The Planning Process
Clayton State University launched an update to its strategic plan to ensure its institutional priorities reflect the evolving needs of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community. The planning process for Transforming Today for Tomorrow, which began in 2024, brought together voices from across the university to tackle complex questions, assess challenges, and identify opportunities for growth.
President's Charge to the Steering Committee
- Work with faculty, staff, students, alumni, community partners, and other stakeholders to define the vision, mission, and values for Clayton State, aligned with the strategic goals of the University System of Georgia, for the next three years
- Review, analyze, and embrace data gathered from town halls, focus groups, working groups, and others to formulate priority institutional goals and objectives
- Serve collegially and collaboratively to develop a plan that is transformative and innovative to address the university’s unique needs
- Lay aside self-interests to serve the good of the university as a whole
- Prioritize the work of the committee to ensure the program schedule is successfully met
- Communicate proactively with colleagues and constituents about the work of the Steering Committee to ensure engagement and awareness
Planning Process Key Features
Clayton State University’s commitment to social mobility and positive transformation, improving the lives of our engaging and resilient student body, requires an ongoing, future-focused approach.
Through this update, we aim to:
- Reevaluate our strategic goals in response to evolving educational, economic, and societal landscapes
- Engage the Clayton State University community through open and inclusive dialogue about our future
- Reinforce our commitment to student success, faculty excellence, research innovation, and community impact
- Develop actionable strategies that position Clayton State as a leader in higher education
What did the strategic planning process involve?
The process was a comprehensive, university-wide effort guided by two committees: the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee.
The Executive Committee provides oversight of strategy development, quarterly review processes and approval of key deliverables and guidance on implementation planning.
- Jill Drake, Provost and Executive Vice President Academic Affairs
- Ashlee Spearman, Vice President Enrollment, Marketing and Student Success
- James Pete, Vice President Information Technology
- Jada Mitchell, Executive Director, Student Success
- Cephas Archie, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Community Engagement, & Innovation
- Michelle Furlong, Executive Director Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation
The Steering Committee, representing schools and colleges, administrative units, alumni, and community members, helped shape emerging themes, the strategic framework, and the final plan through ongoing input and feedback.
- Akwai Agoons, Associate Vice President of Business and Operations
- Leanne Bradberry, Senior Web Developer
- Rodney Byrd, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources
- Kimberley Campbell, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services
- Detrenyona Chester, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management
- Kristi Clark, Institutional Research Professional
- Joseph Clark, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications and Media Relations
- Angela Cole, Atrium Health
- Corlis Cummings, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
- Takeem Dean, Vice President of Student Affairs
- Jason Davis, Chair, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
- Billy Evans, Student and Employee Engagement Manager
- Martha Fairley, Executive Director for Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Sonya Gaither, Dean of Libraries
- Jonathon Goodson, Director of Application an Reporting Services
- Nicole Harris, Executive Director of Budgets
- Nick Henry, Vice President of Business and Operations
- Dwayne Hooks, Dean of College of Health and Interim Dean of College of Arts and Sciences
- Kimberly Johnson, Professor of Management
- Taralyn Keese, Lecturer of Sociology
- Dawn Krieger, Cybersecurity Compliance Director
- Michael Little, Interim Vice President for Advancement and
Executive Director of Government an External Affairs - Joshua Meddaugh, Chair, Department of Social Sciences and Professor of Political Science
- Lorea Reid, Atrium Health
- Sarah Ray, Assistant Dean of Students
- Mya Richardson-Echols, Dean of Students
- Jermaine Rolle, Director of Athletics
- Ceimone Strickland-Henderson, Special Assistant of Institutional Affairs and Compliance
- LaTrika Staples, Director, Center for Advising and Retention
- Tommy Stein, Associate Director of Film and Events
- Katherine Sylvestre, Assistant Director of Enrollment Communications
- Erica Taylor, Director, Student Success and New Student Programs
- Reginald Turner, Executive Director, Continuing and Professional Education
- Srikanth Vuppala, Enrollment Data and Process Analyst
- Jean Celeste Walley-Jean, Associate Provost/Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Faculty Affairs
- Allen Ward, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
- Shane Worth, Graphic Specialist
Timeline
| Timeframe | Action Items |
|---|---|
| June 2025 |
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| July 2025 |
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| August 2025 |
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| September 2025 |
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| October 2025 |
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| November/December 2025 |
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| January 2026 |
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| February/March 2026 |
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| April/May 2026 |
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| June 2026 |
|
Original Strategic Plan Committees and Status Updates
Foundational Capabilities
To achieve our three-year vision, Clayton State University will strengthen and develop critical skillsets, resources, technology, and other assets:
- Achieving Financial Sustainability
- Advancing Operational Excellence
- Enhancing University Well-Being
- Strengthening Reputation and Brand Awareness
Each of these foundational capabilities includes a representative set of signature initiatives as well as representative success measures to track our progress.
