Why This Plan Matters Now
JSU is entering an important period of opportunity. The University has strong institutional pride, a powerful HBCU legacy, growing research visibility and deep community connection. At the same time, stakeholder feedback and institutional data point to the need for stronger execution, clearer priorities, measurable outcomes and sustained follow-through.
The next strategic plan will help JSU define where it is going, how progress will be measured and how the University will align people, resources and accountability around shared goals.
The Mission, Vision and Values session found broad agreement that the plan must be specific enough to guide decisions, clear enough to support stakeholder buy-in and measurable enough to track progress.
The engagement synthesis was even more direct: JSU's opportunity is not lack of pride or vision but strengthening execution systems.
Work Completed So Far
We have been working for several months, with support from MGT, a firm specializing in higher education strategic planning, to collect community feedback and insights to guide our planning process.
Environmental Scan and Peer Review
The strategic plan committee, along with university leaders and MGT, reviewed demographic, economic, workforce, K-12, institutional, financial and peer-comparison data.
Mission, Vision and Values Session
JSU leaders reviewed the University's current mission, vision and values and discussed how they can be more concise, memorable, student-centered and future-focused.
Stakeholder Interviews
Stakeholder interviews identified recurring themes, including identity and culture, housing and infrastructure, student success, retention, customer service, research, workforce development, branding, community impact, and employee capacity.
Focus Groups
More than 50 participants — including students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members — shared perspectives on what JSU does well and where the University must improve.
Survey Feedback
Nearly 2,000 responses from students, alumni, faculty, staff, supporters and partners provided feedback on JSU's strengths, challenges, student success priorities, communication needs, employee experience, community impact and strategic priorities.
Strengths to Build On
Early feedback confirms what many already know: JSU's identity, culture, HBCU legacy, committed people, alumni loyalty and role as a community anchor are powerful strengths. Stakeholders consistently described JSU as a place of pride, belonging, leadership development and possibility.
JSU identity and HBCU legacy — Stakeholders consistently affirmed JSU's culture, pride, HBCU identity, alumni loyalty and role as a community anchor.
Student-centered community — Students, faculty, staff and alumni described JSU as a place that develops and supports leaders, serves students whom others may overlook and creates belonging.
Research and academic potential — The environmental scan identifies research as a major institutional strength, with high levels of external research activity and opportunities to elevate academic and research storytelling.
Brand and visibility — JSU's brand is strong, especially around HBCU cultural capital, upward mobility, and regional-to-national visibility. The opportunity is to tell a fuller story that includes academics, research, workforce impact and community transformation.
Emerging Planning Themes
Based on engagement findings and data analysis, several planning themes are beginning to emerge. These themes will be refined through additional committee review and campus feedback. We want to continue to hear from the community about which of these planning concepts should be included in JSU's next strategic plan to maximize the university's future success.
Student Success, Retention and Completion
Enrollment Growth and Market Expansion
Research, Graduate Education and Innovation
Workforce Development and Career Competitiveness
Housing, Infrastructure and Campus Experience
Brand, Storytelling and Institutional Identity
Community and Economic Development
Operational Excellence and Customer Service
Employee Capacity and Culture
How Feedback Is Being Used
Input from surveys, interviews, focus groups, committee discussions, institutional data and environmental analysis is being used to shape draft strategic priorities, goals, metrics and implementation expectations. The committee will review this information before draft recommendations are shared more broadly.
The final plan will not simply list aspirations. It will identify priorities, measurable outcomes, responsible owners, timelines and the resources needed to support implementation.
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Community Input Collected
Surveys, interviews, focus groups and committee discussions gather broad perspectives from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.
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Institutional Data & Environmental Analysis
Input is synthesized alongside institutional data and environmental analysis to identify themes and strategic needs.
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Draft Strategic Priorities, Goals & Metrics
The Strategic Planning Committee uses synthesized findings to develop draft priorities, goals and metrics for broader review.
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Campus Review, Feedback & Prioritization
Draft elements are shared for additional review, feedback and prioritization before the final plan is completed.
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Final Plan with Named Owners & Timelines
The final plan identifies priorities, measurable outcomes, responsible owners, timelines and the resources needed to support implementation.
Timeline and Next Steps
Phase I — Discovery & Engagement
Discovery, data review, Mission, Vision and Values session, interviews, focus groups, survey analysis and environmental scan.
Synthesis & Draft Priority Development
Synthesis of findings, draft priority development and committee review.
Phase II — Strategic Plan Development
Campus feedback on draft priorities, refinement of goals and metrics, campus review of strategic plan, revisions and final strategic plan development.
Phase III — Implementation and Assessment
Implementation will include designated champions and working teams, progress reporting, a public dashboard, regular updates and ongoing monitoring.
Ways to Stay Involved
The planning process is moving forward and your engagement is needed. JSU community members will have additional opportunities to review emerging priorities, provide feedback and help shape the final plan.
Contact a Committee Member
Reach out directly to a member of the Strategic Planning Committee.
Meet the CommitteeReview frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions about the planning process.
View FAQShare the planning page with your unit or student organization
Help us reach every member of the JSU community.
Share PageOn behalf of the Jackson State University Strategic Planning Committee
Meet the Committee
The Strategic Planning Committee is leading JSU's next strategic plan development process. Committee members represent faculty, staff and alumni perspectives across the university community.
Dr. Dawn Bishop McLin
Faculty
Tenured Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Arianna C. Stokes
Administrator
Deputy Transformation Officer
Dr. Carl Cunningham, Jr.
Alumnus
Dean of Students, Bishop State Community College
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the content of the strategic plan already been decided?
No. The committee is using engagement findings and institutional data to develop draft priorities that will be reviewed and refined before the plan is finalized.
Who is leading the process?
The Strategic Planning Committee is leading the process, with support from MGT, a higher ed planning firm with 50 years of experience helping higher education institutions across the country accelerate planning for a successful and vibrant future.
How is stakeholder feedback being used?
Feedback is being synthesized into themes that will inform strategic priorities, goals, metrics and implementation expectations. Responses to the draft survey will assist with finalizing the plan.
Will the final plan include measurable goals?
Absolutely. A recurring message from stakeholders is that the plan must include clear measures, owners, timelines, funding alignment and public progress updates which are all part of the implementation and assessment phase III. Ultimately, we want a comprehensive and inspiring strategic plan that is a living document the campus community can use to see where we're going together and assess our progress along the way.
How will JSU keep the community informed?
Updates will be shared via email and on the strategic planning website.