“Our world is increasingly connected and rapidly changing, presenting daunting challenges and incredible opportunities to those willing to lead. I am grateful and proud that the people of Colorado State University — our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and partners — have never been faint of heart. Instead, we have the courage and conviction our world needs and we’re forging a bold, trailblazing path — one that requires an equally bold action plan.
Colorado State’s Courageous Strategic Transformation is that plan.”
— CSU President Joyce McConnell
Courageous Strategic Transformation
This holistic, high-level strategy lays the groundwork on which to build the future of our institution, our students, our community, and our planet. read the plan
VOICES AND STORIES
“This CST process has been truly exceptional in its inclusion, and paints a bold and compelling future for CSU!”
— Kim Jordan, Chair, CSU Board of Governors
CSU community celebrates launch of Courageous Strategic Transformation plan
Empathy. Inclusive excellence. Budget reform. Sustainability. Student access and success. These were some of the themes that emerged as Colorado State University President Joyce McConnell laid out the Courageous Strategic Transformation plan at a kickoff event March 1 in the Lory Student Center Theatre.
FIVE MINUTES
Five minutes with President Joyce McConnell
“This plan is the culmination of tremendous effort from our university community. It represents the collective perspectives and efforts of literally thousands of stakeholders, including our Board of Governors, our students, our alumni, and our employees.”
Five minutes with Provost and Executive Vice President Mary Pedersen
“Preparing students for that future is not only central to our land-grant mission, it is also essential to staying relevant as an institution. This effort requires us to be agile, adaptive, and innovative.”
Five minutes with Vice President for Student Affairs Blanche Hughes
“We recognize that Student Affairs, and higher education as a whole, have to evolve to meet the needs of tomorrow’s students and to create an inclusive culture.”
Five minutes with Yolanda Bevill, VP for University Marketing and Communications and acting VP for Enrollment and Access
“Our access mission is one of the main characteristics that separates us from other institutions in the state. As a land-grant university, ensuring that all Coloradans have the opportunity to attain a degree is the very foundation on which our university has been built.”
Five minutes with Vice President for Research Alan Rudolph
“The beauty of the land-grant mission is that it is founded in the need and passions to bring our discoveries and ideas to community and societal scale, whether that’s the ‘discovery’ — through the creative process — of a new poem or artwork, or socio-political solutions, or research done at the laboratory bench, or fieldwork in the mountains and plains.”
Five minutes with Vice President for Strategy Jenelle Beavers
“One of the best parts of my job is hearing about the fantastic research, learning, and engagement at CSU, and that was what happened here. We got more than 100 Inspiration Proposals! Even more exciting, we received proposals from faculty, staff and students, and the proposals are all inspiring, interdisciplinary, and consistent with our ‘Green and Gold’ vision.”
Five minutes with Colorado State Athletics Director Joe Parker
“Our student-athletes are the embodiment of courage in everything they face on a daily basis. Putting yourself out there every day, whether it be in practice or in competition, takes a great deal of courage, both for individuals and for teams.”
Five minutes with Vice Provost for International Affairs Kathleen Fairfax
“I think the mission of the Office of International Programs speaks right to the heart of Courageous Strategic Transformation. The plan has global interconnectedness and impact woven throughout it. Both the Office of International Programs and Courageous Strategic Transformation emphasize that it is not enough to talk about global challenges; we have to act, to have an impact.”
Five minutes with Vice President for Human Resources Robyn Fergus
“The Courageous Strategic Transformation blueprint will also help us achieve another goal for our workforce: building a common language and set of skills to support our transformational mission. Coming out of the pandemic, we know our employees will benefit from understanding the principles and best practices of change management, and for establishing a growth mindset and responding to feedback.”
Five minutes with Vice President for Engagement and Extension Blake Naughton
“Engagement and Extension is at the frontline for innovation in our education and delivery approaches for lifelong learners, building on the Extension history of sharing university research to learners in all 64 counties, continuing through innovative online and Collaboration Campus programs.”
Five minutes with Presidential Leadership Fellows Andrea Duffy and Scott Shrake
“The best part of this process has been the opportunity to engage with so many amazing people and to integrate their perspectives into a shared vision that is both aspirational and attainable. The result genuinely represents the voices of thousands of stakeholders across CSU’s diverse community, making it a highly unusual strategic plan and one that is undeniably ‘courageous.'” —Andrea Duffy