2026-2030

Strategic Plan

Dean's Welcome

When I think about what it means to lead a College of Education today, I keep coming back to one word: responsibility. Responsibility to our students, to the educators and professionals they will become, and to the communities they will serve. Our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan is our commitment to honoring that responsibility, not just in words but in action.

 

This plan didn't come together overnight or in a single office. Over the past year, our entire College — faculty, staff, students, and partners — worked alongside Steady State Strategies to take an honest look at who we are, what we do well, and where we need to grow. What emerged were priorities that reflect both our strengths and our ambitions. We have set clear, measurable goals to guide our progress. These goals reflect who we believe we can be: a College whose programs are valued by employers and communities, whose faculty are recognized as thought leaders, and whose students receive proactive, equitable support from the moment they arrive until the day they graduate.

 

We are also a College that believes education is one of the most powerful forces for change in the world. Our vision, to attract and develop leaders for positive change in the community and throughout the globe, isn't aspirational website language. It's the standard we hold ourselves to every day.

 

I invite you to explore our plan, learn about our priorities, and hold us accountable for the goals we've set. We are proud of this work and are just getting started.

 

Frank Hernandez, Ph.D.

Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

To prepare professionals for diverse educational and interdisciplinary work who are reflective, ethical, innovative, and committed to relentless curiosity through scholarship, service, and practice.

Vision

To attract and create leaders for positive change in the community and throughout the globe.

Core Values

Excellence
In pursuit of the greater good
Achievement through critical thinking, intellectual inquiry, and creative expression fuels lifelong learning and lasting impact.

Engagement
That impacts personal and academic growth
We foster responsible and ethical leadership by actively participating in the learning process and the community around us.

Integrity
As the foundation of learning, discovery and ethical leadership
We embrace personal accountability and our shared responsibility to foster a community of leaders who have the uncompromising commitment and conscience to make a difference for the greater good.

Community
And the culture of belonging
We celebrate our differences and serve one another with trust, humility, and mutual respect.