Missouri State University has debuted its new strategic plan titled “Igniting Opportunity.” This forward-looking blueprint is designed to strengthen academic excellence, expand community partnerships and reinforce the university’s statewide public affairs mission.

This five-year game plan was announced Sept. 22 by President Richard B. Williams during the annual State of the University address. Now, he’s talking more in-depth about the plan’s goals and first-year priorities.

“It’s a very aggressive plan, but it’s very doable,” he said. “There’s a place for everyone in this plan and to contribute. In realizing this plan, it gets us to our why.”

The president says at the end of the first year, he’ll consider it a success if a handful of essential items are checked off, including things such as the strategic enrollment management plan, the brand refresh and in the first steps of reinventing the general education core.

“As we’re going through and we’re looking at budget allocation, we know what our priorities are,” he said. “The strategic plan tells us where we’re going in the next five years.

“We don’t have to question, ‘Well, do we give money to this part of campus or to that part of the campus?’ We already know because it’s in our plan. We are all unified in that direction.”

Read the full transcript