Our strategic priorities come to life through a set of focused projects that translate vision into measurable progress. Each project is designed to advance our North Star of Social Mobility and strengthen the financial and operational vitality that sustains it. Some projects have a clear beginning, middle, and end, while others are more enduring – and as some projects are completed, we will add new ones in ways that respond to and anticipate the needs of students and the region. Together, these efforts will help BSU and NTC build momentum, align resources, and demonstrate impact across our campuses and region.

Advancing Applied & Experiential Learning

  1. Transfer Acceleration Team: Establish a dedicated cross-functional team to streamline transfer recruitment and admission processes, pathways, award credit for prior learning, and remove barriers for transfer and adult learners. We anticipate a two-year timeline for this team to establish transfer-friendly policies and practices (BSU), implement “transition” partnerships with every two-year public and Tribal college in Northern Minnesota (BSU), and add transfer programs designed for adult learners (NTC).
  2. Instructional Technology Investment: Enhance accessible teaching and learning through modern instructional technologies and digital tools that support multimodal and applied learning. Our goal is to upgrade classroom technologies strategically through the 2026 calendar year and then focus our attention on industrial, science, health, and other labs. (BSU & NTC)
  3. Office of Sponsored Programs: By the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, establish an Office of Sponsored Programs to support faculty efforts to pursue externally funded grants and awards for scholarly and creative achievement or research and to enhance programmatic and institutional grant-writing endeavors. (BSU & NTC)
  4. New Programs Team: Develop, screen, and implement new academic programs based on relevance, student demand, and regional workforce needs. We will have completed this project once teams and processes are formed in keeping with existing academic shared governance structures that clarify how strategic outcomes and threads inform ongoing program decisions. (NTC)

Centering Our People

  1. Student and Employee Professional Advancement Hub: By the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, create a unified hub that supports and coordinates internships and externships, professional development, leadership growth, and recognition for current students and employees, supporting success, collaboration, and shared institutional pride. (BSU & NTC)
  2. Student One-Stop: Create a unified, student-centered service experience where students can seamlessly utilize a wide range of essential campus resources through a more accessible, familiar front-of-face support environment, improving navigation of institutional systems for students. While the timing for completion will depend on facility planning and funding, we will target a three- to five-year timeline for this project. (BSU)
  3. Population Density Strategy for Student Engagement: Evaluate and enhance on-campus living, learning, athletic, cocurricular, and community spaces to promote accessibility, engagement, belonging, and cross-campus connection. This project will extend from our forthcoming comprehensive facilities plan. Where possible, we will establish progress milestones and timelines after completing the facilities planning process. (BSU & NTC)

Promoting Our Value

  1. NASNTI Status: Because the Federal government is not currently accepting new NASNTI applications we anticipate adjusting this project, more details to come. (BSU & NTC)
  2. Comprehensive Marketing Initiative: Develop a centralized brand and communications hub – tied to the development of a new website – to strengthen storytelling, ensure consistency, and elevate institutional visibility. The final project will be completed by the end of the 2026-2027 fiscal year. (BSU & NTC)
  3. Office of Strategic Institutional Research and Effectiveness: By the end of the 2026 calendar year, establish an Office of Strategic Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE). This office, which will serve as the organization home for the Office of Sponsored Programs, will create institution-wide data systems and analytic capacity to inform decisions, share strategically identified data and reports through user-friendly dashboards, monitor and track outcomes, and demonstrate impact across both campuses.
Implementation & Accountability: How We’ll Bring It To Life