Development of a five-year strategic plan for the office of Student Affairs will begin by the end of this week.

Donna Simon, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, will oversee the process of forming five separate committees that will develop the plan.

“It’s a large process developing a five-year plan,” Simon said.

The committees vary in size, ranging from 10 to 15 members on most committees, and all will have students on them, Simon said.

Student Affairs personnel, civil service, supportive professional staff and academic personnel will make up the majority of the committee members, she said.

“Every level and area of diversity will be represented on these committees,” Simon said.

The mission and vision committee, with 10 members, will hold its first meeting at the end of this week.

A goals and strategies committee and the challenges committees will be formed and will meet soon, Simon said.

The last two committees – the publication committee and the assessment committee – will be formed later this semester and start meeting during the spring semester.

Simon was an assistant to Brian Hemphill, vice president for Student Affairs, at the University of Arkansas last year. She became Hemphill’s assistant at NIU Sept. 1.

“Everybody has been very welcoming and open,” Simon said. “We are in a very competitive academic environment here.”

Students interested in joining the committees can contact Donna Simon at 753-1573.

Core values the Student Affairs office will use to set up its five-year plan:

1. Student-centered service

2. Partnerships focused on student learning

3. Establishing an inclusive community

4. Active commitment to building collaborative relationships campus wide

Five-year plan committees and what they will be looking at:

1. Mission and vision committee will set a mission and vision statement for Student Affairs.

2. Goals and strategies committee will set and revise the goals and strategies Student Affairs will use to comply with the core values in place.

3. Challenges and issues committee will look at issues and challenges student affairs will face in regards to higher education in Illinois and as a whole.

4. Publication committee will publish the Student Affairs plan.

5. Assessment committee will help develop tools and ways of assessing whether Student Affairs has attained its goals

Source: Donna Simon, assistant vice president for Student Affairs