Annual Objectives
The following annual objectives and strategies are designed to advance WSU towards the realization of our mission, vision, and strategic goals. Objectives have been organized in two primary categories: Presidential Priorities and System Priorities. Presidential Priorities will be stewarded by President Kirk Schulz, while System Priorities will be stewarded by assigned leads.
Each objective aligns with the WSU System Strategic Plan and, where appropriate, with WSU campus strategic plans and other key institutional plans.
Presidential Priorities
Objective details
Lead: Kirk Schulz
Leads: Kirk Schulz, Phil Weiler
Target: $150M in new philanthropic funds
Leads: Kirk Schulz, Mike Connell
Lead: Kirk Schulz
Lead: Kirk Schulz
Due to the dynamic nature of this objective, please refer instead to the President’s messages or the WSU Insider for progress updates.
System Priorities
Objective 1: Stabilize total undergraduate student enrollment and grow new student enrollment
Target: Stabilization in total undergraduate enrollment levels from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024; Increase new undergraduate enrollment by 4% from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024
Lead: Saichi Oba
Objective 2: Decrease undergraduate retention gap between the overall university student population and special categories of students (first-generation, low-income, and people of color)
Target: A decrease in the retention gap by 1%
Lead: Bill Davis
Objective 3: Increase research competitiveness and national standing
Target: Advance three positions from 78th in FY21 to 75th in FY24 as measured by the NSF’s higher education research and development survey
Leads: Michael Wolcott, Kim Christen
Objective 4: Build and strengthen WSU’s systems and processes to support WSU’s application and
recognition as a Carnegie Classified Community-Engaged Institution for the 2026 Cycle
Leads: Doug Call, Ben Calabretta
Objective 5: Reduce faculty and staff race/ethnicity data reporting unknowns
Targets: Reduction of reporting unknowns for faculty from 32.7% to 10%; Reduction of reporting unknowns for staff from 23.3% to 10%
Lead: Lisa Guerrero
Objective 6: Advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through continuation of the Cluster Hire in Racism and Social Inequality in the Americas Program
Leads: Elizabeth Chilton, Lisa Guerrero
Objective 7: Improve financial planning and resource allocation process through implementation of a system-wide budget planning process
Lead: Leslie Brunelli
Objective 8: Develop a long-term financial plan for Intercollegiate Athletics and achieve a balanced operating budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year
Leads: Leslie Brunelli, Pat Chun
Objective 9: Increase access to actionable data that empowers WSU staff to gain valuable insights and make informed and timely decision making
Lead: Chris Hoyt
Objective 10: Create a strategic sustainability plan for the university that will set measurable goals and targets for reducing the system’s environmental impact, promote sustainable practices, and ensure a more resilient and equitable future for all stakeholders
Lead: Jeanne Weiler
Stay updated on our strategic plan
We provide regular updates on our strategic plan, keeping you well-informed as we progress towards the realization of our system strategic goals and objectives at Washington State University. These updates are sent just before our regularly scheduled Board of Regents meetings.
Please feel free to share this update with others. We appreciate your continued support as we work together to shape the future of Washington State University.