A Plan for Central Connecticut State University

Introduction
The development of the Strategic Plan for Central Connecticut State University and the elements of its distinctive identity began in 2005, with my arrival as CCSU’s 12th President. The first iteration of the plan—following three years of wide-ranging discussions, meetings, campus-wide presentations and with the understanding that a useful strategic plan will evolve as needs and circumstances change—was endorsed by the Faculty Senate, the University Planning and Budget Committee, the Executive Committee, the Council of Deans, and the Student Government Association in 2008.

This edition of the plan records, on the one hand, our ensuing progress in meeting, and in some cases, exceeding, the goals we have established. It also marks out areas and initiatives that will require our sustained attention and effort to ensure continued progress in meeting our aspirations. Overall, the plan represents for the members of our community our commitment to work together to achieve those aspirations. But more than that, it also records our mutual commitment to our students, present and future, to offer an affordable university education of exceptional quality. As I remarked when I came to CCSU, “Students first!”
President Jack Miller

The Strategic Plan is based on the University's statement of mission and vision and four distinctive elements of CCSU's identity. The Plan comprises seven broadly defined goals and an extensive series of objectives aimed at realizing those goals and advancing the University.

Elements of Distinctiveness
CCSU identifies the following as distinctive elements within the Connecticut State University system of four constituent universities:

· International Education
· Workforce and State Economic Development
· Community Engagement
· Interdisciplinary Studies and Cross-Curricular Initiatives

Goals: The Strategic Plan designates seven broadly defined goals:

Objectives: To situate the Strategic Plan within a context and to monitor progress, the plan identifies the following elements common to all the Plan's goals and objectives:

1.	Promote student learning
2.	Increase persistence, satisfaction and success rates for students
3.	Prepare students for productive lives as professionals and citizens and support economic development
4.	Enhance and sustain faculty and staff satisfaction and success
5.	Promote global awareness and respect for diversity
6.	Gain financial support necessary for a highly regarded public university
7.	Initiate and sustain environmentally sound capital projects

1.	New objectives and those derived from previous strategic plans
2.	Executive Committee member(s) responsible for progress
3.	Instrument(s) for gauging progress on each goal
4.	Baseline or starting point for assessment
5.	Goal to be attained
6.	Progress
7.	Enabling activities for accomplishing objectives

The president's Report Card on the progress toward the goals of the strategic plan can be downloaded by clicking here (pdf).