Vermont State University’s Strategic Plan
Members of the Vermont State community have worked together to identify the strategic priorities that will guide our work and enable us to deliver on the university’s mission and vision.
Strategic Priority #1
Increase access to affordable, high-quality educational opportunities for learners throughout Vermont and beyond.
Increase access to high-quality education through flexible pathways and delivery modalities.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Accessibility and Affordability Rates
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Percent of program courses offered in in-person plus and online modalities.
- Number of students by type enrolled in programs by modality.
- Measured academic success across all modalities.
- VTSU Insights
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.1.1 Develop and expand a new online program administrative model aligned with the new academic school structure.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins
1.1.2 Develop and launch faculty professional development program to implement teaching through multiple modalities.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins
1.1.3 Implement 1:1 Device policy for incoming VTSU students
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.1.4 Implement standard and consistent baseline expectations for technology usage (canvas, gradebook, scheduling, etc.)
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins
Increase affordability through innovative program structures, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Accessibility and Affordability Rates
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of enrollment and revenue growth
- Occupancy rate for physical footprint
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.2.1 Program array improvement and optimization maximizing efficiency and seamless integration and transitions, across all VTSU locations and the larger VSC system
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Nolan Atkins
1.2.2 Exploring new, innovative affordability models to increase student access, including scholarships, partnerships, transfer agreement, etc.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Maurice Ouimet, Wilson Garland, Sarah Truckle, Hannah Reid
1.2.3 Develop and implement strategic program evaluation criteria to determine strategic investments and align with enrollment priorities
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle, Maurice Ouimet
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.2.4 Evaluate opportunities to expand student employment to maximize operational efficiencies and promote student professional development
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith
1.2.5 Evaluate student services and operational expenses to identify opportunities for efficiency and streamlining
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith, Sarah Truckle
1.2.6 Evaluate and develop a per student recruitment cost and identify and operationalize mechanisms to optimize recruitment costs.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
Improve institutional performance gaps related to student achievement.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Enrollment/Completion Rates
- Access & Affordability Rates
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Student retention, completion rates, and graduate outcomes, including credit accumulation rates, internship completion, and other effectiveness measures by student type, cohort, modality, start term, etc.
- Performance gaps by income, gender, first-generation status, race/ethnicity, age, etc.
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.3.1 Design and pilot a dashboard to measure progress towards university student success goals: student sense of belonging and identity, academic purpose, self-efficacy, access and equity, career readiness, and post-graduation success.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith, Sarah Truckle
1.3.2 Based on data analysis, identify institutional obstacles to student success and address them.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith, Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle, Maurice Ouimet
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.3.3 Develop and implement a predictive model for student success.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith, Nolan Atkins
Increase awareness, engagement, enrollment, and investment across all external VTSU audiences
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Enrollment/Completion Rates
- Community Engagement Metrics
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Number of prospective student leads
- Number of media stories/coverage
- General public polling on brand awareness and perceptions
- Percentage of revenue tied to fundraising and donors
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
1.4.1 Develop and implement a clear, authentic, and compelling brand identity to underpin all VTSU external engagement
Target/Deadline: December 30, 2024
Owner(s): Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
1.4.2 Develop and launch a comprehensive enrollment marketing strategy to increase awareness, engagement, and enrollment across VTSU target student audiences
Target/Deadline: March/April, 2025
Owner(s): Maurice Ouimet, Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
1.4.3 Develop and launch a comprehensive brand marketing strategy to increase general public awareness of the positive impact of VTSU on Vermont’s students, communities, workforce, and economy.
Target/Deadline: March/April, 2025
Owner(s): Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
1.4.4 Develop and launch a comprehensive earned media strategy to show case student, faculty, and staff creative, professional, community and scholarly work and increase awareness of and engagement with the VTSU brand
Target/Deadline: December, 2024
Owner(s): Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
1.4.5 Develop and launch a comprehensive Institutional Advancement Development Strategy to facilitate an engaged community of VTSU alumni and donors and support the University’s financial health and stability.
Target/Deadline: January, 2025
Owner(s): Hannah Reid, Sarah Truckle
Strategic Priority #2
Position Vermont State as a premier career-ready university.
