On February 25, 2025, UCA’s Central Strategy Team gathered to chart our university’s path forward, focusing on who we are and where we’re heading.
Strengthening UCA’s Identity and Communication
The heart of our discussion centered on strengthening connections across campus. We acknowledged that while UCA boasts a strong community and exceptional academic programs, we must address communication gaps and resource limitations to truly thrive. The team emphasized the importance of innovation in serving students while adapting to the evolving nature of work.
SWOT Analysis Insights
Building on January’s initial SWOT findings, we further explored UCA’s strengths, including our strong community and academic programs. Challenges such as limited resources were recognized as areas needing attention. The team identified opportunities to enhance UCA’s economic impact through AI and workforce development initiatives, which will play a crucial role in our strategic direction moving forward.
Campus Engagement Initiatives
To ensure we’re on the right track, we’ve launched a campus-wide strategic planning survey that will run from February 26 to March 7. Your voice matters—please participate and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Additionally, community conversations are being planned to gather input on the university’s future from all corners of campus.
Addressing Student Readiness Challenges
Student well-being remains at the forefront of our concerns. The team recognized growing challenges in mental health and academic readiness, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support systems that better coordinate across departments to serve our diverse student body.
Strategic Priorities for Long-term Success
Our long-term priorities include retaining our talented faculty and staff, securing funding for critical positions, and preparing for workforce changes driven by technological advancement. These topics will remain central in future meetings as we formulate UCA’s strategic goals.
Next Steps
As we promote the strategic planning survey and host community conversations within your departments, we’ll continue refining our strategic priorities and developing meaningful metrics to gauge our success. The next CST meeting will focus on these metrics and further define our strategic priorities.
Together, we’re building a stronger UCA. Stay tuned for updates as our vision takes shape.