Following unanimous approval by the Board of Governors on Jan. 28, Wayne State University has launched its 2022-2027 strategic plan, “Our Moment in Time.” Read the full plan online.

The plan will serve as a guide for Wayne State’s future initiatives and build on the progress and growth achieved under the 2016-21 plan, “Distinctively Wayne State.” The campus community is invited to learn more about the plan’s key points and ask questions during a virtual town hall event on Tuesday, Feb. 8 from 2 to 3 p.m., hosted by President M. Roy Wilson, Board of Governors Chair Marilyn Kelly and the Strategic Plan Steering Committee co-chairs.

“Wayne State has grown as a community, and our accomplishments in the last five years are impressive. Together, we made significant improvements to our graduation rates, enrolled the university’s largest first-year classes, exceeded our fundraising goals, and so much more,” said Wilson. “I am confident that the vision and goals outlined in our new strategic plan will empower us all to carry that same passion and momentum into the next five years and beyond.”

The adoption of the new strategic plan comes at a time when Wayne State, and the world, is reflecting on lessons learned from the pandemic that will serve as opportunities to improve.

“The pandemic tested, but did not break, Wayne State University,” said Kelly, who served on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. “We came together as a community to first protect our people and serve our mission, but we also took the opportunity to adapt and grow, and we’ve made incredible progress in moving our university forward. Together, we are stronger than ever. The launch of our new strategic plan gives us further opportunity to refocus our efforts based on where we’ve been, what we’ve learned and where we want to be in the future.” 

Developed over 10 months, with collaborative input from across the university, “Our Moment in Time” outlines goals for the university around research and discovery; teaching, learning and student success; outreach and engagement; diversity, equity and inclusion; and financial sustainability and operational excellence.

In keeping with the heart of everything Wayne State is built upon and its rich history, student success and our positive and impactful engagement with the city and surrounding community remain key to the university’s future. The strategic plan places continued emphasis on academic excellence, research that tackles real-world problems in our backyard and around the world, the development of an educated workforce for our state, and building interdisciplinary bridges among our programs, scholarship and faculty.

Further, the new strategic plan places emphasis on Wayne State’s role as a national leader in social mobility and providing equitable access to higher education. The university will continue its work in helping students — at all stages of life, and from all backgrounds  — prepare for meaningful careers that will contribute to the talented workforce that fuels the economy in Detroit and throughout Michigan.

“Student success is the responsibility of everyone one of us, and I am confident that our world-class faculty and staff will continue their tireless work to ensure that we evolve to meet their changing and diverse needs,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Kornbluh. “If we can support every student along their path to graduation, our students will leave Wayne State prepared for further success and ready to make an impact.”

In the next five years and beyond, the university will also work to integrate our business engagement activities, and explore opportunities to work with the city, state and employers to provide lifelong educational advancement opportunities.

Finally, diversity, equity and inclusion will be carried forward as driving forces for Wayne State University. As Michigan’s most diverse campus, the university will continue to leverage the strength of our diversity to further foster a culture in which everyone feels valued and respected, while working to improve representation among faculty and staff, and ensuring diverse voices are represented in curricula

Key priorities in “Our Moment in Time” include: 

• Increase undergraduate, masters, professional and certificate enrollments, with an overall enrollment goal of 28,000
• Launch a campus-wide initiative to recruit, support and further educational attainment of people with partial college educations
• Increase overall six-year graduation rate to 60%
• Increase historically marginalized student six-year graduation rate to 50%
• Launch the university’s next comprehensive fundraising campaign
• Advance in rankings for overall research expenditures
• Expand the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement to include campus development of spaces and initiatives that support the wide diversity of races, cultures, creeds and orientations
• Develop new facilities to support leading-edge health sciences education and research

The 2022-2027 Strategic Plan Steering Committee was co-chaired by Provost Mark Kornbluh, Chief Wellness Officer and Dean of the College of Nursing Laurie Lauzon Clabo, Vice President for Research Steve Lanier, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Business Operations David Massaron, and Vice President for Marketing and Communications and Chief of Staff Michael Wright. Board of Governors Chair Marilyn Kelly represented the Board on the committee, which was also supported by MGT Consulting, a consultancy with expertise in higher education strategic planning.

RSVP for the Strategic Plan town hall on Feb. 8 here.

More information about the Strategic Plan, including the full plan, can be found on the president’s website.