Our Strategic Plan
Welcome to Excellence by Design: 2024-2030, the strategic plan for Illinois State University. Strategic planning has been at the forefront of the University for several decades and has guided it through growth and success as a nationally recognized leader in higher education.
The University finds itself uniquely positioned to build and expand on the successes of our rich past to take the necessary steps to respond to the needs of future students while still providing our inimitable Redbird culture and learning experiences.
A message from President Tarhule
I am pleased to present Illinois State University’s strategic plan, Excellence by Design: 2024-2030. This new plan is a shining example of our commitment to shared governance, with faculty, staff, students, and campus stakeholders playing an active role in contributing to the creation of this document. Guided by a strong foundational design and building on our past strategic plan, Educate • Connect • Elevate: Illinois State: 2018-2023, the plan emphasizes Illinois State’s commitment to excellence through continued improvement to shape an exciting future.
Excellence by Design: 2024-2030 will serve as a practical guide for all units within the University for planning and resource allocation decisions, while also providing actionable tracking for our stated goals. This plan will guide Illinois State as it forges a new educational path across the next five years. I, along with the rest of the University community, look forward to taking this journey with our Redbirds. After all, excellence does not just “happen” at Illinois State University, it is there by design.
What's Next
Implementation of Excellence by Design: 2024-2030 is underway. The Strategic Planning Steering Team is overseeing all activities and Excellence by Design Champions are in place to lead the advancement of the goals and metrics in each strategic direction.
Assessment is intregral to the success of the strategic plan. The Excellence by Design Year 1 Progress Report was shared with the Illinois State University Board of Trustees in October 2026.
Excellence by Design Year 1 Progress Report
More information is included on the "Implementation" page.