2023-2028 UNI Strategic Plan
Create. Empower. Innovate.
Vision: We serve the public good through equitable and inclusive excellence in teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.
Mission: The University of Northern Iowa creates, empowers, and innovates to enrich Iowa and beyond.
Our Values
Academic Freedom: The freedom of inquiry and expression in teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.
Access: An inclusive educational environment that is supportive, equitable, and affordable.
Integrity: A commitment to accountability, responsibility, and the highest ethical standards are integrated into all university practices.
Collaboration: A commitment to work together to achieve our shared vision, mission and goals, and to develop and improve institutional policies, programs, and processes.
Community: A caring, safe, and diverse community characterized by appreciation, respect, and a sense of belonging.
Equity: The cultivation and nurturing of a diverse, just, and inclusive community, culture, and environment.
Empowerment: Active engagement in transformative, innovative and lifelong learning in service to the public good.
Excellence: A commitment to pursuing the highest levels of achievement in teaching and learning, scholarship and service.
Sustainability: A resilient community and campus that balances innovation and stewardship, is economically sound, environmentally responsible, and socially just.
Goal 1: Create Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Opportunities.
Create an equitable and inclusive living, learning, and working environment for all.
Strategy 1.1: Increase diversity among faculty, staff, and learners by addressing barriers that lead to disparities in access and success.
Strategy 1.2: Improve university-wide standards of practice for the UNI community to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Strategy 1.3: Nurture a sense of belonging and inclusion through a culture of care where all can achieve their educational, professional and personal life aspirations.
Goal 2: Empower Communities to Shape Their Future.
Empower and engage learners and communities to confront challenges and seize opportunities that advance the public good.
Strategy 2.1: Enhance faculty and staff engagement in the application of scholarship and service to address local, state, national, and global problems.
Strategy 2.2: Expand flexible community-based learning opportunities to enable learners to gain specialized skills and experiences and address community needs.
Strategy 2.3: Partner with communities to identify, address, and overcome societal barriers.
Strategy 2.4: Establish mutually beneficial linkages between the university and communities throughout the Cedar Valley and State of Iowa to enhance economic well-being and quality of life.
Goal 3: Innovate for Learner Success.
Enhance access and support services for all learners through innovative and relevant academic curriculum and out-of-class experiences.
Strategy 3.1: Develop inclusive opportunities for learners to earn relevant certifications, licenses, endorsements, and degrees for success in ever-changing industries and communities.
Strategy 3.2: Develop intentional, timely, and adaptive processes that enable faculty to implement undergraduate and graduate curricular innovations that will meet learner, industry, and community needs.
Strategy 3.3: Expand programs to serve geographically place-bound learners in Iowa and beyond.
Strategy 3.4: Elevate high impact practices that focus on learner engagement, individualized education, and learner success and retention within courses and programs.
Goal 4: Steward Resources Effectively.
Align and effectively utilize University resources to improve equitable access, affordability, and quality.
Strategy 4.1: Enhance financial stewardship and operational effectiveness through mission-centric and strategic prioritization of resources with a focus on enrollment, physical and operational needs, and human capital.
Strategy 4.2: Reimagine space allocation and workplace practices to emphasize interdisciplinary collaborations, community partnerships, and operational effectiveness.
Strategy 4.3: Establish strategic partnerships that align with Our Values and create new revenue streams to invest in Mission-critical priorities.