UW-La Crosse Strategic Plan
2025-2030 Strategic Plan: Guiding Principles
For over a century, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has served as a pillar of its community, continually evolving to meet challenges and embracing change. As we look ahead, we seek to define our identity and set aspirational goals by asking: What will UWL be in the next 5, 10, or 50 years?
The 2025-2030 Strategic Plan builds upon the foundation of past initiatives, honoring the university’s rich history while ensuring both short- and long-term institutional success.
The following guiding principles will shape our path forward, ensuring that UWL remains a dynamic, forward-thinking institution dedicated to excellence and innovation.
This plan is guided by the following core principles:
- Community Engagement – A successful strategic plan must reflect the voices of the entire UWL community and be shaped by those it serves.
- Transparency – The planning process will be open and accessible, ensuring clarity and trust among all stakeholders.
- Accountability – Decisions and actions will be grounded in a thorough, objective, and measurable process to uphold institutional integrity and effectiveness.
Phase 1: Assess the Landscape (January-March 2025)
Task A: Onboard Strategic Planning Team (January-February 2025)
Begin Date: January 2025
Deadline for Completion: February 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee Co-Chairs - Whitney George & Stacy Twite
Status: Completed
Completed Action Items:
- The Executive Committee Members were selected in January 2025.
- Whitney George (Co-Chair)
- Stacy Twite (Co-Chair)
- Kim Schliebe
- Andrew Scott
- Nevin Heard
- Troy Richter
- Enilda Delgado
- Lisa Walker
- Executive Committee meets biweekly during Spring 2025.
- An initial Executive Committee meeting was held on January 30, 2025.
- The Executive Committee Members were assigned leadership roles on February 13, 2025.
- Project Plan Leads: Kim Schliebe & Andrew Scott
- Engagement Lead: Nevin Heard
- Budget & Resource Lead: Troy Richter & Stacy Twite (Co-Chair)
- Historical Data Lead: Enilda Delgado
- Communication & Transparency Lead: Kim Schliebe & Lisa Walker
- Instrument Development Lead: Lisa Walker & Whitney George (Co-Chair)
- The Executive Committee established an internal communication plan, utilizing Microsoft Teams.
- Executive Team Charter was finalized in February 2025.
- Finalized Budget Allocation in April 2025.
Task B: Assess Institutional Context (January-March 2025)
Begin Date: January 2025
Deadline for Completion: March 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee Co-Chairs - Whitney George & Stacy Twite
Status: Completed
Completed Action Items:
- The Executive Committee reviewed & discussed Prior UWL Strategic Plans in February 2025.
- The Executive Committee reviewed & discussed the UW System Strategic Plan in February 2025.
- The Executive Committee reviewed & discussed Strategic Plans from other UW System Institutions in February 2025.
- The Executive Committee reviewed and discussed the general process and expectations for the 2025-2030 strategic planning process in February 2025.
Task C: Analyze Stakeholder Groups (February-March 2025)
Begin Date: January 2025
Deadline for Completion: March 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee Co-Chairs - Whitney George & Stacy Twite
Status: Completed
Completed Action Items:
- The Executive Committee began analyzing stakeholder groups in February and their inclusion in the strategic planning process.
- A draft of a stakeholder groups was created and named Strategic Plan Engagement Committee (SPEC). The purpose of this group is to act as liaisons between the Executive Committee and their respective governance groups.
- A survey was sent out to campus constitutions, allowing them to self-nominate or nominate someone else to serve on SPEC. This survey was reviewed by the Executive Committee by March 4, the survey will be sent our to campus by March 4, with responses due by March 11.
- The Executive Committee reviewed nominees for SPEC on March 13 with notifications sent out March 25, 2025.
- The SPEC Members consist of the following:
- Stacy Twite, Chief of Staff, co-chair of Executive Committee
- Whitney George, Interim Assistant Dean of College of Science and Health, co-chair of Executive Committee
- Andrew Scott, Teaching Associate Professor, College of Business Administration, Executive Committee
- Nevin J. Heard, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Executive Committee
- Troy Richter, Director of Parking Services, Executive Committee
- Lisa Walker, Associate Director of Residential Life, Executive Committee
- Kim Schliebe, Administrative Assistant II in Custodial Services, Executive Committee
- Enilda Delgado, Professor, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, Executive Committee
- Sandy Grunwald, Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
- Alexa Fleegal, Student, College of Science and Health, Student Senate representative,
- Josh Hertel, Professor, College of Science and Health, Faculty Senate representative
- Willem Vanrooseenbeek, Student Affairs Director, Academic Staff Council representative
- Bill Klein, Custodian, University Staff Council representative,
- Kim Blum, Athletics Director
- Meredith Thomsen, Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning
- Lauren Wanders, Annual Giving Coordinator, University Advancement
- Heather Linville, Professor, School of Education
- Adeline Hendrix, Student, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Yia Vue, Student, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Michael Bills, Student, College of Business Administration
- Sasha Forbes, Student, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Lloyd McKinney, Locksmith, Facilities Planning & Management
- Garrett Soper, Institute Policy Analyst 1, Institutional Research
- Elizabeth Crosby, Associate Professor, College of Business Administration
- Bixi Qiao, Assistant Professor, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Eduardo Rodriguez, Teaching Associate Professor, College of Business Administration
- Co-chairs Stacy Twite and Whitney George met with the Director of Community Engagement to discuss community member stakeholders.
