Changes are already happening at USF St. Petersburg, just weeks after the approval of the university strategic plan on Sept. 4. The plan includes the goal to expand the campus from 4,700 to 10,000 students by 2024.
Regional Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska led a town hall conversation on Sept. 24, announcing early accomplishments.
A master’s in accounting degree was added this month. A $10 million donation from entrepreneur Kate Tiedemann helped fund the College of Business, now known as the Kate Tiedemann College of Business. The $775,000 purchase of the Gulfcoast Legal Services building, 641 1st St. S, was settled and will be finalized in November.
This was first of many strategic plan conversations that will take place this year. The main focus of the discussion was moving into the next phase – implementation.
After seven months of planning, eight listening forums, three vision team meetings and involvement from over 600 participants, the goals were formed. The strategic plan is comprised of six specific goals: distinctive identity, student success and culture, faculty excellence in teaching and research, strategic partnership, infrastructure to meet current and future needs, and sustainable funding.
Each goal has what the committee calls a “Bold Goal Champion”; a leader who is in charge of moving each aspiration forward.
A strategic plan metric system has been created in order to help track and envision the the progress for each goal over the next few years. The metric plan has 22 key performance indicators (KPI), which break down specific strategies for each goal.
“The metrics are a work in progress,” Wisniewska said. “Even though they received approval from the board of trustees, we have already looked at a couple metrics and realized that we had gaps in infrastructure.”
A live, up-to-date document of all the performance metrics can be found on the USF St. Petersburg website, under Vision 20/20.
“During the next year we will be making efforts to implement a number of those strategies and those indicators,” said Wisniewska.
Small table discussions took place at the conclusion of the gathering. Blended groups of faculty, staff, students, campus board and community members examined one specific goal at their tables and agreed on a few potential resistances and tractions that could be faced as the implementation moves further along. The tables also suggested advice for each goal.
The Bold Goal Leaders, committee members and volunteers will continue moving forward with the strategic plan, while also working out the issues raised at the the meeting. Town hall meetings are open to everyone, and the committee is seeking communication from USFSP students. The next meeting is projected to take place in January or February 2015.