Promoting long-term financial health through revenue diversification, responsible stewardship of resources, and optimized management of University assets.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Identify opportunities for revenue diversification including increasing fundraising from individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as seeking grants and contracts to support funding institutional priorities.
- Promote responsible stewardship of University resources through appropriate expenditure management and the ongoing reallocation of resources to our highest priorities.
- Unlock the potential of under-utilized assets where the University has considerable capital investment to advance strategic priorities.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Total Revenues Year-over-year
- Operating Expenditures per FTE
- Amount of Private Funds
- Corporate and Foundation Giving
- Number of Successful Grants and Contracts
- Amount of Additional Funding from Grants and Contracts
Increasing effectiveness in processes to provide excellent faculty, staff, and student-centered service across the institution.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Complete a process and policy review to identify barriers and increase process efficiencies both within and across units.
- Establish service level agreements for operating units to improve customer service.
- Promote a data-driven culture through creation of standards for collection, management, reporting, and utilization of data.
- Reimagine traditional ways of working and serving students by increasing campus communications, cross-training staff, and focusing on stakeholder outcomes.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Time-to-response and Time-to-solution
- Service Level Attainment
- Student Surveys
- Number of Business Processes Improved
- Number of Business Processes Digitized
- Number of Policies Contained within the Policy Library
- Number of Report Requests Fulfilled
- Number of Employee Logins to a Data Insight Tool or Dashboard
- Number of Community-Developed Reports
Ensuring high levels of morale and engagement among faculty, staff, and students through campus activities, professional development, and support services.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Cultivate faculty and staff growth through enhanced professional development and training opportunities, mentorship, and career planning.
- Foster a supportive and inclusive environment through mental and physical health programming and support.
- Promote campus vibrancy and engagement through expanded and improved University events and communications.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Employee Turnover Rate
- Faculty, Staff, and Student Satisfaction and Belonging
- Faculty and Staff Participation in Professional Development
- National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Creating clear and compelling messages about the value proposition of a Clayton State University education and amplifying those messages to targeted audiences.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Create a communications strategy and calendar to increase the responsiveness and timeliness of University communications.
- Empower Enrollment Management to own the design and delivery of targeted marketing campaigns to prospective students.
- Promote a unified and consistent Clayton State University message across all University, department, and unit communications.
- Strengthen the central communications team with responsibility for creation and management of brand templates, tools, and messages.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Total Enrollment Year-over-year
- Number of Website Visitors
- Email Open Rates
- Number of Social Media Followers
- Number of Recognitions and Awards
- Number of Faculty/Staff Presentations and Conferences
Priority Areas of Focus
Clayton State University will achieve its three-year vision by pursuing four priorities:
- Building Academic and Career Pathways
- Driving Student Success and Social Mobility
- Growing Enrollment
- Increasing Community and Corporate Engagement
Each of these priorities includes a representative set of signature initiatives to advance our vision in these areas over the next three years as well as representative success measures to track our progress.
Promoting academic excellence through high-quality educational experiences and creation of flexible degree pathways linked to workforce needs.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Design flexible degree pathways that promote student progression and graduation by strengthening academic advising, increasing mentoring, and leveraging technology.
