Higher Values in Higher Education
A Strategic Plan for the Future of Western Illinois University

Strategic Plan Highlights
Our Vision
Western Illinois University will be the leading comprehensive university in the United States.
Our Mission
Western Illinois University, a community of individuals dedicated to learning, will have a profound and positive impact on our changing world through the unique interaction of instruction, research, and public service as we educate and prepare a diverse student population to thrive in and contribute to our global society.
Our Values
- Academic Excellence
- Central to our history and tradition is the commitment to teaching, to the individual learner, and to active involvement in the teaching-learning process. Western Illinois University's highly qualified, diverse faculty promotes critical thinking, engaged learning, research, and creativity in a challenging, supportive learning community. We are committed to an academic environment that encourages lifelong development as learners, scholars, teachers, and mentors.
- Educational Opportunity
- Western Illinois University values educational opportunity and welcomes those who show promise and a willingness to work toward achieving shared educational goals. We are committed to providing accessible, high quality educational programs, and financial support for our students.
- Personal Growth
- Because Western Illinois University values the development of the whole person, we are committed to providing opportunities for personal growth in an environment that supports the development of wellness, ethical decision making, and personal responsibility.
- Social Responsibility
- Western Illinois University is committed to equity, social justice, and diversity and will maintain the highest standards of integrity in our work with others. We will serve as a resource for and stimulus to economic, educational, cultural, environmental, and community development in our region and well beyond it.
Translating Our Values into Action
Students
Western Illinois University will educate students intellectually as individuals within their chosen fields and socially as citizens of the global society and as graduates responsible to their communities.
- We will achieve optimum enrollment by developing a university-wide plan for recruitment that attracts a well-qualified, high achieving, diverse student body.
- We will provide support services to encourage student success and increase retention and graduation rates.
- We will create a campus environment that supports a wide range of student interests and provides opportunities for leadership development and personal growth.
- We will achieve excellence in undergraduate and graduate programs.
- We will respond to student concerns with a culture of responsiveness.
Personnel
Central to the success of any university is the community of scholars, educators, and learners. Because we believe that academic excellence, educational opportunity, social responsibility, and personal growth begin with the commitment of an exceptional and dedicated faculty and staff, we will compete for and contribute to the ongoing development of our most valuable resource.
- We will attract, recruit, retain, and develop an excellent faculty representative of the diverse and global society.
- We will develop and foster a superior staff and administration that is responsive, effective, and efficient in supporting the institution's missions, values, and objectives.
Public Service
Western Illinois University will reach out to the region, the state of Illinois, and beyond by serving as a vital economic, educational, cultural, and social resource.
Teaching and Instruction
Embedded in the University's history is a primary commitment to teaching and instruction. Curricular innovation and instructional excellence will remain the central commitment of Western Illinois University.
- We will assist our faculty members in making a career-long commitments to high quality teaching.
- We will integrate global and cross-cultural education throughout the curriculum and expand opportunities for travel, study abroad, and other international experiences.
- We will increase opportunities for students to participate in undergraduate research.
Research and Scholarly/Creative Activities
Because we value academic excellence and personal growth of all members of the Western Illinois University community, we will encourage and support research, scholarly, creative activities, and performing arts that strengthen the academic experience and expand the appreciation of the liberal arts.
- We will encourage and support research and scholarly/creative activities.
- We will expand the visiting scholars/artists program.
Physical Environment
The Western Illinois University campus is a place where lifelong relationships are established, ideas are tested, and learning is inspired. A beautiful, safe, and accessible campus is indispensable in the building of a common sense of place and enthusiasm for learning. We will establish a comprehensive plan to improve and expand our university facilities keeping mindful of our responsibility to environmental sustainability and campus safety.
- We will expand and improve facilities to meet the needs of University constituencies and reflect the core values of the University.
- We will improve the University's commitment to environmental sustainability.
University Partners
Because the educational experience gives rise to the professional endeavors and personal choices our graduates will make throughout their lives, Western Illinois University will actively seek the involvement and support of our graduates and other University partners.
- We will identify additional ways to maintain alumni involvement and increase their commitment to and partnership with the University community.
- We will further cultivate positive relationships between our campuses and host communities.
University Information and Technology
While we cannot predict the dynamic nature of technology, we know that access to information and communication will continue to be expected and expanded. We will stay abreast of emerging technologies to ensure that our community is offered appropriate resources for learning and working. Technology will be used to enhance the educational experience and the human interaction that brings synergy to learning and personal growth.
- We will acquire, process, make accessible, and interpret information resources.
- We will develop and implement a strategic plan that coordinates the efficient acquisition, utilization, and application of technology.
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