Join effort to create a system-focused strategic plan
How can and should we evolve Washington State University’s land-grant mission to meet the future needs of the state of Washington and beyond?
That question is at the heart of our current exercise: the creation of a WSU system-focused strategic plan that will guide the University’s decision making and resource allocations for the 2020 to 2025 time period.
Going forward, the Drive to 25 will serve as our vision to guide planning. Our focus on teaching, research, and service will remain unwavering. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to providing access to a transformative university experience.
But we are at pivotal point in WSU’s history from a planning perspective.
This is a time of great societal, economic, and cultural upheaval. Land-grants, like other organizations, must continually evolve to maintain their relevancy and perceived value to society.
We must evolve to meet the changing needs and interests of our students. Likewise, industry demand for cutting-edge knowledge and well-prepared graduates is constant. Our communities—both rural and metropolitan—need the expertise of our enterprise in order to thrive.
With nearly 31,500 students pursuing knowledge and discovery at 6 campuses, 4 Research and Extension Centers, and 2 other communities in the state (Bremerton and Yakima), WSU’s statewide reach is at its greatest point in our history. Given this reality, it is abundantly clear that we must create a strategic plan that addresses the future of the entire WSU system, including Extension.
I invite you to join the effort to create our plan, a draft of which is scheduled to be shared with the community early in 2020. Our future is in our hands.
Kirk Schulz
President
Washington State University