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YSU panel OKs set of goals through ’20
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Cynthia Anderson
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YSU Provost and Vice-president of Academic Affairs Ikram Khawaja
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
A strategic plan for Youngstown State University through 2020 will provide the framework for university activities.
YSU’s board of trustees’ Academic and Student Affairs Committee on Sunday approved the core and framework of the plan.
“This document is going to drive our quarterly agendas,” said Scott Schulick, trustees chairman.
A document including more specificity and timelines is expected to come before the board early next year.
Shortly after taking office, Cynthia Anderson, YSU president, charged Ikram Khawaja, provost and vice president of academic affairs, and Gene Grilli, vice president for finance and administration, with leading a strategic plan. The committee included people from the university as well as the community at large.
The plan is divided into four cornerstones: accountability and sustainability, student success, transition to an urban university and regional engagement.
“We believe this is a fluid plan,” Anderson said. “When opportunities arise, we have to be able to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Accountability and sustainability is divided into four themes in the plan. Those are fiscal health, human resources health, facilities health and a culture of shared responsibility.
Student success is defined in the plan as “academic achievement, satisfaction and productive post-college performance.”
That cornerstone is divided into themes as well: academic achievement, student satisfaction with academic and non-academic experiences and readiness for post-college success.
The transition to an urban research university includes the themes of innovation and discovery, funding to support research and quality academic programs.
The regional engagement piece is divided into three themes, providing value to business, industry and non-profit organization; artistic and cultural engagement and YSU’s impact on the health of the community.