Student Life Strategic Plan

Two Crimson Conversations were held for Student Life staff where staff feedback was collected and questions were answered. The feedback we gathered through small group work will help further guide the process.

Our Strategic Planning Committee convened and introduced sub-committees. The sub-committees began developing questions, outlining data and the role data will play in this process, and identifying role descriptors.

Through thorough data collection related to key areas of the Office of Student Life mission, vision, and values, the Strategic Planning Committee developed core questions for student, faculty, and staff feedback. The committee met and shared updates from sub-committee work that has begun. Sub-committees are currently looking at all three pillars of the Office of Student Life to hone their work and tailor it toward the targeted outreach that is upcoming with specific stakeholders. The core questions will be presented in upcoming listening sessions in January and February, in-person and online. The committee will also be going to key partners to collect additional perspectives.

The Office of Student Life made significant strides in its strategic planning efforts by engaging key stakeholders in meaningful discussions. We hosted two focus groups that featured representatives from across the entire Student Life portfolio and student organization leaders to gather insights on priorities and opportunities for growth. Following these sessions, the committee carefully reviewed focus group notes, began analyzing the data, and identified emerging themes and potential strategic outcomes. To ensure a well-rounded understanding, the committee also distributed post-focus group surveys, allowing participants to provide additional feedback. These efforts set a strong foundation for shaping a strategic plan that reflects the needs and aspirations of our campus community.

The focus this month was on continuing to seek broadening stakeholder input and refining our data analysis. The committee was invited to speak to the Parent Advisory Board and hosted a dedicated focus group with them, incorporating the perspectives of families who play a critical role in student success. Notes from this session were reviewed alongside data from the previous focus groups to identify recurring themes and align key insights.

Throughout the month of March, the Strategic Planning Committee co-chairs engaged with colleagues from peer institutions to exchange insights and best practices for developing and implementing effective strategic plans. These conversations provided valuable perspectives to inform the planning process. On campus, data from the Parent Advisory Board focus group was analyzed to identify key themes that would help shape strategic priorities. In preparation for the upcoming strategic planning retreat, committee members began the process of identifying core goals, and assessed which stakeholder voices had yet to be included in the process This led to the identification of additional groups to engage in future focus groups and an updated timeline being introduced. A focus group session was conducted with leadership of the Bloomington Faculty Council, which offered meaningful input to the Office of Student Life's priorities from the faculty perspective. Additionally, committee members reviewed and refined the focus group questions to ensure they were aligned with the goal of eliciting thoughtful, actionable feedback.

The Committee has been hard at work taking the broad mission-based statements and operationalizing them into priorities and measurable objectives. This process has incorporated the invaluable feedback from the in-person check-ins with staff, and the staff and student survey, to identify the work that will be the most important to the Office of Student Life for the next five years and to fine-tune how we talk about our goals. The Committee has been working closely with the OSL Marketing team.