A Strategic Plan for the University of Wyoming
We are pleased and excited to present the 2023+ Strategic Plan for the University
of Wyoming: Honoring our Heritage and Creating our Future. This plan celebrates and
embraces the proud traditions and culture of the Equality State, and it builds on
the amazing institution that is the University of Wyoming, which is truly Wyoming’s
University. The plan aims to strengthen the foundations of our community that UW has
built over its 136-year history. At the same time, it lays out a roadmap for UW’s
future, setting specific goals and targets that we as a community will pursue with
great determination. While the plan is ambitious, it is also achievable and will result
in UW having more impact on our state and region, with strengthened programs and new
offerings that will attract and prepare more students for the future than ever before.
And we are already working hard to make this happen. One theme that came through loud
and clear in the 200+ listening sessions conducted during the strategic planning process
was the need to solidify the foundations that already make UW the special place that
it is. You will find dozens of initiatives in the strategic plan and accompanying
implementation plan that will make our university stronger than ever.
Above all, you will find a commitment — and specific goals — to strengthen UW in five
critical areas: » Enhance Student Success » Pursue Institutional Excellence » Provide
a Supportive Community » Engage with and Serve the State of Wyoming » Cultivate Financial
Stability and Diversification You will also find clear directions that UW is taking
to define our future. Like all higher education institutions, UW faces 21st-century
challenges requiring us to become more digital, interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial,
and inclusive. These fundamental aspirations are deeply embedded in our plan; by continuing
to move in these directions we will bring our entire community together to address
the complex problems facing our state and nation as we prepare our students for life
and careers in a rapidly changing world. The journey we have charted includes programs
that will help move us towards Carnegie R1 status — the highest level of research
activity. R1 recognition will enhance our competitiveness for new revenues, providing
more opportunities for UW faculty and students to make an impact in our state and
beyond. Enhanced capacity to serve the citizens of Wyoming will also propel us toward
our goal of being recognized as a Carnegie Community Engaged university. All dimensions
of UW are included in the strategic plan, from arts and agriculture to science and
technology. From our new Neltje Center for Excellence in Creativity and the Arts,
to strengthened partnerships with community colleges on programs that advance the
state’s economy, we are proud to be on the paths described in this plan, and proud
to be members of our state community. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our
team and the hundreds of faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders across Wyoming
and beyond who provided constructive and thoughtful ideas that have culminated in
this plan. We can’t wait to see and share the results!
Ed Seidel, President
Kevin Carman, Provost and Executive Vice-President
Strategic Plan Documents:
More Information
Goal 1
Enhance Student Success
Integrate best practices in teaching and learning to produce skills required for life, work, citizenship, and adaptation to the needs of a changing world.
- Strategically grow enrollment
- Build a student-ready, student-focused enterprise
- Enhance graduate student support services
- In line with Wyoming’s post-secondary educational attainment goals, increase enrollment and engagement with all student populations including tribal, marginalized, and underserved students
- Increase global engagement
- Prepare students for life and adaptation to a changing and increasingly digital world
Goal 2
Pursue Institutional Excellence
Nurture a culture of diverse ideas and knowledge creation that promotes teaching, learning, community engagement, economic development, and world-class research.
- Raise UW’s scholarly capacity and profile nationally and internationally
- Value and reward all teaching, research, extension, engagement, innovation, inclusion, and service contributions to UW’s mission
- Celebrate and support free expression
- Strengthen relationships with UW’s external partners and stakeholders
Goal 3
Provide a Supportive Community
Foster a culture of community that values and cares for students, faculty, and staff.
- Build opportunity ladders for staff
- Develop initiatives to hire, reward, and retain excellent staff and faculty
- Invest in resources that enhance the health and well-being of the UW community
- Expand efforts of accountability, inclusion, and transparency
Goal 4
Engage with and Serve the State of Wyoming
Sustain and enhance our extensive service to and engagement with the State to improve the mental, physical and economic health of Wyoming and its residents.
- Invest in and leverage UW Extension and R&E Centers
- Grow health and wellbeing initiatives across the state
- Expand the impact of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership
- Support Wyoming’s economic and community development using the assets and expertise of all colleges and schools
- Enhance UW’s connections with and service to the people of Wyoming
- Grow educational opportunities for Wyoming
Goal 5
Cultivate Financial Stability/Diversification
Ensure the long-term vitality of UW through diversification and growth of revenue streams and effective application of resources, infrastructure, and processes.
- Strategically grow enrollment
- Audit business processes to ensure effectiveness
- Grow external funding for research and scholarship across all disciplines
- Leverage and grow corporate partnerships
- Enhance the partnership between UW and the UW Foundation
- Initiate planning for a comprehensive campaign
- Review UW budget model and program offerings
- Develop campus energy plan
- Refine UW positioning, brand strategy, and brand promise