- Evaluate and refresh the curriculum more frequently to increase student engagement and alignment with market demands.
- Expand course and program delivery modalities to increase flexibility and access for students.
- Launch and grow new degree and non-degree programs that address workforce trends.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Time to Degree
- Degrees Awarded in Key Employment Sectors
- Experiential Learning Participation
- Career and Graduate School Outcomes
- Course and Licensure Exam Pass Rates
Increasing student retention and success at Clayton State University and after graduation through student support services, proactive outreach, and institutional data gathering.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Design and measure comprehensive student services with a tiered advising and case management support model to build student capacity to persist and graduate.
- Expand alumni network and services including mentoring and continuing education programs.
- Leverage institutional data and predictive modeling to drive student success and retention.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Retention Rates
- Graduation Rates
- Graduation Rates of Pell-awarded students and first-gen students
- Number of Degrees Awarded
- Career and Graduate School Outcomes
- Median Earnings
- Lifetime Earnings Premium
- Social Mobility Index
Attracting undergraduate and graduate students to Clayton State University through targeted recruitment marketing, financial aid optimization, and the evaluation of program infrastructure.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Evaluate graduate program infrastructure to facilitate enrollment growth in high demand areas.
- Execute targeted recruitment plan for key audiences including dual-enrollment, adult, and underrepresented populations.
- Finalize and execute Strategic Enrollment Management Plan.
- Optimize and leverage scholarships and financial aid to maximize enrollment and student success outcomes.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Total Enrollment Year-over-year
- Enrollment of Georgians
- Number of Undergraduate and Graduate Applications
- Admissions Yield
- Conversion Rate for Dual Enrollment Students
- Cost of Attendance
- Average Loan Borrowing
Increasing impact on the State of Georgia and beyond through reciprocal partnerships, faculty scholarship, and economic development.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Advance faculty scholarship and research through established partnership parameters for community and corporate partnerships.
- Establish a central office to track, coordinate, and expand University partnerships with government, corporations, foundations, and community organizations.
- Launch a President’s Roundtable series convening community and corporate leaders to engage in diverse topics.
- Promote community engagement and economic development through programs that leverage the knowledge and skillsets of faculty, staff, and students to solve real-world problems.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Number of Community Engaged Teaching, Learning, and Research Activities
- Number of Community Service Hours and Projects Completed
- Number of Individuals Served
- Number of New and Existing Community and Corporate Partnerships
Increasing impact on the State of Georgia and beyond through reciprocal partnerships, faculty scholarship, and economic development.
SIGNATURE INITIATIVES
- Advance faculty scholarship and research through established partnership parameters for community and corporate partnerships.
- Establish a central office to track, coordinate, and expand University partnerships with government, corporations, foundations, and community organizations.
- Launch a President’s Roundtable series convening community and corporate leaders to engage in diverse topics.
- Promote community engagement and economic development through programs that leverage the knowledge and skillsets of faculty, staff, and students to solve real-world problems.
SUCCESS MEASURES
- Number of Community Engaged Teaching, Learning, and Research Activities
- Number of Community Service Hours and Projects Completed
- Number of Individuals Served
- Number of New and Existing Community and Corporate Partnerships
Original Executive Council Committee
- James “Jim” Pete, Vice President, Information and Technology Services/Chief Information Officer - Co-Chair
- Antoinette France-Harris, Associate Professor & Coordinator, Legal Studies - Co-Chair
- Ashlee Spearman, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Student Success
- Dwayne Hooks, Dean, College of Health and Interim Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
- Joshua Meddaugh, Chair, Dept. of Social Sciences, Professor & Coordinator, Government and Public Service
Original Steering Committee Members
- Akwai Agoons, Budget and Finance
- Vacant, Staff Council
- Eric Bridges, Chair of Faculty Senate
- Rodney Byrd, Human Resources
- Mia Collier, Instructional Sites
- Deborah Decker Davis, College of Arts & Sciences
- Sonya Gaither, Library
- Becky Gmeiner, Registrar
- Jonathon Goodson, Information and Technology Services
- Norman Grizzell, Auxiliary Services
- Vacant, Marketing & Communications
- Chief John Keener, Public Safety
- Elliott Krop, College of STEM
- Katie Lehman, Spivey Hall
- Martha Fairley, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
- Bridgette McDonald, Career and Professional Development
- Helen McSwain, Board of Trustees
- Keith Miller, College of Business
- Comfort Obi, College of Health
- Jermaine Rolle, Director of Athletics
- Don Stansbury, Student Affairs
- Darren Thomas, Facilities
- Miles Thompson, Student Government Association President
- J. Celeste Walley-Jean, Asst. Provost & School of Graduate Studies
- Allen Ward, Student Affairs
April 2024
Key Activities
- Clayton State University launched Strategic Plan 2024-2027.
