EIU'S Strategic plan: PLAN 2028
Welcome to Strategic Planning at EIU! We want to make EIU’s next cycle of Strategic Planning as inclusive and meaningful as possible for all University stakeholders — students, faculty, staff, and community partners alike.
Plan 2028 TrackingOn June 23, 2023 the Board of Trustees endorsed EIU’s new strategic plan, Plan 2028, at its most recent meeting. As you will see, Plan 2028 aligns with the IBHE’s “A Thriving Illinois” framework and advances EIU’s mission, the region, and state by focusing on four interconnected themes:
Achieve: Achieve Success for All Learners
ACHIEVE priorities align and invest in policies, practices, and resources that ensure every learner at EIU thrives. The ACHIEVE activities comprise a broad collection of strategic investments and student success supports. For Eastern Illinois University, ACHIEVE focuses on retention, learning outcomes, creating and maintaining active learning environments, adequate financial assistance, degree completion, career preparedness, and student wellness. ACHIEVE priorities leverage EIU’s commitment to student success using a holistic array of academic and other organizational supports.
Engage: Engage the Community, Region, State, & World
ENGAGE priorities are intended to build bridges between and amongst its internal and external stakeholders to expand and enhance the everyday worlds of EIU’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and communities at all scales. ENGAGE seeks to build collaborative opportunities for inclusive economic development, regional prosperity, and personal growth. ENGAGE deepens EIU’s connection and commitment to the region, State, and world.
Create: Create a 21st Century Campus & Culture
CREATE priorities evidence a sustained commitment to all employees and students by cultivating belonging and creating a culture of care for all. CREATE accelerates efforts to innovate, invigorate, and reaffirm EIU’s unique institutional identity. Echoing the IBHE’s strategic plan, Plan 2028 advances EIU’s shared values of diversity, equity, and inclusion for all students, employees, and community members. CREATE activities focus on investing in employee and learner wellness, knowledge creation, creativity, and belonging.
Resource: Encourage Innovation, Diversify Revenue, & Grow Enrollments
RESROURCE priorities focus on overall institutional sustainability, staffing, and enhanced business practices. The theme of RESOURCE will ensure that EIU’s budgeting process, operations, and enrollment management efforts focus on sustained financial stability and invests in the strategic priorities of Plan 2028. This priority also ensures compliance with federal and State regulations, as well as financial benchmarks established by Eastern's regional accreditation body, the Higher Learning Commission.
Implementation
EIU is driven by its mission and vision, placing deliberate emphasis on fostering student success, bolstering the economy of the State of Illinois, and serving regional, state, and national stakeholders. Plan 2028, aligned with the Illinois Board of Higher Education's strategic plan, "A Thriving Illinois," is an extension and complement to it. The IBHE plan specifically focuses on harnessing the potential of higher education to promote equity, sustainability, and inclusive economic growth.
Plan 2028 at EIU revolves around four interconnected themes: Achieve, Engage, Create, and Resource. This comprehensive approach encompasses 14 strategic initiatives identified by the campus community, supported by 35 target activities that will be evaluated annually using designated performance metrics or key performance indicators. Each theme of Plan 2028 will be overseen by dedicated "Champions" and responsible lead offices or divisions.
To ensure continuous progress, Theme Champions and members of the implementation teams for each theme will convene at least once a year. During these meetings, they will assess overall performance, review and revise goals, and present a summary of the strategic plan's progress in a public town hall. The valuable feedback obtained from these annual updates will provide Plan 2028 with the necessary flexibility to be revised and updated as required to remain effective and relevant.
The Taskforce
OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Thursday 11am - noon JOU 2950 - Introduction to Visual Communication JOU 3001 - Photojournalism 1 JOU 3940 - History of American Journalism JOU 4401 - Portfolio Greg A. Cooper is an assistant professor of photojournalism in the School of Communication and Journalism at Eastern Illinois University. Cooper, a native of Ojai, Calif., graduated in May 1996 from Western Kentucky University with a double major in photojournalism and anthropology. While there, he served three internships in Jackson, Mich., Columbus, Ohio, and Ventura, Calif. Prior to his experience with Western Kentucky, Cooper was hooked by photojournalism in 1988 while attending classes at Ventura College. In junior college, Cooper worked as a staff photographer at the Ojai Valley News in his hometown, Ojai, Calif. After leaving Western Kentucky, he returned to Southern California as a photography intern for the Ventura County Star. Cooper was hired as a staff photographer and then worked his way up to the position of assistant picture editor. In 2000, Cooper left the Star to become Sunday picture editor for the Columbus (OH) Dispatch. After three years at the Dispatch, he returned to his native Ventura County, this time to pursue his Master’s Degree in Photography at Brooks Institute of Photography. He graduated in December of 2004. His 13-year tenure as faculty in the Visual Journalism program at Brooks ended when the school closed in August 2016. While studying at Brooks, Cooper did his Master’s thesis on the future of digital photography at newspapers --“Still Photography at Newspapers: Its Uncertain Future as a Medium.” Most recently, Cooper has been growing his skills with video and Web design. A graduate of the Platypus Workshop and Apple certified in Final Cut Pro 7, Greg Cooper continues to tell stories with various mediums, including the iPhone. In 2010, Cooper was the education fellow at The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn. Cooper lives in Charleston, Illinois, with his wife Cláudia and their dog Biskit.
INTRODUCTION
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If you have questions about EIU’s Strategic Planning process, or wish to learn more, please email Josh Reinhart, Public Information Coordinator, at jdreinhart@eiu.edu.