Strategic Plan - Office of the President

For six decades, Oakland University has been growing as a significant educational, cultural and economic force in the region, state and nation. Excellence in teaching, learning, research and cultural activities has been punctuated by periods of growth in enrollment and infrastructure. In recent decades, active public service and community outreach and engagement have added to the University’s record of excellence. Today, Oakland University is poised to build upon its bold and remarkable past as it charts an exciting and even more powerful future. The goals and priorities laid out in the Oakland University 2025 strategic plan describes that future and will help ensure steady progress in achieving it.

Goal 1: Foster student success through a robust teaching and learning environment and comprehensive student services.

Strategic Priorities:

1.1 Increase the retention rate for full-time students.

1.2 Increase graduation rates.

1.3 Increase success rates in gateway courses (defined here as high-enrollment foundational courses that are high risk).

1.4 Improve the student/faculty ratio at OU as benchmarked with competitive peer institutions.

1.5 Improve support of student learning, persistence and success by improving the student/adviser ratio and increasing the number of professional staff in areas of direct and targeted student support.

1.6 Increase the proportion of underrepresented minorities within the faculty and staff to more closely reflect the student body.

1.7 Enhance global awareness and experiences, including expansion of study abroad participation and increasing the number of international students on campus.

1.8 Increase endowments to support scholarships for students.

Goal 2: Be recognized as a strong research and scholarly environment focused on creative endeavors and on the discovery, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge.

Strategic Priorities:

2.1 Increase research, creative, and scholarly workspace and other support to accommodate faculty and student needs.

2.2 Increase research office staffing to support growing faculty development and research needs.

2.3 Increase the number of tenure-track/tenured faculty engaged in research.

2.4 Increase the University’s research and development expenditures to support the institution’s growing research agenda.

2.5 Increase student participation in undergraduate research.

2.6 Increase graduate student stipends and scholarships in order to attract and retain high quality students in support of the University’s instructional and research initiatives.

Goal 3: Become a leader in serving the needs and aspirations of our communities and region through expanded community relationships, institutional reputation and visibility, and engagement.

Strategic Priorities:

3.1 Increase student internship and experiential learning activities.

3.2 Increase the number of students involved in community service and engagement activities.

3.3 Increase the number of students enrolled in credit courses at off–campus locations.

3.4 Increase the number of continuing education students enrolled in non-credit courses offered by the University’s Professional and Continuing Education Program (PACE).

3.5 Expand connections with alumni.

3.6 Increase the number of partnerships with businesses and corporations.

3.7 Increase the number of community partnerships.

3.8 Apply for and attain the Carnegie Community Engagement Designation.

Goal 4: Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in an environment of mutual trust and respect at all levels of the institution and facilitate opportunities and success for all community members.

Strategic Priorities

4.1 Establish policies and practices that support and promote diversity and inclusion

4.1.a. Identify and clarify policies and procedures to ensure an environment of trust and equity
4.1.b. Create Provost Diversity Fellow position and Postdoctoral Fellowship program to support development and implementation of diversity initiatives
4.1.c. Develop a strong diversity and inclusion communication and messaging plan
4.1.d. Develop and provide face-to-face and online training to the OU Community related to diversity, equity and inclusion

4.2. Become a campus of choice for students, administrators, faculty and staff from
underrepresented minorities and underrepresented groups

4.2.a. Develop divisional diversity plans and strive to increase underrepresented minorities and groups
4.2.b. Develop a Diversity Support Fund
4.2.c. Create a pathway to promote and retain diverse leaders
4.2.d. Increase the retention rate for URM students
4.2.e. Develop programs to support training of doctoral students
4.2.f. Expand and promote greater inclusion for veterans
4.2.g. Expand and promote greater inclusion for individuals with disabilities
4.2.h. Expand and promote greater inclusion for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) campus community
4.2.i. Expand and promote greater inclusion for women in all areas of Oakland University