Strategic Planning

The Board of Trustees, at its May 4, 2006 meeting, approved in concept the document Strategic Priorities: Planning for the Future.

In the fall of 2005 Father Dennis Dease, President, proposed three themes: "Access," "Excellence" and "Catholic Identity," as major directions for the University of St. Thomas' next round of strategic planning. (A fourth theme, "Sustainability," was added later.) The task force is composed of representatives of the St. Thomas community: faculty, staff, students, and alumni/ae. The purpose of the task force is to assist the President's office and the larger University in the development and implementation of new strategic priorities that will translate our newly revised mission statement into action, guide our planning for the next three-to-five years, and provide a platform for the next capital campaign.

Over the 2005-2006 academic year, that task force met 8 times as a plenary group -- plus numerous working group meetings; solicited unit input from academic and administrative units, student groups and alumni; developed a draft of priorities and held two university listening sessions for further input. The Board's unanimous approval of the Task Force's work concludes Phase I of the Strategic Planning process and moves us into Phase II and implementation.

Implementation will be gradual. Since various units of the institution already have planning processes in place, they will begin incorporating these priorities, under the leadership of the Executive Vice Presidents, into existing plans as appropriate. The Task Force will help in that process and develop resources to assist with full implementation a year from now. All faculty and staff are encouraged to study the priorities and their "indicators of achievement," and find ways that they can advance them in their personal goals for the coming year.

The document: Strategic Priorities: Planning for the Future, can be downloaded here: Strategic Priorities.

Members of the Task Force on Strategic Planning

Nominated by Faculty Affairs Committee:
Tom Fish, School of Education
Rick Goheen, School of Law
Steve Hatting, College of Arts and Sciences
Nathan Jithendranathan, College of Business
Skip Nolan, Graduate School of Professional Psychology
Katarina Schuth, Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Unit Representatives (Nominated by)
John Bannigan (Alumni Board)
Jane Canney, Student Affairs (AAL)
Linda Halverson, Exempt Staff (EVP's)
Isaac Huss, Undergraduate Student (All College Council)
Sam Levy, Information Resources and Technology (AAL)
Chris Puto, College of Business (AAL)
Pat Reinhardt, Non-Exempt Staff (Staff Council)
Steve Steffey, Graduate Student (Graduate & Professional Services)

Gene Scapanski, Office for Mission, Chair (Ex Officio)
Helen Hunter, Office for Mission, (Ex Officio)