Developing the Plan
The purpose of the plan is to reimagine the possibilities and strategic opportunities of Oakland’s future within the fast-changing cultural, economic and higher-education landscape.
The Strategic Plan presents the path toward achieving our goals as a preeminent Steward of Place, and a university committed to student success, research, community engagement, DEI and sustainability.
The Strategic Plan is a vital documentation of how we transform our aspirations into pragmatic action plans that organize and prioritize university resources in an effective and efficient alignment.
The plan is a seven-year roadmap that will be reviewed and revised annually. A comprehensive assessment will be conducted every three years.
PHASE I: Environmental Scan
Environmental Scan is an exploration and analysis of the external and internal factors affecting a college or university. Internal scans often combine institutional data points with insights from stakeholder feedback.
From the analysis, the team recommended six strategic themes. Completed in January 2024.
PHASE II: Decision Making
Four-to-five initiatives developed per theme. Recommendations made to the Strategic Planning Oversight Committee with a focus on innovation, change, agility, resilience and differentiation. Initiatives refined with SPLT input and recommendations presented to the president.
PHASE III: Execution
Specific action plans will be developed for each initiative to include: initiative definition, ownership, timeline, resource needs, success metrics, etc.
A Strategic Planning Dashboard will be created, utilizing OU’s new data warehouse and dashboard reporting platform (KPI’s) for the overall plan, as well as each initiative.
PHASE IV: Assessment & Revision
The plan will be reviewed and assessed annually.
A comprehensive assessment will be conducted in the third-year with appropriate revisions made as needed.
Regular assessments ensure a highly responsive strategic plan that considers progress, as well as obstacles, toward goals and integrates emerging scenarios, trends and opportunities.
Strategic Planning Oversight Committee (SPOC): The President and Cabinet will review recommendations from the SPLC and make decisions, in consultation with campus leaders, as to the final thematic focus and specific initiatives of the Strategic Plan.
- Kevin Corcoran, Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
- Glenn McIntosh, Sr. Vice President for Student Affairs, Chief Diversity Officer
- Dawn Aubry, Vice President, Enrollment Management
- Rochelle Black, Vice President, Government & Community Relations
- Boyd C. Farnam, Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel
- Stephen Mackey, Vice President for Finance & Administration
- Joshua D. Merchant, Chief of Staff
- Steve Waterfield, Director of Athletics
- Michael J. Westfall, Vice President, University Advancement
- John O. Young, Vice President, Communications & Marketing
Strategic Planning Leadership Council (SPLC): 18 members of the OU Community made up of faculty, staff and administration nominated by members of Cabinet, Strategy Council, Deans and other campus leaders to execute the work and make recommendations to the SPOC. The SPLC will engage with additional faculty/staff as members of five working teams to execute a comprehensive environmental scan.
- Joshua Merchant, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
- Christopher Coleman, Dean, School of Nursing
- Brandy Randall, Dean, Graduate School
- Steve Mackey, Vice President of Finance and Administration
- Steven Waterfield, Director, Athletics
- Daniel Aloi, Professor of Engineering, Engineering and Computer Science
- Caress Dean, Associate Professor of Health Sciences
- Cynthia Miree, Professor of Management and Marketing
- Beth Wallis, Associate Dean, University Libraries
- Lauren Jeske, Assistant Vice President of Advancement Operations
- Robert King, Director of University Housing
- Darlene Groomes, Associate Dean, School of Education and Human Services
- Berkley Browne, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, School of Medicine
- Kelly Dorner, Director of Career and Life Design and Campus Partnerships
- Joe Shivley, Senior Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
- Gerard Madlambayan, Professor of Biological Sciences
- Kristin Landis-Piwowar, Associate Provost, Academic Affairs - UG ED, QA, AC
- Red Douglas, Student
- Adrienne Bass, Executive Associate to the President
- John Jasinski, Baldridge Consultant
Board of Trustees: Affirms the Strategic Plan and ensures the alignment of strategic plan and institutional mission to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability and growth of higher education institutions.
Facilitator: Dr. John Jasinski