A strategic plan serves as a roadmap for Saint Martin’s University, guiding our decisions and initiatives over the next five years to ensure we continue to fulfill our mission and meet the evolving needs of our students, faculty, staff, and community.
While the 2022 strategic plan laid a strong foundation, much has changed since that time. Recognizing these shifts, the Board of Trustees has called for an updated plan—one that reflects our current challenges, opportunities, and aspirations. This new plan will closely align with our Catholic Benedictine mission and position Saint Martin’s for a strong and sustainable future.
What is a strategic plan?
A strategic plan is a forward-thinking framework that outlines our institutional priorities, goals and initiatives. It serves as a guiding document to ensure that our decisions align with our mission and long-term vision. The process involves gathering input from the campus community, identifying key opportunities and challenges, and setting actionable goals that will shape our university's future. At the end of the process, the Board of Trustees will be the final vote for approval and implementation.
Our guiding philosophy
At Saint Martin’s University, our strategic planning process is grounded in our Catholic Benedictine values, emphasizing community, stewardship and stability. This plan is designed to:
- Strengthen academic excellence and student success.
- Enhance access and affordability for all students.
- Foster an inclusive and engaged campus community.
- Promote financial sustainability and responsible stewardship of resources.
- Build strong partnerships with external stakeholders to support our mission.
This approach ensures that we remain true to our mission while adapting to the evolving landscape of higher education.
Looking back: the 2022 strategic plan
The 2022 strategic plan was developed with considerable effort and dedication from the campus community, laying a strong foundation for Saint Martin’s University. While it was a well-crafted and thoughtful plan, the landscape of higher education has changed significantly since its implementation. The Board of Trustees has called for a new plan that builds upon the strengths of the 2022 plan while addressing the evolving needs of our students, faculty and institution. Not all parts of the previous plan are obsolete, and we will take into account its successes as we shape the path forward. Additionally, the current campus survey includes a question specifically asking for reflections on the 2022 plan to help inform this next phase.
Campus community survey
Your voice is essential in shaping the future of Saint Martin’s University. To ensure broad input, a campus-wide survey was launched on March 31 and remained open until April 16. This survey was designed to collect feedback on key priorities, challenges and opportunities that should be addressed in the strategic plan.
A student survey with tailored questions was launched on April 14 and remained open through April 18 to collect responses from students.
Strategic Planning Committee
The Strategic Planning Committee is composed of representatives from across campus, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and expertise. This committee is responsible for reviewing feedback, developing key priorities and crafting the final strategic plan.
Co-chairs:
- Dr. Tim Madeley, Vice President of Business and Chief Financial Officer (email)
- Dr. Don Conant, Faculty Senate President (AY 2025-26), Department Chair and Professor of Business Administration and Economics (email)
Committee members:
- Abbot Marion Nguyen, O.S.B., and Prior Nicolaus Wilson, O.S.B., from Saint Martin’s Abbey and the Board of Trustees
- Pat Rants and Tedi Reynolds '71 from the Board of Trustees
- Kaycee Selga, chair, (email) and Olivia Rackham (email) from the Staff Welfare Committee
- Dr. Kayla Blyman (email) and Dr. Ramon Luzarraga (email) from the Faculty Senate
- Avril Regis, president, (email) and Brittany Holland, vice president, (email) from the Associated Students of Saint Martin’s University (ASSMU)
- Members of the President’s Cabinet
Timeline
The strategic planning process will take place over several months to ensure thorough discussion, analysis and collaboration. Below is an outline of key milestones:
- March 31: Campus-wide survey launched to gather input and feedback.
- April 16: Deadline for survey completion.
- May 1: The first campus town hall will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, in the Cebula Hall 3rd Floor Event Space and over Zoom. The purpose of this event is to present initial findings from the survey and gather additional feedback.
- May 2: The second campus town hall will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2, in the Cebula Hall 3rd Floor Event Space and over Zoom. The purpose of this event is to present initial findings from the survey and gather additional feedback for those unable to attend the first session.
- Summer Months: The Strategic Planning Committee will meet to develop the draft strategic plan.
- August 21: At the faculty and staff convocation, the near-final plan will be shared with the campus community for review and feedback before moving toward implementation.
- September 15-16: Presentation of the Strategic Plan to the Board of Trustees during the September quarterly board meeting to vote on approving and implementing the plan.
Contact
The campus community is encouraged to stay engaged throughout this process. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to us through one of the following methods:
- Email: strategicplan@stmartin.edu
- Strategic Planning Committee representative: Connect with your committee representative listed above on this webpage for updates and to share your input.
- President’s cabinet administrator: Contact your department’s administrator for more information and to share your input.
Saint Martin’s University is committed to a strategic planning process that is collaborative, inclusive and forward-thinking. Thank you for being an essential part of shaping our future.