BYU-Idaho is taking a focused approach to achieving its mission through the use of 11 strategic priorities to keep the university’s aim on target.
Under the guidelines established by President’s Executive Group and President’s Council discussions in 2016 and 2017, the university’s strategic plan is designed to give faculty, staff, and administrators a clear understanding of the university’s focus—to ensure that any newly proposed ideas are in line with BYU-Idaho’s overarching goals.
Currently, 11 strategic priorities make up the strategic plan:
Discipleship in the Classroom
Student Honor
Student Success and Retention
Accreditation
Curriculum Improvement
Course of the Future
Learning, Innovation, and Collaboration
Employment
BYU-Pathway Worldwide Relationship
Strategic Enrollment Management
BYU-Idaho Cost
“The priorities help us all go the same direction. The better we understand where the university is heading and who has responsibility for each part, the better we will all be at aligning our efforts,” said Managing Director of Institutional Research Ben Fryar.
Fryar says campus leaders have already seen how outlining the university’s top priorities can make a difference in improving outcomes.
“One area where the university is making good progress is improving summer session, which is part of the Enrollment Management priority. It’s exciting—the important parts are in place to move this forward: a clear goal, broad visibility, a point of coordination, and so on. Ecclesiastical leaders and areas across campus are really engaged. It’s fun to see ideas emerge and how the structure is in place to act on those ideas,” Fryar said.
The strategic priorities make it easier for faculty and staff to align their goals with the university’s.
“I think the priorities can help us all better understand why decisions are made because we see them in the context of the priority,” Fryar said.
Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Accreditation Boyd Baggett says strategic priorities also give every department a greater opportunity to transition meaningful ideas to a reality that benefits BYU-Idaho as a whole.
“We’ve got little projects trying to make a positive difference all across campus. For example, there are all these things happening in the various departments to improve curriculum. If people are aware of the top priorities, they can make sure that even the little projects that are taking place are aligned with the direction the university is going,” Baggett said.
The university understands the value that each employee brings and is striving to hear and implement those thoughts to make BYU-Idaho the best it can be. Fryar explained that the newly organized priorities enable employees to use their ideas and inspiration to do more for students.
“By establishing clarity about where we are going, we can better tap into the talents and inspiration of the people who work here,” Fryar said.
President’s Council will be receiving regular reports on the university’s efforts of each priority throughout the year. Be sure to look in News & Notes for regular updates on how the various offices and departments across campus are working in these key areas.