the strategic planning committee, whose work has laid a solid foundation for the SIU System’s future,” said Mahony. “A strategic plan isn’t just a document that defines what an organization is. A strategic plan sets goals; provides a realistic direction in how to meet them; measures when they succeed or fall short; and charts a positive course both now and for the future.”

“Besides being forward-thinking, an important characteristic of our plan, which I believe makes it that much more effective, is that it overlaps our system goals with those of not just our campuses but also with the Illinois Board of Higher Education which recently adopted their own strategic plan,” Mahony continued. “We have defined our mission. Set our goals.  Determined how we will measure our outcome. Now the work begins as the SIU System steps into its future. I’m proud to say that under this strategic plan, it does so united, committed to its values and enthusiastic to meet the challenges ahead.”