The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will enter a new phase of growth and innovation following the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees’ approval of the UAFS 2023-2028 Strategic Plan on Thursday, May 25.
Chancellor Terisa Riley, in an email to the UAFS campus, underscored the importance of the approval, declaring it as a significant milestone in the university’s history.
She expressed her gratitude to all involved in the plan’s development, stating, “through focus groups, committee revisions, and open forum discussions, your collective efforts have helped shape a strategy that truly reflects our shared vision for UAFS.”
In June, a comprehensive Strategic Plan document, organized around four strategic pillars, will be released on the UAFS website.
These pillars are: Student Access, Engagement, and Success, which aims to empower students to grow, lead, and succeed; Teaching and Learning, which aims to cultivate exceptional learning experiences and promote excellence within the UAFS community; Economic Development, Community Engagement, and Industry Partnership, which aims to drive transformational regional change by forging strong and innovative partnerships in the River Valley and beyond; and Institutional Sustainability and Resource Stewardship which aims at securing the institution’s long-term stability through responsible practices and policies.
With the strategic plan’s approval, the university will begin developing department-level implementation plans aligned with the strategic pillars and their goals.
Following the approval of these plans, department and divisional leaders will also be required to submit annual reports detailing their progress toward achieving their success metrics and advancing institutional transparency and accountability. Summaries of these reports will be shared with university employees and students each year.
Reflecting on the future impact of this strategic plan, Riley said, “This plan, and the implementation initiatives that will soon follow, will usher in an exciting new era at UAFS. We see this plan as the embodiment of our shared ambition to empower students, strengthen our community ties, uphold our culture of integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, and truly shift the boundaries of what’s possible in higher education.”
The new strategic direction charted in the plan also prompted a revitalization of the university’s mission, vision, and institutional commitments:
New Mission: UAFS seeks to empower the social mobility of its students and fuel the economic growth of the River Valley through superior educational opportunities and solid community partnerships.
New Vision: Through dynamic academic programs, innovative research opportunities, and transformational centers of intellectual and economic development, UAFS is determined to advance its community and emerge as an institution renowned for educating and inspiring ambitious students
Institutional Commitments:
Students: Ensuring a supportive and inclusive learning environment for personal and professional success.
Community: Serving and strengthening the River Valley through collaborations that address regional needs.
Integrity: Upholding honest, transparent, and ethical behavior.
Innovation: Encouraging creativity, exploration, and novel solutions.
Value: Prioritizing excellence, efficiency, and continuous improvement to provide premium, affordable education.
“Our focus on social mobility reflects a broad commitment on delivering extraordinary value to our students,” added UAFS provost, Dr. Shadow Robinson, who chaired the Mission and Vision committee. “To achieve this aspect of our mission, our University must not only be committed to offering our students exceptional educational opportunities that lead to those positive career outcomes but also to support those students on every step of their educational journey from the moment they walk onto our campus until they walk across our stage at graduation so that they will be prepared to take full advantage of the career pathways now open to them.”
“We have always known that this is who UAFS is on its best days,” he continued, “By making this change to our mission statement, we are boldly stating that this is who UAFS intends to be every day, for every student on our campus, and for every member in the community that calls the River Valley home.”
Riley closed her campus email announcing the board’s approval, stating, “Thank you once again for your invaluable contributions to this strategic plan. It is a testament to our commitment and passion for UAFS, and I am honored to be your chancellor during this important time in the university’s history.”
The core elements of the UAFS 2023-2028 Strategic Plan are available at: https://uafs.edu/strategic-plan/
