Since 1857, Upper Iowa University has been preparing students to succeed — in the classroom and in the world. We are a comprehensive, private, nonprofit university firmly entrenched in Midwestern values and dedicated to providing students with the most flexible and accessible education experience possible. We offer an innovative academic model, and students choose from more than 40 high-quality bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Our Strategic Plan, titled “Destination 2022,” provides UIU with a road map for each of the five Strategic Priorities critical to fulfilling our Mission and Vision while upholding our Core Values. This universitywide framework charts a strategic course that fosters thoughtful action, focused innovation and continuous improvement. Metrics established for each goal provide the ability to measure our progress and will keep the University focused on our priorities. If we are to continue to attain student and organizational success, we must all embrace the direction this Strategic Plan provides and be personally accountable to its implementation.

Strategic Plan Process

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC) met for the first time on October 27, 2015. The first task of the SPSC was to review the mission and vision statements and create a list of core values; as these components are the foundation for everything we do, they naturally drove the content of this strategic plan. Through a universitywide, comprehensive analysis of institutional data and current practices, UIU soon identified five central themes—our Strategic Priorities. It is essential that all employee activities relate to one or more Strategic Priorities.

Implications on Budgeting

This plan is uniquely interwoven into our budget process. We will utilize our Strategic Priorities to realign and reallocate internal funding sources and responsibilities in ways that make our departments and schools more competitive in, and adaptive to, current and future economic conditions. Furthermore, as we accomplish many of our Strategic Goals and Objectives, we anticipate we will generate additional revenue and create fiscal efficiencies.

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank all of the many stakeholders among our students, alumni, Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff who made this Strategic Plan possible. The many people who faithfully served on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee receive a very special thank you for their commitment to this project. We also extend our appreciation to the Association of Governing Boards of Universities (AGB) and AGB Institutional Strategies (AGBIS) for their critical contributions to the development of this Strategic Plan.