- Co-chairs Stacy Twite and Whitney George met with Vice Chancellor of University Advancement to discuss stakeholders.
Phase 2: Planning Roadmap (February-May 2025)
Task A: Design Planning Process (February-March 2025)
Begin Date: February 2025
Deadline for Completion: March 2025
Responsible Parties: Project Plan Leads - Kim Schliebe & Andrew Scott
Status: Completed
Completed Action Items:
- Created Project Plan Draft and shared with Executive Committee in February 2025.
- Finalized Project Plan by early March 2025.
Task B: Create a Communication Plan (March 2025)
Begin Date: February 2025
Deadline for Completion: March 2025
Responsible Parties: Communication & Transparency Leads - Kim Schliebe Lisa Walker
Status: Completed
Completed Action Items:
- Co-chair Stacy Twite met with UComm to establish a Communication Plan for the strategic plan process.
- Co-chair Whitney George met with UComm to update UWL website for its Strategic Plan.
- UComm to sent out a campus-wide email announcing the Strategic Plan website and interest form in roundtable sessions in April 2025.
Task C: Internal Analysis - Constituent Engagement (April 2025)
Begin Date: March 2025
Deadline for Completion: May 2025
Responsible Parties: Engagement Lead(s) - Nevin Heard
Status: In Process
Completed Action Items:
- The Engagement Lead(s) created an initial draft of inquiries/questions for engagement sessions with various stakeholder groups.
- The Executive Committee scheduled 9 roundtable sessions:
- Wednesday, April 9, 9-11a
- Thursday, April 10, 9-11a
- Tuesday, April 15, 4-6p
- Wednesday, April 16 6-8p
- Wednesday, April 23 1-3p
- Monday, May 12, 9-11a
- Monday, May 12, 1-3p
- Monday, May 12, 4-6p
- Thursday, May 15, 9-11a
Remaining Action Items:
- Review feedback from Engagement Sessions in May/June 2025.
- Draft an ‘Internal Analysis’ Report and present it to the Executive Committee.
Task D: External Landscape Analysis (April-May 2025)
Begin Date: April 2025
Deadline for Completion: May 2025
Responsible Parties: Andrew Scott
Status: In Process
Completed Action Items:
- No completed action items yet.
Remaining Actions Items:
- Identify and analyze ‘competitors.’
- Identify and analyze ‘aspirants.’
- Review trends in the higher education industry.
- Review trends in higher education strategic planning.
- Identify any data needed from Institutional Research Assessment & Planning (IRAP)
- Create an ‘External Analysis’ Report and present it to the Executive Committee
Phase 3: Create Plan (June-November 2025)
Task A: Review Mission, Vision, & Values (June 2025)
Begin Date: June 2025
Deadline for Completion: June 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No completed items yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Review information from internal analysis (engagement sessions) and external analysis.
- Review the Mission, Vision, & Values to ensure they are still applicable.
Task B: Establish Pillars / Major Strategic Priorities (June 2025)
Begin Date: June 2025
Deadline for Completion: June 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No completed items yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Review information from internal analysis (engagement sessions) and external analysis.
- Develop strategic plan Pillars (major strategic priorities) by June 2025.
Task C: Establish Measurable Goals for each Pillar (June 2025)
Begin Date: June 2025
Deadline for Completion: June 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No completed items yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Using Pillars, develop goals related to each Pillars by June 2025
Task D: Develop Tactics to Support Measurable Goals (July 2025)
Begin Date: July 2025
Deadline for Completion: July 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No completed items yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Using Goals as a guide, develop specific tactics by July 2025
Task E: Write the Initial Draft of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan (July-August 2025
Begin Date: July 2025
Deadline for Completion: August 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No completed items yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Assemble all of these elements into one cohesive plan.
- Strategic Planning Charge
- Project Plan
- Internal Analysis / Stakeholder Engagement
- External Analysis
- Proposed Pillars, Goals, and Tactics
- Vague Implementation Plan
- Vague Evaluation/Monitoring Plan
Task F: Seek Feedback and Approval from Stakeholders (September-October 2025)
Begin Date: September 2025
Deadline for Completion: October 2025
Responsible Parties: Engagement Lead(s) – Nevin Heard
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No items completed yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Seek feedback from stakeholder groups once everyone returns for the 2025-26 academic year, in September 2025.
- Schedule Feedback sessions
- Book Rooms
- Coordinate A/V for recording
- Send Invitations to stakeholders
- Assign Executive Team Leaders to cover the sessions
- Assign Feedback Session Leaders/emcees, notetakers, etc…
- Gather information during sessions
- Review information from Feedback Sessions in October 2025.
Task G: Finalize & Present Plan (November 2025)
Begin Date: November 2025
Deadline for Completion: November 2025
Responsible Parties: Executive Committee
Status: Not Started
Completed Action Items:
- No items completed yet.
Remaining Action Items:
- Review Feedback from stakeholder groups
- Revise the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan Draft
- Present the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan to the Cabinet
Phase 4: Implement Plan (December 2025)
Task A: Develop Implementation Plan
Task B: Resource Allocation
Task C: Prepare for Implementation
Task D: Implement the Plan
Phase 5: Evaluate Outcomes (2026-2030)
