Building our Future

WSU Pullman Student Affairs is engaging in building a strategic plan for 2025-2028. The plan will encapsulate the five strategic goals listed below, provide measurable outlines, and support the broader strategic plans of WSU Pullman and the WSU system. 

Five Strategic Goals 

  • Health and Well-Being - Enhance health and well-being opportunities to support individual fulfillment, reduce behavioral risk, and increase learning capacity.

    1.      Increase education, access, and connections to campus well-being resources to enhance prevention and risk reduction behaviors and remove barriers to accessing these resources.

    2.      Deepen well-being practices by enhancing peer-to-peer and community opportunities for staff and students.

    3.      Contribute to a transparent and collaborative culture that supports a positive staff experience in every stage of their employment.

    4.      Expand the promotion of our framework for supporting students in crisis, including broad training for the campus community on recognizing students at risk and improving the awareness of university resources for students of concern.

    5.      Promote current and create new outdoor and indoor spaces designed to provide students and staff with opportunities for contemplative practice, mindfulness, stress reduction, and embodied movement.

  • Student Support and Advocacy - Provide comprehensive support for students and their families.

    1.      Foster effective and consistent engagement and partnerships with family members to support student success.

    2.      Increase campus awareness of college basic needs issues and resources at WSU and expand student fundamental needs support and emergency funding to support students.

    3.      Cultivate an environment of inclusiveness and respect in which all students feel comfortable accessing opportunities that offer a holistic and complete WSU experience.

    4.      Incorporate student voices into each department’s annual plans for continuous improvement practices.

    5.      Expand programming, services, and resources to build student self-efficacy, support essential skills development, and develop communities where students are aware of and empowered to utilize campus resources.

  • Student Engagement - Ensure all students (e.g., transfers, veterans, international, spring admits, underrepresented, first generation, etc.) have access to the Coug Experience.

    1.      Identify, develop, and implement high-impact practices across Student Affairs that positively impact overall student retention and success.

    2.      Develop and implement a framework for a comprehensive co-curricular experience guiding students from recruitment through graduation to increase retention and persistence.

    3.      Enhance programs to build affinity with WSU by creating mechanisms that deepen and develop partnerships with external and internal entities.

    4.      Establish a sequence of student experiences and learning opportunities that explores self-identity, engages across differences, promotes respect, and focuses on opportunities for students to develop critical thinking and civil discourse skills.

    5.      Identify and incorporate consistent values and learning outcomes for student development and engagement across all services, facilities, and programs within Student Affairs.

  • Organizational Excellence and Operational Efficiency - Continuously review programs, services, operations, and document policies, procedures, and practices to ensure the highest level of operational efficiency.

    1.      Regularly communicate Student Affairs achievements and impact on the WSU student experience with campus stakeholders.

    2.      Increase professional competencies of Student Affairs staff to position them as contemporary Student Affairs leaders.

    3.      Create a Student Affairs fundraising strategy that prioritizes increasing development goals and identifying other financial resources to support strategic initiatives.

    4.      Enhance assessment capacity within Student Affairs to improve program effectiveness through data-driven decision-making and align departmental assessment initiatives with university strategic priorities.

    5.      Evolve our financial and business practices to identify opportunities that optimize resource alignment, increase efficiency, and generate new revenue.

  • Residential and Campus Experience - The core of our student success efforts is to provide students with programming, opportunities, and spaces to connect, engage, and grow.

    1.      Ensure alignment between Housing and Residence Life, Auxiliary Facilities Services, and Dining Services to provide students with a comprehensive and complementary residential experience.

    2.      Develop fiscal plans that provide viable pathways for the Compton Union Building (CUB), the Chinook Student Center, Cougar Health Services, the Elson Floyd Cultural Center, and University Recreation facilities.

    3.      Expand programs and services throughout residential and campus experiences that build affinity with WSU’s core mission and values.

    4.      Cultivate strong, vibrant partnerships between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to support the student learning experience and enhance divisional interactions.

    5.      Increase faculty engagement to inform evidence-based practices and align curricular and co-curricular learning experiences to help students thrive in their Coug Experience.

Strategic Planning Process

  • 2024-2025 Strategic Planning Workgroup

    The following individuals have been nominated and approved by their supervisors to serve on the Student Affairs Strategic Planning Workgroup:

    • Romando Nash, Vice Chancellor’s Office (co-chair)
    • Kim Holapa, Vice Chancellor’s Office (co-chair)
    • Jenna Hyatt, Vice Chancellor’s Office
    • Sean Greene, Vice Chancellor’s Office
    • Erin Carroll, Executive Director, Strategy and Communication
    • Dan Welter, Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life
    • Sarah Larson, Director, Residential Dining and Dining Services
    • Jessica Perone, Assistant Director of Engaged Learning, Center for Civic Engagement 
    • Amy Chadwick, Assistant Director of Medical Services Operations
    • Arturo Gavilanes, Climbing Wall and Challenge Program Coordinator, University Recreation
    • Don Brabb, Dining Services Information Systems Coordinator, Administrative Services Information Systems
    • Laura Coughenour, Assistant Director, Finance & Administration
    • Carrie Ben-Yisrael, Director, TRIO Student Support Services
    • Desiree Valdez Chavez, Assistant Director of Residence Life
    • Rodrigo Spears-Ortiz, Assistant Director, Center for Community Standards
    • Jessica Samuels, Assistant Director of MSS/AASC Retention Counselor
    • Rebekah MillerMacPhee, Assistant Director, Health Education 

      All student affairs employees and numerous campus colleagues will be invited to provide feedback throughout the strategic planning process. 
  • Timeline

    August 2024

    • Discuss the planning calendar for the semester.
    • Discuss our mission, vision, and goals.
    • Review the WSU Pullman Strategic Plan, strategic plans developed by various Student Affairs departments, and the strategic priorities outlined in my previous email.

    September 2024

    • Provide a first draft of the mission and vision statements and a review of our strategic priorities.
    • Communicate the value of strategic planning at the all-staff meeting.

    October 2024

    • Share a draft of the mission, vision, values, and goals.
    • Solicit feedback from Student Affairs staff on the mission, vision, values, and goals.

    November 2024

    • Receive feedback from Student Affairs staff on the mission, vision, values, and goals.
    • Develop instructions for writing SMART objectives.
    • Provide departments with instructions on writing SMART objectives to coincide with the goals of Student Affairs and sunsetting programs.
    • Begin to develop the communication plan (e.g., brochure, website, posters, quarterly reports, database, and launch event) for launching the strategic plan in February/March.

    December 2024

    • Visit with departments to discuss SMART objectives and sunsetting.
    • Continue developing the communication plan.

    January 2025

    • Departments submit first drafts of SMART objectives and sunset plans to the Strategic Planning Workgroup and Executive Leadership Team.
    • Solicit feedback from campus partners.

    February 2025

    • Departments receive feedback from Vice Chancellor and Executive Leadership team on their SMART objectives.
    •  
    • Strategic Planning Committee: Continues to solicit feedback from campus partners.
    • Communication subcommittee: Finalizes promotional plan.

    March 2025

    • Departments submit final drafts of SMART objectives.
    • Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives integrated into strategic planning document.

    April 15, 2025

    • Launch event for WSU Pullman Student Affairs Strategic Plan 2025-2028