MAY 2023- At Seattle University, we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive community for all students. Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 3: Enhance the Student Experience working group Know and Use Student Pronouns and Chosen Name will provide students with the opportunity to share their name and/or pronouns. Once a student provides name and/or pronoun information, they will begin sharing that information across many university tools and offices automatically.
APRIL 2023- The Address Student Health and Wellness working group has been developing a three-year Mental Health & Wellness Strategic Plan. They expect to complete a final draft of the plan by the end of the 2023 academic year. Some of the key areas where they have made progress include:
MARCH 2023- The Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 4: Promote Inclusive Excellence working group Recruitment and Retention of BIPOC Faculty has released a guidebook on Seattle University’s Faculty Search Protocols. This resource highlights the new mission-aligned and inclusively excellent protocols for hiring faculty. View the Overview and Summary here.
The Recruitment and Retention of BIPOC Staff working group has been created and is establishing their initial goals.
JANUARY 2023- During Winter Quarter 2023, the Office of the Provost and Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 3: Enhance the Student Experience working group Build Academic and Student Affairs hosted student experience workshops to allow the Seattle University community to engage in a series of discussions on topics important to the experience and success of students. These workshops were designed to solicit ideas and input on how this group could best achieve their objectives.
JANUARY 2023- On January 25, Seattle University’s The Newsroom posted a new update on the Provost Fellows. This article explores the formation of the Provost Fellows program and the key duties of this group within Reigniting Our Strategic Directions. It also details:
The Provost Fellows hope to inspire universities across the country to engage in similar transformative action as they work to implement strategic change at Seattle University.
DECEMBER 2022- The Center for Jesuit Education (CJE) and the Sundborg Center for Community Engagement (CCE) co-hosted a one-day community immersion focusing on Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 1: Reimagine and Revise Our Curriculum. They designed the day for Provost Fellows from the working groups to mix with community leaders through experiences in local neighborhoods. During the day they visited the sites of the three Community Engaged Learning “Community Fellows.”
Immersion Goals:
DECEMBER 2022- Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 3 working group Strengthen and Align the Path to Matriculation completed multiple objectives over the course of Fall Quarter 2022. These accomplishments enhance how orientation and resources for incoming students will function in the future.
DECEMBER 2022- Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 3 working group Enhance the Student Employment Experience has made many advances in their mission to improve student employment at Seattle University:
JULY 2022- The period from when an admitted applicant makes a deposit in the spring to their full participation as a student in the fall is a critical part of the student’s experience and a key component of enrollment success.
At Seattle University, through engagement with orientation and transition programs rooted in Jesuit education, new students will develop a sense of belonging, engage in personal formation, explore inclusive excellence, commit to academic excellence and embrace their independence by the end of their first year. Seattle University has streamlined academic advising and course registration and created new resources for incoming students, including Roadmap and Timeline graphics and the launch of their Guidebook App.
Nick Cubita, Ed.D., Director of Orientation, guides this work in addition to serving as the coordinator of Seattle University’s communication efforts to all incoming undergraduate students.
Visit the Seattle University Orientation page to see this work in action
APRIL 2022- Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, PhD, returns to Seattle University to serve in the newly created role of Vice President for Mission Integration. She has served in various roles at the university and was Director of Catholic Studies and the inaugural Director for the Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture. Working with President Peñalver, Catherine will facilitate and coordinate mission-related activities across the university, including the re-constituted Mission Council.
Read the President's Announcement
APRIL 2022- In partnership with contributors across campus, the Office of Strategic Initiatives presents the Strategic Conversations series. These interactive conversations aim to bring awareness and understanding to the five goals of Reigniting Our Strategic Directions. Our hosts and presenters represent the working groups carrying out Seattle University’s strategic initiatives and goals. Each meaningful conversation is an opportunity for our community to learn, grow and collectively support a better tomorrow for Seattle University. Attendees are encouraged to bring their unique voices, insights, feedback and questions in person or via Zoom.
APRIL 2022- The Open Education Task Force is exploring open education and open educational resources (OER) at Seattle University. These resources for faculty and students are free of legal, financial and technical barriers. The task force has made notable progress in several areas, including facilitating Seattle University’s membership in the Open Education Network, a community of colleges and universities working together to promote the use of open educational materials in higher education. April’s faculty workshop gave insight into what makes an OER and welcomed attendees to review an item from the Open Textbook Library. In addition, the Open Education Task Force has launched a new website for the community to learn more about OER at Seattle University.
MARCH 2022- The newly launched Provost Fellows encourages faculty to help advance the academic goals of Reigniting Our Strategic Directions. Fellowships will be filled by faculty with expertise in key curricular themes and related areas of curricular design, pedagogy and holistic student engagement and success. The Fellows will be selected through a competitive application and review process, compensated with course releases and stipends, and charged with bringing a scholarly lens to their work. Collectively, the Fellows will ensure the work of our strategic implementation is informed by the best practices of scholarship and the literature relevant to our work.
MARCH 2022- Seattle University has recently announced a new benefit program with Landed designed to support faculty and staff on the path to homeownership. Landed’s work to address social inequities and wealth gaps in the housing market aligns with the university’s mission and values and Reigniting Our Strategic Directions initiatives. The benefits of working with Landed include in-depth homebuyer education, support through the buying process and down payment assistance through a shared equity program.
Visit Human Resources for more information
FEBRUARY 2022- The Provost Convocation opened with remarks from Frank Shih and President Eduardo Peñalver, who focused on the future of Seattle University. Provost Shane P. Martin's in-depth and inspiring presentation Reigniting Our Strategic Directions: A New Way Forward explored the university's challenges and opportunities. He touched on several areas of importance, including shifts in the higher education landscape, Seattle University's response to our changing world, enrollment and recruitment.
Watch the Video
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FEBRUARY 2022- Seattle University has announced its collaboration with TimelyMD, the only student-first telehealth provider that offers a complete care solution. This important step forward in Seattle University’s commitment to student health and wellness aligns with the initiatives of Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 3: Enhance the Student Experience. Integrating TimelyMD into existing services improves access and expands care for students. The working group charged with addressing student health and wellness was integral to bringing TimelyMD to our students. Co-chairs Kim Caluza and James Willette, along with other university leaders, facilitated the work of identifying the immediate need for changes in support of student health and wellness. In response to their findings, the group selected TimelyMD and established the agreement.
OCTOBER 2021- President Eduardo Peñalver hosted the first open forum for Reigniting Our Strategic Directions before finalizing the draft of Seattle University's strategic plan that will be presented to the Board of Trustees in mid-November. This first open forum broadened the discussion of the strategic plan to the wider campus community for feedback and questions. President Peñalver presented the five goals and fielded questions from students, faculty and staff. Input from the president's meetings with various shared governance groups and those who attended the forum were considered for inclusion in the draft for the Board of Trustees. Going forward, President Peñalver intends to host additional open forum sessions as the work surrounding Reigniting Our Strategic Directions gets underway.
Read the President's Announcement