Embed stackable industry-recognized micro-credentials into the academic program array
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Accessibility and Affordability Rates
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of degree programs with an embedded credential
- Percentage of graduates who attain a credential
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.1.1 Develop pathways between non-credit-bearing certificates to credit for academic programs
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.1.2 Develop training programs for faculty to embed micro-credentials in the academic curriculum
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins
2.1.3 Identify and implement technology tools and platforms for offering and tracking micro-credentials
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle
Embed real-world applied learning opportunities in every degree path.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of degree paths with an applied learning requirement
- Percentage of students completing an applied learning experience by graduation
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.2.1 Integrate and leverage the Gen Ed Connections program to incorporate the career development model and increase career readiness.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Kelley Beckwith
2.2.2 Launch a training program for faculty to learn how to integrate industry-specific content and support applied learning.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins
Develop need-inspired and forward-thinking degree and certificate programs that respond to industry and community demands.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Enrollment/Completion Rates
- Career Placement Rate
- Community Engagement Metrics
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Number of new programs and certificates launched in critical occupation and community need areas.
- Percentage of new proposed offerings that align with jobs acquired by graduates and projected employment in the market area.
- Number of students enrolled in these programs.
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.3.1 Launch a new program review and improvement process that enables investments in new and existing programs with the potential for growth and market differentiation.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle, Hannah Reid
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.3.2 Develop and implement a process to leverage advisory boards to vet new program ideas that mitigate gap in-demand occupations.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle
Build and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships and collaboration opportunities with key community stakeholders.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Enrollment/Completion Rates
- Career Placement Rate
- Community Engagement Metrics
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement Rates
Leading Indicators:
- Number of official partnerships within our communities
- Percentage of revenue derived from community engagement and partnerships.
- Percentage of community engagement initiatives that involve student or faculty research, scholarship, or learning.
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.4.1 Build and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships and collaboration opportunities with key community stakeholders such as K-12, business, industry, non-profit, government and other organizations in our rural communities that will support and sustain a diversified VTSU community.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): All ELT
2.4.2 Expand dual enrollment and early college initiatives to ensure VTSU is a major partner with Vermont High Schools and CTEs
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Maurice Ouimet
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
2.4.3 Increase cultural and arts programs and events across the university and for our community
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2026
Owner(s): Kelley Beckwith, Nolan Atkins, Sarah Truckle
Strategic Priority #3
Become a stable and sustainable employee-centric institution of higher education with a strong, values-driven and community oriented culture.
Foster employee wellbeing, including a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Faculty & Staff Satisfaction
- Diversity & Inclusion Metrics
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of employees with positive response to campus climate survey.
- Percentage of faculty and staff who identify or are members of a marginalized or minority group.
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.1.1 Build mechanisms to recruit and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff.
Target/deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Hannah Reid, Maurice Ouimet, Kelley Beckwith
3.1.2 Develop and implement initiative to promote employee wellbeing, time for focused work, and connection
Target/deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle
Increase personal and professional development opportunities to enable innovation, creativity, leadership, and teamwork.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Faculty & Staff Satisfaction
- Diversity & Inclusion Metrics
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of relevant training and development opportunities offered.
- Percentage of employees engaged in development opportunities
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.2.1 Develop a cross-discipline professional development framework for faculty and staff in conjunction with our CBAs
Target/deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): All ELT
Adopt a strong community culture driven by university values – respect, integrity, student success, DEISJ, community, collaboration & innovation, continuous learning & improvement, and sustainability.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Faculty & Staff Satisfaction
- Diversity & Inclusion Metrics
Leading Indicators:
- Percentage of employees with positive response to campus climate survey.
- Percentage of positive responses for campus climate survey.
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.3.1 Develop and launch a dashboard for campus climate data.
Target/deadline: December 30, 2024
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Kelley Beckwith
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.3.2 Develop and launch an accountability framework for CPI implementation and follow-up.
Target/deadline: December 30, 2025
Owner(s): Wilson Garland
Continue development and implementation of essential institutional systems, infrastructure, systems, tools, and practices to support a strong, stable, sustainable, and impactful institution.
Key Measures of Success
Key Performance Indicators:
- Faculty & Staff Satisfaction
- Student Satisfaction/Engagement
Leading Indicators:
- Number of standard operating procedures established
- Number of policies updated
2024-2025 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.4.1 Develop and launch an internal communications infrastructure.
Target/Deadline: December 30, 2024
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Hannah Reid
3.4.2 Develop internal HR internal procedures and workflows.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Gina Kelley
3.4.3 Update and develop internal fiscal policies, procedures and workflow management.
Target/Deadline: June 30, 2025
Owner(s): Sarah Truckle, Lit Tyler
2025-2026 Priority Initiatives/Projects
3.4.1 Implement a new system-wide ERP system.
Target/deadline: December 31, 2026
Owner(s): Wilson Garland
