CSU System Strategic Plan
Building a Stronger Colorado

In February 2010, the CSU System Board of Governors and the Chancellor held a retreat to develop a five-year strategic plan for the CSU System.

With the hiring of a separate chancellor for the system, the board and the chancellor believed it was critical to develop a new mission, vision and a set of values and goals to help guide the system and establish expectations. The five-year plan also incorporated input from the Fort Collins and Pueblo campus presidents and Global Campus CEO to ensure the system is helping the campuses reach their goals.

In April, the chancellor hosted open stakeholder forums on each campus for a review and discussion about the plan.

The board adopted the strategic plan at its May 5, 2010 meeting.

Here is a link to the CSU System Strategic Plan, which includes all three campuses, that was presented to the Board of Governors on May 5, 2010. CSU System (all campuses), May 5, 2010

Below you will find an overview of the strategic plan for the CSU System.

CSU System
Building a Stronger Colorado, 2010-2015

MISSION

The Colorado State University System exists to support, enhance, and protect the unique missions of its constituent institutions and to encourage collaboration that benefits students and Colorado.

VISION

The Colorado State University System will create the financial sustainability to fulfill its mission, while expanding its statewide presence and creating opportunities for building a stronger future for Colorado.

VALUES

The Colorado State University System expects the actions of all those within the system to reflect the following values:

  • A passion for excellence and a commitment to continuous quality improvement.
  • A willingness to collaborate and work with others in an environment of respect and trust.
  • A commitment to open communication, ethical conduct, and full accountability.
  • A loyalty to the mission, with a specific emphasis on meeting student needs.
  • An appreciation for diversity and inclusiveness.
  • A willingness to be entrepreneurial and opportunistic while consistently demonstrating fiscal responsibility and resourcefulness.

GOAL ONE: STUDENT SUCCESS AND SATISFACTION

The Colorado State University System will enable and empower its institutions to improve the success and satisfaction of students through initiatives, collaborations, and accountability measures that add value for students as measured by:

  • Retention rates and persistence to degree
  • Graduation rates
  • Learning increases (critical thinking skills and disciplinary knowledge)
  • Increased student engagement and satisfaction
  • Post graduate success
  • Reasonable student loan debt load

In each of the above areas, each institution within the Colorado State University System will be above peer averages, will be in the top quartile of its peers in at least three categories and will close the achievement gap among student demographic group. The System will also expect and will measure collaborations among CSU System campuses that directly benefit students.

GOAL TWO: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

The Colorado State University System will provide financial sustainability on behalf of its institutions through two approaches: thoughtful re-examination of the existing financial model and experiments to discover a new financial model. These initiatives will result in revenues exceeding expenses by 3% by 2015 on the CSU System consolidated financial statement for reinvestment in strategic priorities. The financial model experiments will be aimed at finding a model that increases student learning productivity while decreasing the instructional cost per student.

GOAL THREE: EXPAND STATEWIDE PRESENCE

The Colorado State University System will expand its statewide presence by significantly increasing the number and impact of mutually beneficial formal partnerships with communities in Colorado. These outreach efforts will include CSU System initiatives aimed at increasing the percentage of students who participate in higher education and increasing the proportion who choose to enroll in one or more of the CSU System institutions.

GOAL FOUR: OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE FOR COLORADO

The Colorado State University System will transform Colorado’s future through innovative and collaborative community development initiatives in every county. These initiatives will include a focus on targeted and measurable job creation, growth, and retention; on increasing the number of applied research activities impacting the quality of life for Coloradans in specific areas of expertise; on increasing the number of technology transfer and business incubator agreements; and on increasing the pipeline of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) students from K-12 into a CSU System institutions, with a special emphasis on first-generation college students.