The Strategic Plan Process

We are shaped by our shared values and inspired by our new mission – because our region and our world need us. They need our steadfast commitment, our emerging talents, our creative solutions, our expertise, our heart and our Cougar spirit. With this plan as our guiding light, we are moving forward with purpose and resolve.

Methodology

In 2021, the CSUSM community came together to define the long-term aspirations of the university, embarking on a comprehensive process to develop a new strategic plan. The process, a collaboration with MGT Consulting, was designed to engage stakeholders in a variety of avenues to collect insight, feedback and priorities to advance the university and build on a successful foundation. A key first step in the approach was an initial meeting with President Ellen Neufeldt and the Strategic Planning Committee co-chairs to clarify and confirm expected outcomes and the process for moving forward. The initial meeting focused on project expectations and desired strategic planning process outcomes.

Engagement

Stakeholder engagement was initiated in 2019 with nearly 200 events as part of Neufeldt’s Listening and Learning Tour to discover the needs and expectations of the CSUSM community. This engagement continued in 2021 with focus groups, interviews and town halls facilitated by MGT. Additionally, a website and online survey collected demographic information and feedback on the campus’ greatest strengths, greatest challenges, priority areas of focus, thoughts on defining student success and top elements for the new strategic plan from 1,678 respondents (including faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members). These conversations confirmed prior insight and provided clarity around thoughts and priorities for the strategic plan. The Strategic Planning Committee met throughout spring and summer 2021 to synthesize this feedback into a draft strategic plan.

Steering Committee

CSUSM appreciates the engagement and leadership of the Strategic Planning Committee, with special thanks to the committee’s co-chairs: Dr. Carl Kemnitz and Dr. Ranjeeta Basu.

Ranjeeta Basu, professor of economics (co-chair)
Carl Kemnitz, provost and vice president, Academic Affairs (co-chair)
Fredi Avalos, lecturer, communication (Enrollment Planning Advisory Group rep)
William Byun, lecturer, finance (lecturer rep)
Dylan Crivello, ASI chair and chief of staff (ASI student rep)
Charles De Leone, interim dean of Graduate Studies and Research (undergraduate research rep)
LaPorcha Ellick, coordinator of student involvement (Faculty/Staff Association rep)
Janelle Esprit (Office of Inclusive Excellence student rep)
Geoffrey Gilmore, AVP, Student Academic Support Services, Student Affairs (SS&R rep)
Sharon Hamill, Academic Senate chair and professor of psychology
Cheryl Landin, decision support analyst, Institutional Planning & Analysis (staff rep)
Penny Lanese, identity management account technician, IITS (staff rep)
Lauren Magnuson, head of library collections management and tech services (library rep)
Alan Styles, department chair and professor, accounting (faculty rep)
John Tippeconnic, lecturer, American Indian studies (Inclusive Excellence Advisory Council rep)
Manuel Vargas, professor of education (UCC rep)
Rika Yoshii, professor, computer science and information systems (faculty rep)

Ex-Officio Support

Margaret Chantung – chief communications officer, University Communications
Regina Eisenbach – dean, Academic Programs
Patricia Prado-Olmos – chief community engagement officer
Sarah Villarreal – chief of staff, Office of the President
Mark Norita – associate vice president, Facilities Development and Management
Lisa Medina – director of admissions and university registrar

Administrative Support

Jessica Halsey, operations coordinator, Office of the President
Melinda Jones, executive aide, Community Relations & University Engagement

Implementation

The implementation plan is defined as a set of action items corresponding to each goal and objective specifically designed to help us achieve our desired vision. The Strategic Planning Implementation Leadership Team (SPILT) will provide direction, guidance and support at the university level by identifying metrics that help us track collective progress toward reaching our vision. Those metrics will be updated annually for each of our six goals, under the “Our Progress” tab on this website.

Strategic Plan Implementation Leadership Team

A faculty champion and an administrator champion has been identified for each of the eight values listed in the strategic plan:

Value	Faculty champion	Administrator champion
Intellectual Engagement	Dr. Edward Price, professor of physics, CSTEM	Dr. Jennifer Ostergren, dean, CEHHS
Student Success	Dr. Alison Scheer-Cohen, associate professor of speech-language pathology, CEHHS	Dr. Jackie Trischman, dean, CSTEM
Inclusive Excellence	Dr. Andrew Spieldenner, associate professor of communication, CHABSS	Cheryl Landin, assistant director of strategic initiatives, Office of Inclusive Excellence
Culture of Care	Dr. Jay Robertson-Howell, psychologist, Student Health & Counseling Services	Floyd Lai, director, Cross-Cultural Center
Innovation	Dr. Sajith Jayasinghe, department chair and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, CSTEM	Dr. Scott Gross, associate vice president for industry partnerships
Community Engagement	Dr. Bennett Cherry, professor of management, CoBA	Donna San Miguel, executive director, Community Relations
Stewardship of Resources	Lalitha Nataraj, social sciences librarian, University Library	Brittani Brown, associate vice president, FAS Administration
Sustainability and Climate Justice	Dr. Gabriel Valle, associate professor of environmental studies, CHABSS	Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, sustainability manager, Office of Safety, Health & Sustainability

Charge

To advise on and support the implementation of our strategic plan at the university-wide level.
To ensure that our values are consistently and thoughtfully woven into our action items while developing and sharing best practices.
To establish metrics, trackable progress indicators and dashboards at the university-wide level.
To ensure coordination and sharing of information, especially in areas of overlap between the values.