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About the Plan Development

Saint Louis University's strategic plan is concise by design, but it reflects an expansive process of inquiry and engagement led by a Strategic Planning Steering Committee. Faculty, staff, students, trustees, University leaders and community stakeholders all contributed to the work.

Students walk past a window in SLU's Cook Hall as sunlight pours through.
 

Thank you to all those who attended convenings — which drew more than 600 community members — responded to surveys, participated in focus groups, and joined interviews and conversations. Though we heard many voices — and they did not always speak in unison — several themes emerged consistently across groups:

  • SLU’s community shares a deep commitment to our Jesuit mission. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees see that mission animating our work to educate students, advance knowledge, and serve humanity in St. Louis, Madrid, and around the world. They also recognize distinctive strengths on which SLU can build for greater impact.
  • There is also broad recognition that we are not always organized to realize those strengths and aspirations fully. Structures, systems and processes can create barriers to supporting our students, advancing excellent research and scholarship, and working effectively across the University. Reaching our potential will require greater strategic focus and a willingness to change how we work.

These themes, along with many more specific insights gathered throughout the process, helped us map the landscape, diagnose the opportunities and challenges we face, and shape the vision and strategy, initiatives and actions in this plan.

Acknowledgements

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee undertook significant work on a demanding timeline. Its findings and recommendations contributed to both this strategic plan and other Saint Louis University initiatives already underway. 

Special thanks are owed to the planning team chairs: Chris Rollins, Core Management; Steven Sanchez, Student Success; Ellen Barnidge, Research and Scholarship; Jennifer Giancola, Enrollment; and Anthony Breitbach, Athletics. Embedding our mission in our work, Virginia Herbers guided the SLU community through an Ignatian process of communal discernment during four major convenings. In addition, SLU student leaders organized advisory groups that ensured student perspectives informed each aspect of the plan’s development. 

Consultants from CiTTA Partnership challenged our thinking and helped us synthesize the insights gathered through this process into this draft, with support from SLU team members. 

Committee Members

Each steering committee member was part of a planning team dedicated to one of four core areas of inquiry: enrollment, student success, research and scholarship, and athletics.

  • Eric Armbrecht, Ph.D., School of Medicine
  • Ellen Barnidge, Ph.D., Office of the Vice President for Research
  • Anthony Breitbach, Ph.D., Doisy College of Health Sciences
  • Jean Marie Cox, Enrollment Management
  • Matt Davis, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
  • Scott Duellman, Ph.D., School for Professional Studies and Chaifetz School of Business
  • Jennifer Giancola, Ph.D., School for Professional Studies
  • Claire Gilbert, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences
  • Matt Goodwin, Ph.D., Student Development
  • Stacey Harrington, J.D., Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
  • Jesse Helton, Ph.D., School of Social Work
  • Virginia Herbers, Mission and Identity
  • Brittany Hollister, Ph.D., School of Medicine
  • Jeff Jackson, Ph.D., Career Services
  • Neil Jansen, Chaifetz School of Business
  • Nate Kinsey, Ph.D., School of Science and Engineering
  • Laurie Mazzuca, Ph.D., Saint Louis University—Madrid
  • Adriana Montaño, Ph.D., School of Medicine
  • Janet Oberle, Ph.D., Athletics
  • Nicci Roach, Office of the President
  • Chris Rollins, J.D., School of Law and Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
  • Mike Ross, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences and Faculty Athletics Representative
  • Steve Sanchez, Ph.D., Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
  • Chris Tinson, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences
  • Danielle Uy, J.D., General Counsel