Updates

We Rise We Defy: Transcending Borders, Transforming Lives

SDSU's five-year strategic plan establishes SDSU’s vision and mission for the next five years. With 54 unique activities defined, implementation team members have begun work to actualize the strategic plan.

Students posing

Priority #1: Becoming a Premier Public Research University: A New Kind of HSI

Goal #1: Position SDSU to ultimately achieve R1 status.

Activity Status

Activity #1: By June 2021: Conduct an assessment with recommendations for needed resources for the university’s research infrastructure (such as library acquisitions, equipment needs, research support).

COMPLETE [Final Report]. Additional recommendations from external consultant are pending [spring 2024].
Activity #2: By June 2022: Develop proposals for at least three new collaborative research centers with more than $1.5 million each in external funding per year in response to external requests for proposals (RFPs).

 

COMPLETE [Final report].
Activity #3: By June 2025: Formally propose eight to 10 new strategically placed Ph.D. programs while advocating for the authority to offer independent doctorate degrees.

1 new program approved (Doctoral program in Public Health); AB 656 approved.

IN-PROGRESS: moving forward with a PhD program in Anthropology; actively exploring a PhD program in the Humanities, along with others that were identified by the committee. SDSU identified 5 independent PhD programs. Have a form for faculty who are interested in independent doctoral degrees, a guide and website (to be completed spring 2024).

Activity #4: By June 2025: Secure authorization and funding for at least one new LEED (gold or platinum) certified major research facility.

Goal #2: Leverage SDSU’s unique identity to enhance the quantity and quality of scholarship.

Activity Status

Activity #5: By June 2025: Submit proposals for 80% of federally designated HSI competitions for which SDSU is eligible each fiscal year.

COMPLETE [Final report]. On-going work and oversight by HSI Advisory Council.
Activity #6: By June 2025: Establish new research partnerships with three universities in Latin America.

 

COMPLETE. Established Center for Mesoamerican Studies; MOU with La Salle University in Oaxaca; securing new MOUs with the Tecnológico de Los Valles Centrales in San Pablo Huixtepec, Child Family Health International in Oaxaca, Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, and discussing potential collaborations with UNAM. Have also secured MOUs and have active funded projects with the Biblioteca de Investigacion Juan de Cordova in Oaxaca, the Archivo General del Estado de Oaxaca, and with the Municipio de Tijuana. These three are collaborations with faculty in LAS, Love Library, and the Sage Project.
Activity #7: By June 2025: Conduct hires of faculty members (five to 10 lines) clustered around public-facing, border or Indigenous scholarship.

IN PROGRESS [pending resources].

Priority #2: Resilience. Designed to Thrive

Students taking a picture

Goal #1: Position SDSU to ultimately achieve R1 status.

Activity Status

Activity #8: By December 2021: Develop a one-year revenue plan for the following entities with immediate areas of opportunity and planning (follow up with an additional four-year plan by Fall 2022):

COMPLETE (see Activity 13).
Activity #9: By December 2020: Develop a structure that promotes entrepreneurial aspirations, which includes a competitive revenue generating proposal process for each college. In progress
Activity #10: By December 2020: Develop and launch a comprehensive brand strategy for SDSU, which will directly benefit our ability to create and generate new financial support for the university. This strategy should build on the strengths of SDSU Athletics, enhance public-private partnerships (P3s) and philanthropy, and would contribute to student recruitment.

COMPLETE (see Activity 11).

Activity #11: By December 2020: Realign the marketing initiatives led and/or managed by Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (StratComm) with the outcomes of the strategic plan, to include the creation of a centralized brand management portal and a revision of the university’s logo.

COMPLETE. Combined with Activity 10; launched new logo and Brand Portal.

Goal #2: Leverage SDSU’s unique identity to enhance the quantity and quality of scholarship.

Activity Status

Activity #12: By December 2020: Identify areas to advance synergies for shared services across divisions and other units, and develop an organizational plan.

COMPLETE. Hired Director of Shared Services.

Activity #13: By June 2021: Support and enhance the viability and excellence of SDSU’s auxiliaries through a plan that continues to enable each unit to provide opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community partners while invigorating the economic success of the university. COMPLETE. Combined w/Activity 8; all auxiliaries presented individual revenue plans in 2021/2022 and are working to execute plans.
Activity #14: By June 2021: Develop and align a process for Multi-Year Objective Setting and Budget Planning for the university.

In progress

Goal #3: Invest in organizational practices that prioritize the responsible management of resources with a focus on global and environmental sustainability.   

Activity Status

Activity #15: By December 2021: Designate executive-level leadership to develop and provide oversight of SDSU’s Sustainability Efforts.

