The Division of Academic Affairs has developed operational plans in support of the promise and potential of UIS’ Strategic Compass to provide students with a Premier Educational Experience. This promise rests on achieving goals associated with the directional pillars of World-Class Teaching, Experience-Engaged, Personal Attention, and Liberal Arts Skilled.

Academic Affairs Strategic Goals 2026-2028

  • Goal 1: Deliver a Mission‑Aligned, Market‑Responsive Academic Portfolio
    Academic Affairs will strengthen and support academic offerings that are high‑quality, financially sustainable, and aligned with student demand, workforce needs and community impact.
  • Goal 2: Advance Fiscal Stewardship and Operational Efficiency
    Academic Affairs will contribute to the university’s long-term financial sustainability through strategic resource management and academic innovation.
  • Goal 3: Strengthen Student Retention, Persistence, and Academic Success
    Academic Affairs will support a coordinated, student-centered ecosystem that promotes timely progression, reduces equity gaps, and enhances the student experience.
  • Goal 4: Cultivate a Culture of Excellence, Collaboration, and Continuous Improvement
    Academic Affairs will empower faculty and staff as innovators and leaders and promote a culture of evidence-based improvement and transparent governance.
  • Goal 5: Enhance Academic Impact and Visibility
    Academic Affairs will advance UIS’s identity as a public regional university that responds to community needs and contributes meaningfully to Illinois and beyond.

Year Three Progress Reports

Deans & Directors Council members and other Academic Affairs leaders presented Year Three Progress Reports on goals and plans established in 2019. Presentation sessions were offered in-person and via livestream on May 26 and 27, 2022.

Premier Educational Experience

A premier educational experience can only be fully achieved when the learning organization: 1) is capable of attracting, supporting, and retaining a high-performing faculty who reflect a diverse community of teachers and scholars; 2) is capable of visioning and implementing a curriculum that is intentional, efficient, relevant to the needs of the workforce, and responsive to the professional and personal development of students; and 3) provides facilities that are expressly designed to actively engage students and faculty in teaching and learning, scholarship, and outreach. Read more about the Division of Academic Affairs' Premier Educational Experience goals.

Key Priorities of the Directional Pillars

World-Class Teaching

Reinforce emphasis on hiring a diverse faculty with a strong commitment to excellence in teaching, improve teaching assessment and feedback systems, recognize and reward high quality teaching, invest in ongoing development of faculty efforts to integrate teaching, scholarship, outreach, and service activities. Read more about the Division of Academic Affairs World-Class Teaching goals.

Experience Engaged

Reinforce and expand current experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom, increase capability and practice of integrating experiential activities within courses, assure to the extent possible that experiential learning opportunities connect to the world beyond the campus. Read more about the Division of Academic Affairs' Experience Engaged goals.

Personal Attention

Reinforce emphasis on individualized student interactions with faculty and staff, assure classes are delivered to meet student needs, improve practices for meeting the needs of a diverse student body, partner with other units to enrich student experience. Read more about the Division of Academic Affairs' Personal Attention goals.

Liberal Arts Skilled

Strategically expand and enhance UIS’ liberal arts strengths to prepare students for the future, including integration of those strengths across all majors. Read more about the Division of Academic Affairs Liberal Arts Skilled goals.