Take Root and Rise

We will conduct a university-wide, holistic review of all academic programs. Evaluate the relevance and responsiveness of majors, minors, and certificates to student and workforce demands. Identify curricular innovations, potential collaborations, faculty expertise, and emerging resource allocation and pedagogy needs to support student success. This initiative will ensure a vibrant and future-focused array of programs, supported by high-quality instruction and sufficient resources to sustain growth and remain competitive.

We will review and revise Indiana State’s core curriculum to respond to the intellectual needs of today’s learners and embed career-aligned competencies, ensuring students develop and understand essential workplace skills and tools through applied learning experiences. We will partner with industry to support faculty development in designing and delivering critical, career-aligned content. 

We will design and implement customizable academic pathways that incorporate stackable credentials, credit for prior learning, and flexible delivery formats, as well as career-connected, high-impact learning experiences. We will enhance recruitment, retention, and outcomes for students by expanding high-quality, cost-effective educational pathways that shorten time-to-degree and enhance graduates’ career-readiness, working directly with industry partners through the Indiana State Preferred Partners Program.

We will create a centralized location for academic advising, financial aid, career coaching, and registrar services through Sycamore One Stop. We will assess, enhance, and promote the Sycamore One Stop to ensure every student can be served across various university resources in one location. The Sycamore One Stop reduces administrative barriers, clarifies communication, and provides timely intervention to prevent bottlenecks, promoting student persistence and satisfaction.

We will embed high-impact, experiential learning opportunities, building on the Indiana State Experience Grant, throughout every stage of a student’s academic career to ensure Sycamores connect with industry experts and employers early and often. Promote the expansion of internships, research, and service-learning, reducing barriers to career development and allowing students to apply classroom learning in real-world settings. 

We will build an integrated, student-centered engagement experience that removes barriers, increases access, and empowers all students, including on-campus, commuter, and online learners, to participate meaningfully in experiential learning, co-curricular involvement, and essential support services. In this way, we will strengthen belonging, wellness, and student success by coordinating systems, simplifying processes, and expanding access to high-impact experiences.

A diverse working group will assess university operations to identify inefficiencies, communication silos, and opportunities for stronger collaboration that enhance employee performance and the student experience. The group will evaluate paper-based and manual processes and transition them to efficient digital workflows while phasing out outdated technologies, consolidating platforms, and better utilizing existing systems to streamline operations and create a more responsive, sustainable university environment.

We will explore, select, and implement an integrated digital platform that centralizes academic advising, career services, mental health, financial aid, and other student support data. This platform will facilitate coordinated outreach, proactive interventions, and real-time analytics to support student progression. It will integrate with selective technologies we have currently, but will allow for redundant technologies to be sunset and condensed into one system.

We will design and implement a comprehensive professional development, mentorship, and well-being program to retain, engage, and empower faculty and staff. TREE will support career advancement, leadership development, faculty research, succession planning, and workplace well-being, fostering a cohesive, motivated university workforce in which each employee embraces the Culture of Care and their unique contribution to students’ career preparation.