These pages contain archived information about the University of Iowa Strategic Plan for 2016 to 2021.
Strategies
Critical Tasks

Create a more inclusive campus culture.

  • Recruit and retain a more diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
  • Increase opportunities that advance student, faculty, and staff understanding of diversity.
  • Design curricula that emphasize diverse contexts and the value of global citizenship.
  • Maximize effectiveness of programs that support first-generation, international, underrepresented, and nontraditional students.
  • Invest in cultural centers and identity specific spaces to foster effective social, academic, and service opportunities.

Prepare students to be experts in their disciplines and leaders in their fields.  (Aligned with BOR SP Objectives 1.1, 1.3, 2.4)

  • Invest in high-impact practices (HIPs) that promote critical thinking, problem solving, discipline-based knowledge, analysis, creativity, synthesis, and perspective taking.
  • Ensure that all undergraduate students can articulate their leadership competencies by the time they graduate. 
  • Embed more career-readiness, alumni engagement and mentoring, and capstone courses within majors.
  • Promote academic and co-curricular experiences that develop citizenship, including responsibilities to society and to the environment.

Optimize campus environments to support holistic student success.  (Aligned with BOR SP Objectives 1.1, 1.2, 2.4, 3.2)

  • Create technological tools and cohesive four-year success messages that empower students to chart their own course along pathways to success.
  • Increase course-linked academic support and encourage course redesign for high failure rate and gateway courses.
  • Ensure that critical academic spaces such as classrooms, libraries, and help centers are optimized for 21st century learning.
  • Invest in pedagogical development for instructors at all levels, and for both in-classroom and online delivery modes.
  • Maximize efforts to reduce non-tuition financial burdens through affordable and accessible on-campus student housing, meal plans, and course materials.
  • Expand the campus-wide mental health support network for students. 
  • Increase the number of UI faculty & staff working with at-risk first-year students.

Invest in graduate and professional student support.  (Aligned with BOR SP Objective 1.2)

  • Expand flexible models of sustained student funding for research, teaching, and professional development.
  • Ensure that graduate and professional students interested in academic careers have sufficient competence in grant writing, teaching, and publishing or artistic production to be competitive.
  • Minimize barriers to enrollment in interdisciplinary, cross-listed courses.

Become a Research I institution of choice for undergraduate students aspiring to pursue graduate or professional education.  (Aligned with BOR SP Objectives 1.1, 1.3)

  • Capitalize on the rich synergies of UIHC, the health sciences, and the professional schools to provide an extraordinary student experience.
  • Expand undergraduate research programs and faculty-student mentoring in health science and professional colleges.
  • Promote undergraduate-to-graduate/professional programs.