February–March 2024
Key Activities
- Co-Chairs held meetings with President Lewis, Executive Council, and Huron to finalize the plan
- Co-Chair attended Clayton County Comprehensive Plan Meeting
- Co-Chairs began planning for the strategic plan launch event on April 11 at 11 in Spivey Hall
- Co-Chairs presented the content of the final draft of the plan to the Faculty Senate
- Co-Chairs presented the content of the final draft of the plan to the Staff Council
- Co-Chairs and Huron assembled the implementation champions to discuss the implementation process and their roles in the launch event.
January 2024
Key Activities
- Huron met with the Divisional Cabinet to discuss foundational capabilities
- Huron drafted the strategic plan
- Executive Council, President, and Divisional Cabinet reviewed the draft plan
- Co-chairs met with MarComm to discuss the plan design, including layout and visuals for the glossy brochure version
November–December 2023
Key Activities
- Held Steering Committee meeting to finalize draft mission, vision, and values as well as discuss priority areas of focus
- Facilitated thematic workshops based on four priority areas to develop proposed signature initiatives and related metrics to measure success
- Met with President Lewis and Cabinet to introduce and discuss the draft mission, vision, and values, as well as four enabling capabilities
- Hosted Town Hall Meeting (which 130+ attended) to share the draft mission, values, vision, priority areas of focus, and enabling capabilities, solicit feedback, and answer questions
September–October 2023
Key Activities
- Strategic Planning Website launched
- Completed engagements with various internal and external community members through 1:1 interviews, focus groups, workshops, and surveys
- Held monthly Steering Committee meetings to review market scan and benchmarking analysis, share feedback from engagements, and discuss potential mission, values, and priorities related to the same.
August 2023
Key Activities
- Co-Chairs provided strategic planning updates at President's fall faculty meeting and per the request of the College of Health
- Executive Council finalized its list of external stakeholders and submitted it for the President's approval
- Executive Council created tentative schedule of internal engagements for September when Huron plans to make campus visits
- Executive Council worked with MarComm to finalize the website
July 2023
Key Activities
- Executive Council worked with MarComm to develop a word mark, tagline, and website
- Huron asked Executive Council to begin identifying internal and external stakeholders to engage to contribute to the planning process
- Huron facilitated a strategic planning session with the Cabinet and Extended cabinet at the President’s Workshop
- At monthly Steering Committee meeting, Huron shared preliminary results of market scan and benchmarking analysis
May–June 2023
Key Activities
- Executive Council selected and engaged Huron Consulting Group
- Kick-off meeting of the Steering Committee held
- President charged the Steering Committee
- Phase 0 completed with Huron
- Huron met biweekly with Executive Council
- Desired outcomes and timeline discussed
- Relevant data was obtained, analyzed, and shared
- Phase 1 commenced with Huron
- Huron began working on market scan and benchmarking analysis
- Huron attended June meeting of Steering Committee
- Huron held several small group interviews with Steering Committee members
- Surface themes began to emerge based on Executive Council and Steering Committee meetings
March–April 2023
Key Activities
- Pres. Lewis named Co-Chairs and Executive Council members
- Executive Council selected Steering Committee members
- Executive Council interviewed consulting groups to assist with planning
- Executive Council began gathering and reviewing relevant internal and external data