COMPLETE. Established Office of Energy and Sustainability, and President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee .

Activity #16: By June 2022: Update the University Climate Action Plan, inclusive of all campus locations, with defined benchmarks until June of 2025. In progress.
Activity #17: By June 2022: Develop Guiding Principles for Sustainability that include local and international standards (as referenced in the Associated Students Carbon Neutrality by 2030 Recommendations) to be reviewed on an annual basis.

Pending approval of committees.

Priority #3: We are SDSU

Go Aztecs

Goal #1: Foster an interconnected and equitable SDSU experience through implementing resource generation and allocation, communication and information-sharing, and system of transportation.

Activity Status

Activity #18: By December 2020: Establish a campuswide working group to explore university-industry partnerships that build alliances that benefit all university campuses.

COMPLETE [Final report].

Activity #19: By June 2021: Ensure that SDSU Imperial Valley and SDSU Mission Valley have representation on university resource planning and recommending bodies.

COMPLETE: IV AS President now a member of the Senate and an IV representative has been added to UR&P. Will need to revisit once Mission Valley established

Activity #20: By December 2021: Establish a campuswide working group to assess instructional and information technology to establish an action plan to interconnect campuses, international partners, and the campus community.

Proposal submitted

Activity #21:

By June 2021: Develop and implement a Culture of Communication Plan for the university that improves synergy and collaboration between all campuswide communication personnel.

Proposal submitted. Partially implemented: Creation of College communication and campus lead positions

Activity #23: By June 2023: Pilot a daily shuttle service between the SDSU
and SDSU Imperial Valley campus.

COMPLETE.

Activity #24: By June 2024: Develop a subsidy program to lower public transportation fare costs between SDSU and SDSU Mission Valley.

Programs in place for travel to Snapdragon (30% off transit passes for season ticket holders; free trolley passes for 1,000 students each game); will need to re-visit once other buildings occupied

Activity #25: 

By June 2024: Develop a green transportation plan between the SDSU and SDSU Mission Valley campus locations.

COMPLETE [Final Environmental Impact Report].

Goal #2: Expand SDSU’s academic infrastructure and partnerships to meet the needs of broadly diverse learners in our region, across the nation, and the world.

Activity Status
Activity #27: By June 2021: Establish a plan for continued collaborations for SDSU Georgia. COMPLETE. MOU extended 4 years.
Activity #28: By June 2022: Finalize a formal partnership agreement for admissions and recruitment with Kumeyaay Community College.

In progress

Activity #29: By June 2021: Create a Global Strategy Action Plan to address global program infrastructure, international student recruitment, yield and retention with implementation benchmarks, along with a schedule to continually improve the plan. The initial plan to be developed will identify future delivery dates for key implementation benchmarks.

COMPLETE. Adopted Global Strategic Report.

Activity #30: By June 2025: Establish four new bachelor’s programs and two new master’s programs at SDSU Imperial Valley.

Added 4-year Liberal Studies degree for high school graduates, BA in Mathematics for transfer students, BS in Nursing and Public Health, MS in Homeland Security
IN-PROGRESS: Interdisciplinary major.

Priority #4: Equity and Inclusion In Everything We Do

Two Students Smiling

Goal #1: Ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across campus are aligned and implemented consistently, effectively and efficiently. 

Activity Status

Activity #31: By June 2021: Establish a sustainable centrally funded information technology unit responsible for managing campuswide accessibility to implement and drive institutional governance and policy.

[under revision]

Activity #32: By December 2020: Ensure that every major campus unit (college, division, auxiliary), in coordination with the existing Diversity and Inclusion Planning committees, has a standing diversity council to better coordinate and promote unit-specific DEI activities.

COMPLETE. Language added to University Policy File.

Activity #33: By June 2021: Develop a structured, universitywide calendar to promote and highlight diversity-related programs and university-sponsored events (to include student, faculty, staff and administration-led events).

COMPLETE.

Activity #34: By December 2022: Expand the role of the Diversity Liaisons to better coordinate DEI activities across colleges and units.

[under revision]

Activity #35: By December 2022: Develop a task force and apply for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) status.

COMPLETE.

Goal #2: Foster and sustain an environment where all students, faculty, staff and alumni feel welcomed, supported, and valued by the university. 

Activity Status

Activity #36: By December 2020: Establish a process and organized structure to coordinate, expand, and increase visibility of heritage month programs and events.

COMPLETE [Final Report].

Activity #37: By August 2021: Develop a protocol for continuous review and development of campus materials, events and programs to ensure diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences are reflected with respect and authenticity. Style guide updated; inclusive language integrated into style guide. Additional recommendations pending resources.
Activity #38: By June 2025: Engage Arts Alive SDSU to display 10 permanent outdoor representations of diverse communities (such as statues, murals, sculptures) across the university campuses.

