Strategic Priorities Working Group

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Between November 2014 and October 2015, the SPWG completed an intensive process, engaging over a thousand members of the university community to solicit feedback and input in developing a university-wide Action Plan addressing our four strategic priorities identified by President Gempesaw in his investiture address:

  • Ensure student success
  • Recruit, recognize, and retain the best faculty, staff, and administrators
  • Enhance our teaching and learning environment
  • Expand global and community partnerships

We thank you for your enthusiasm for this process and your willingness to contribute.  From your postings on our website and participation in our listening sessions, interviews, focus groups, and retreats we have developed a university-wide plan identifying four specific action steps associated with each strategic priority. 

After several months of gathering input from all corners of the university community, the SPWG distributed a first draft of the Strategic Priorities Action Plan in June.  The deans and unit leaders then began developing individual college- and division-specific unit plans, with the goal of converting the university-wide strategic priorities into measurable action steps and targets at the unit-level.  In the meantime, the SPWG held a series of retreats and meetings with the members of Board of Trustees, the President’s Advisory Council (PAC), and the Academic and Administrative Assembly (AAA) to further refine the the plan.  The revised Strategic Priorities Action Plan was unanimously adopted by the Board of Trustees during its October 2015 meeting.

The Strategic Priorities Action Plan, which can be downloaded here, reflects the broad-based and inclusive process through which it was developed.  At its heart is a commitment to shared ownership and shared responsibility that will promote academic excellence, advance our mission, and ensure student success.  The Strategic Priorities Action Plan is a living document designed to address university-level priorities and action steps.  We expect that most of the action steps will lead to measurable targets that will allow us to determine if we are successful in meeting our strategic priorities.  However, these university-level action steps must now be operationalized and implemented at the unit level. 

As you read the plan, we ask that you consider how best you can serve our students and support the strategic efforts of your unit and the university at large.  We also ask that you assist the academic and administrative leaders in developing specific action steps and targets.  By working together to translate priorities into action steps and measurable targets, we take shared ownership to make St. John’s an even better university than it is today.  We do so with a renewed commitment to ensuring student success and academic excellence within the context of our Catholic, Vincentian, Metropolitan, and Global mission.

Currently, the Strategic Priorities Review Team is evaluating our progress on each of the four strategic priorities. We look forward to translating our plan into action together with the entire St. John’s community.  Thank you.

Gina & Mike

Gina M. Florio, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Michael A. Simons, Dean & John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics, School of Law

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Co-Chairs

Gina Florio, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics

Michael Simons, Esq., Dean of the School of Law

Members

Mark Browne, Ph.D., Professor, School of Risk Management

Rev. Patrick Flanagan, C.M., Assistant Professor, Department of Theology

Deborah Greh, Ed.D., Professor, Division of Mass Communications

Denise Hopkins, Executive Director, Career Services

Robert Koehler, President, Student Government, Inc.

Yuxiang Liu, Ed.D., Director, Institutional Assessment

Joseph O’Connor, University Trustee and Alumnus

Joseph Oliva, Esq., Secretary of the University and General Counsel

Yvonne Pratt-Johnson, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Human Services and Counseling 

Jorge Rodriguez, Associate Vice President, Student Financial Services

Sharon See, Pharm.D., Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice

Ibi Yolas, Assistant Vice President, Design and Construction

External Facilitator/Staff Support

Sharon McDade, Ed.D.- Principal & Senior Executive Leadership and Search Consultant, Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc.

Carolyn Madaio, Assistant to the President

As I mentioned in my speech during the presidential investiture on October 24, 2014, I am announcing the formation of the Strategic Priorities Working Group (SPWG).  The following individuals have been appointed to serve as the members of this important working group:

Co-Chairs

  • Gina Florio, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics
  • Michael Simons, Esq., Dean of the School of Law

Members

  • Mark Browne, Ph.D., Professor, School of Risk Management
  • Rev. Patrick Flanagan, C.M., Assistant Professor, Department of Theology
  • Deborah Greh, Ed.D., Professor, Division of Mass Communications
  • Denise Hopkins, Executive Director, Career Services
  • Robert Koehler, President, Student Government, Inc.
  • Yuxiang Liu, Director, Institutional Assessment
  • Joseph O’Connor, University Trustee and Alumni
  • Joseph Oliva, Esq., Secretary of the University and General Counsel
  • Yvonne Pratt-Johnson, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Human Services and Counseling 
  • Jorge Rodriguez, Associate Vice President, Student Financial Services
  • Sharon See, Pharm.D., Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice
  • Ibi Yolas, Assistant Vice President, Design and Construction

External Facilitator/Staff Support

  • Sharon McDade, Ed.D., Principal  & Senior Executive Leadership and Search Consultant, Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc.
  • Carolyn Madaio, Assistant to the President

The SPWG will engage the entire University community and seek broad input in developing a shared framework that will guide and inspire our decisions over the next five years and beyond in order to advance St. John’s as a premier, national Catholic university.  The working group will recommend specific action plans to implement the four strategic priorities I gathered during my listening tour that University community members want us to focus on moving forward. The strategic priorities are as follows:

  • Ensure student success
  • Recognize and retain the best faculty, staff, and administrators
  • Enhance our teaching and learning environment
  • Expand community and global partnerships

I have asked the SPWG to identify for each strategic priority up to five action steps, with each action step identifying specific university units responsible for its implementation and the corresponding success metrics.

The SPWG will conduct several open sessions for the University community members in order to solicit comments and suggestions. In addition, a website has been established that will allow University community members to share written comments and where the SPWG will share updates throughout the process.  The working group has been charged to submit their report on or before April 30, 2015.  The report will be presented to the University Senate and serve as the foundation of the President’s Report that will be delivered to the Board of Trustees at the May 2015 meeting.  It will be discussed by key University leaders during the President’s Retreat in late May 2015.  It will also be incorporated into the Middle States Self-Study Report that is due for submission in mid-fall 2015. 

I ask for your support and cooperation in this critical and vital planning process for the implementation of these strategic priorities.  Please join me in thanking the members of the Strategic Priorities Working Group for their willingness to lead this effort.