2023-2027 Strategic Plan

UWRF challenges the students and employees of our vibrant academic community to bring their best to every opportunity. We provide rigorous liberal arts and graduate learning experiences and fulfilling work environments that build trust, empower participation, and offer compassionate support. Our faculty, staff, leadership and alumni stand for the education, health, and wellbeing of all, and live the values we seek to instill in UWRF students. Together, we help them build skills—like critical and creative thinking, inquiry and analysis, clear and fluent written and oral communication, effective teamwork, and ethical consideration and judgment—that can ensure success in a complex, diverse, and rapidly changing world.

1. Success in Achieving the Degree

a. Increase 1st year to 2nd year retention to 80%.

b. Maintain or increase current semester to semester persistence rates.

c. Increase the 6-year graduation rate to 60%.

Data Source(s): Institutional Research; Division of Student Success

2. Improved Post Graduation Personal and Professional Satisfaction

a. Establish baseline and increase opportunities for students to be involved in leadership and career development opportunities.

b. Develop improved process for maintaining communication with alumni.

c. Help students realize the value of liberal education in preparing them to be active in civic engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

d. Maintain or increase student satisfaction related to career preparation provided by their UWRF degree

Data Source(s): Institutional Research (a), University Alumni Association, Career Services (b,c,d)

3. Increased Employee Support (Including Student Employees)

a. Establish baseline and measure a meaningful increase in job satisfaction.

b. Increased programming support for health and wellbeing.

c. Increase percentage of employees receiving professional development training.

Data Source(s): Institutional Research (a), Health and Counseling (b), Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Associate Provost’s Office, University Staff Senate (c)

UWRF is building a sense of belonging for all our students and employees. We’re fostering an engaging, accessible, and equitable environment where people who may have different identities, views, and backgrounds can productively interact. With high-impact practices and programs like first-year and URSCA (Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity) opportunities, peer mentoring, learning communities, internships, global education and study abroad, we’re providing dynamic educational experiences that strengthen student retention, instill career competencies, and power lifelong success.

1. Create a More Diverse Campus with Improved Retention Rates of Students and Employees

a. Increase to 15% the percentage of underrepresented students.

b. Increase to 15% the percentage of underrepresented faculty and staff.

c. Remove equity gaps in six-year graduation rates between underrepresented students and majority groups.

Data Source(s): Institutional Research; Division of Student Success

2. Establish a Process for Completing Ongoing Campus Culture Surveys and Intercultural Growth Opportunities and Address Shortcomings

a. Establish baseline and understand current challenges that lead to improved level of satisfaction of campus culture for students and employees.

b. Establish baseline and increase attendance at training workshops and forums focused on intercultural growth, support, and belonging.

c. Identify and fund recruitment and marketing opportunities to increase diversity of faculty, staff, and students.

Data Source(s): Institutional Research (a), Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, DIB (b), Human Resources, University Communication and Marketing (c)

3. Provide Greater Opportunity and Access to High Impact Practices (HIPs)

a. Establish baseline and identify key HIPs for further investment and growth.

b. Identify additional funding sources to support HIPs access for all students

c. Remove equity gap in HIPs participation.

Data Source(s): Provost Office, Division of Student Success

4. Fulfill our Land Acknowledgement Commitment to Indigenous Nations of our Region

a. Provide opportunities to grow cultural competency of indigenous cultures and history

b. Host at least two campus-wide education events annually that address indigenous peoples' issues and concerns.

c. Establish a baseline of attendance at events addressing current indigenous issues and increase attendance from each college each year.

d. Establish at least one ongoing and active partnership with an indigenous nation of the area that provides support for ongoing needs they identify.

Data Source(s): Provost Office, Division of Student Success

UWRF is working to create a healthier and more equitable future by embracing sustainability and accountability today. We’re meeting the local and global needs of future generations through creativity, research, entrepreneurship and with new, interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems. By reducing our environmental impact and expanding public and private strategic partnerships that invest in best practices for economic, ecological, and social sustainability, our community is making lasting changes that make the world a better place.

1. Develop More Curricular and Co-Curricular Opportunities Centered on Sustainability

a. Increase the number of academic programs with a sustainability component.

b. Increase student/staff participation in sustainability-focused programs and workshops.

c. Increase the number of co-curricular learning opportunities for sustainability across UWRF programs.

Data Source(s): Associate Provost’s Office (a), Sustainability Working Group (b,c)

2. Protect and Maintain Campus Ecology While Increasing Commitment to Preserving the Environment

a. Decrease campus overall environmental impact as detailed in sustainability plan.

b. Identify and improve STARS rating indicators for UWRF.

c. Develop at least one new sustainability-based initiative per year through campus/community partnerships.

Data Source(s): Sustainability Working Group, STARS report (a,b), University Communication and Marketing, Advancement, Provost’s Office (c)

3. Increase Awareness of the Impacts of Social Disparities on Environmental Resource Access

a. Increase curricular programming on campus to address socioeconomic inequities per the Academic Plan.

b. Establish baseline and provide support for additional opportunities for students and employees to engage in projects that address environmental resource inequities.

Data Source(s): Registrar, Institutional Research, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Sustainability Working Group, Provost’s Office

UWRF leads the way in enrollment, retention, and financial management to keep our institution stable and thriving. We champion our community and funding for public higher ed, telling powerful stories about UWRF’s impact that help forge transformative partnerships with employers, alumni, agencies, and others. Those strong ties provide support and financial contributions that fuel continual improvements to our campus, programs, and educational experiences.

1. Increase and Stabilize New Enrollments for Growth in Net Revenue While Investing Resources Where Needed in Support of this Effort

a. Increase by 30% the number of first-time first-year students.

b. Increase by 50% the number of transfer students.

c. Increase by 50% the number of new graduate students.

Data Source(s): Institutional Research

2. Increased Public Awareness of Campus-Wide Achievements at UWRF that have an Impact on Our Region

a. Increase the media impact of UWRF by increasing published media reports.

b. Increase the number of alumni and success stories published by UWRF.

c. Maintain a focus on advocacy for enhanced support for UWRF from local, state and federal sources.

Data Source(s): University Communication and Marketing

3. Increased Understanding of Workforce Needs and Opportunities for Students

a. Determine alumni perception of their contribution to the Wisconsin Idea

b. Increase the number of partnerships with public and private organizations that provide support to campus for ongoing and new programming.

Data Source(s): Career Services (a), Provosts Office (b)