MCSD 6th-grader steals show as Columbus State announces 2018-23 strategic plan

Columbus State University president Chris Markwood, with help on stage from faculty, staff, students and partners, presented CSU’s 2018-23 strategic plan Tuesday in the University Hall auditorium. And perhaps the youngest participant best summed up the effort’s significance.

The plan, titled “Imagine Your Impact,” has six strategic initiatives: academic excellence; student-centered campus; innovation and creativity; partnerships; leadership; and institutional sustainability. For sixth-grader Christian Youngs of Richards Middle School, however, the actions behind those words will be what matters.

Youngs is a Columbus Scholar, he explained to the audience, “which means if I keep my grades up and stay out of trouble, I have a scholarship waiting for me when I get to Columbus State University in a few years. I am not really sure what a strategic plan is, but I am glad you are thinking about the future of Columbus State University. My dream is to have an impact on the world, and I know CSU is the school that will help my dreams come true.”

Such a dream echoed the way Markwood started the presentation, telling his oft-repeated story about lunching during his first day on the job at CSU in 2015 with Bill Turner, the Columbus philanthropist who died July 31. Turner advised him, “Dream big. Too many people who come from outside Columbus don’t realize how we do things here. Dream big, make your case to the community, and, if it is a good idea, people will support it.”

Markwood added, “Today, with our new five-year strategic plan, we are doing just that. We are dreaming big — bigger than ever. We are becoming more than a destination university. We have developed into more than a first-choice institution. We offer more than a comprehensive curriculum. As we look to the future, Columbus State will and should be a model of empowerment.”

CSU’s previous five-year strategic plan, developed under former president Tim Mescon, had focused on becoming a first-choice institution and driving sustainable growth.

The 2018-23 strategic plan also has goals and action items. Here are the goals for each strategic initiative:

Academic excellence

▪ “Maintain a culture of continuous assessment and improvement throughout the university.”

▪ “Increase the productivity of faculty and students in scholarship through research and creative endeavors in order to elevate the academic reputation of the university.”

Student-centered campus

▪ “Identify and support programs that are priorities for the university and have the potential to attract significant enrollment.”

▪ “Strengthen efforts to recruit, educate, retain and graduate a growing body of diverse students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.”

▪ “Increase student engagement with the campus and with the community.”

▪ “Promote, encourage, and support an inclusive campus climate that welcomes all constituents.”

▪ “Provide a safe and secure campus environment.”

Innovation and creativity

▪ “Balance instructional, service and research loads to enhance faculty productivity and to encourage innovative and creative collaboration on research and learning by faculty and students.”

▪ “Promote and reward innovation in teaching, support services, research and experiential learning.”

▪ “Provide innovative and creative learning resources, research opportunities and information technologies.”

Partnerships

▪ “Develop and maintain strong partnerships with P-20 institutions in the region.”

▪ “Build, sustain, and promote mutually beneficial relationships with the Columbus community and beyond.”

▪ “Increase external engagement and philanthropic support.”

▪ “Support the Columbus 2025 initiative to enhance regional economic and workforce development and the creative economy.”

▪ “Increase philanthropic gift support and alumni participation through University Advancement initiatives.”

Leadership

▪ “Increase faculty and staff development opportunities.”

▪ “Increase student development opportunities.”

▪ “Establish servant leadership as a concept practiced throughout the university.”

Institutional sustainability

▪ “Sustain and support growth through increasing institutional efficiencies.”

▪ “Demonstrate environmental sustainability.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 1:42 PM with the headline "MCSD 6th-grader steals show as Columbus State announces 2018-23 strategic plan."