COMPLETE [Final report].

Activity #39: By December 2020: Establish a DEI Initiative (analogous to the Shared Governance initiative) to define and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and promote ongoing conversations about DEI and how it can drive action.

COMPLETE. Principles of Community adopted.

Activity #40: By December 2022: Establish and launch intergroup dialogue programs (such as Human Library, racial equity learning groups, peacemaking circles).

Proposal submitted

Activity #41: By December 2021: Implement an on-boarding program that emphasizes SDSU’s values and educates all newly hired staff, regardless of classification (by December 2021), graduate students (by June 2022), undergraduate students (by June 2022), newly hired lecturers (by June 2022), and tenuretrack faculty (by December 2022) about implicit bias, inclusive communication, SDSU’s designation and identity as an Hispanic-Serving Institution, and the university’s connection with the Kumeyaay people.

COMPLETE.

Goal #3: Recruit, retain and advance graduate students, faculty and staff who can and will effectively support the diverse student body and communities served by SDSU.    

Activity Status

Activity #42: By December 2021: Ensure participation in professional learning on inclusive practices for all search committees (by December 2021), retention, tenure, and promotion committees (by June 2022), staff supervisors and managers (by June 2022), and admissions committees (by December 2022).

Implemented for SEARCH committees; others in progress.

Activity #43: By December 2022: Establish and provide institutional support for structured mentoring programs for all faculty and staf (regardless of classification).

Proposal submitted.

Activity #44: By December 2023: Establish and provide institutional support for structured leadership development opportunities for all faculty and staff (regardless of classification) aligned with unit Diversity and Inclusion Plans.

Proposal submitted.

Priority #5: Students at Our Core

ReBorder

Goal #1: Ensure that all members of the campus community are prepared to advance student success by deepening the quality of learning and closing equity gaps.

Activity Status

Activity #45: By December 2021: Provide all faculty and advisors with information on student success and equity gaps in their classrooms and their respective colleges. In addition, provide research-informed recommendations and professional development for ways to support student success in their teaching.

COMPLETE [Final report]

Activity #46: By December 2020: Ensure that every major campus unit (college, division, auxiliary), in coordination with the existing Diversity and Inclusion Planning committees, has a standing diversity council to better coordinate and promote unit-specific DEI activities.

COMPLETE. Language added to University Policy File.

Activity #47: By June 2021: Develop a structured, universitywide calendar to promote and highlight diversity-related programs and university-sponsored events (to include student, faculty, staff and administration-led events).

COMPLETE. Established Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Accreditation, adopted Nuventive platform, hired Assessment and Accreditation Analyst and (faculty) Director of Continuous Improvement.

Activity #48: By December 2022: Expand the role of the Diversity Liaisons to better coordinate DEI activities across colleges and units.

COMPLETE. In May/June 2023: 83% of survey respondents who graduated with an undergraduate degree, indicated that they had participated in one or more work or experiential learning opportunities that enhanced their employability or access to graduate studies.
Note: N = 1,517 students graduating with an undergraduate degree

Activity #49: By December 2022: Develop a task force and apply for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) status.

In progress

 

Goal #2: Expand access to affordable, high-quality university undergraduate and graduate education for the people of our region and beyond. 

Activity Status

Activity #50: By Fall 2023: Develop a university infrastructure that fosters and sustains regional partnerships with K-12 schools, community colleges, educational organizations, an industry that promotes college readiness and a college-going culture.

In progress

Activity #51: By June 2025: Increase the number of SDSU Global Campus adult learners by 25%. In progress

Goal #3: To support student success and well-being both inside and outside the classroom,SDSU will strategically increase its programming, resources and capacity to provide mental health, wellness and basic needs support for all undergraduate and graduate students.    

Activity Status

Activity #52: By June 2021: Implement a wellness toolkit for faculty and staff to further promote and educate the campus community about the resources available for students through Counseling & Psychological Services and the Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) to support student mental health and basic needs.

COMPLETE. Toolkit launched.

Activity #53: By June 2021: Develop a service delivery model that expands placement of therapists in university programs, departments and centers in order to increase capacity to meet the unique needs of all students, including students from diverse backgrounds, graduate students and students enrolled in SDSU Global Campus programs.

COMPLETE [Final report]

Activity #54: By December 2024: Open a new multidisciplinary space to house and support campus basic needs initiatives. The space will serve as a wellness hub for presentations and workshops and where students can meet with ECRT case managers and community partners to receive one-on-one personalized support.

COMPLETE. Basic Needs Center opened.