• Strategic Framework
• Synthesizers
• Mission
• Vision
• Core Values
• Strategy
• Goals

Strategic Planning Update

May 18, 2009

Dear CSU Dominguez Hills Community and Friends:

W hat an incredible journey we have traveled together since I first announced that we would be engaging the entire CSU Dominguez Hills´ Community to help create a Strategic Framework for our future!

In February, we launched a web-based survey to help everyone to begin thinking about what becoming a "model urban university" might actually mean for us here at Dominguez Hills. Additionally we held 11 Town Hall meetings to engage students, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders in an interactive process to learn about your aspirations for CSU Dominguez Hills. Over 800 of you provided feedback through one or more of these opportunities.

In March a group of Synthesizers met for three days to review all of the feedback for the purpose of capturing and bringing forth the voice of the university community in the development of the key elements of the Strategic Framework. They continued to review the documents throughout the spring. Every single word presented here was discussed, vetted and held against the data collected to make sure we were representing what we heard the various constituencies say about their hopes and dreams for our university.

I am proud and excited to present to you the results of this challenging and thoughtful process in the form of statements of mission, vision, core values and major themes for CSU Dominguez Hills that will guide us into the future. The themes include Transformation, Accessibility, and Service. It now becomes our task to determine how we will bring alive all of these concepts and principles through our strategies, processes, major milestones activities, and even through our own day-to-day conversations and behaviors. Our first year will be an exciting one during which we will build the foundation for our success in the future.

I would like to invite each of you to read and think about the strategic framework that is enclosed and the opportunities and challenges that this direction sets forth for all of us. I welcome your questions, comments and feedback on the work to date. If you have anything you would like to communicate regarding the strategic framework please do so at http://www.csudh.edu/strategicplanning/feedback.

In the fall we will take the next step as we begin the process of identifying strategic goals and actions that will allow us to accomplish the institutional goals. Every department chair and leader across campus will be asked set aside some time during the August/September to meet with their teams and consider how we will operationalize our plan. When you meet together the assignment is: To think seriously about what you can do and contribute, both as individuals and as members of departments and work teams, to achieving our institutional goals. What ideas do you have for measurable actions, through the work that you do? How can your efforts complement those of others? What processes in your own areas of accountability might you improve? And, how can we, through our collective efforts, move closer to the future we desire?

At that time I will also ask department leaders to send a quick note to let us know of the dates, times, and locations of these meetings. Additionally, I will select a couple of these meetings to attend personally, so that I can learn, first hand, how you see your work carrying forth our mission, contributing to achieving our vision, and "living" the core values.

In the Fall Convocation we will celebrate and present the results of this year´s work. In addition to celebrating this phase of our strategic journey during the academic year, I will ask some of our departments to share their innovative ideas and action plans for the future of CSU Dominguez Hills.

In closing, I want to thank everyone who took the time to complete a survey or attend a town hall meeting. And, I want to especially thank our Synthesizers, who took on the very challenging task of placing their own aspirations on the back burner in order to craft a future direction based upon your dreams. Their spirit of service and commitment is a model for us all.

The future for CSU Dominguez Hills is, indeed, a bright one. Let´s celebrate our work so far, and prepare for the journey ahead.

With sincere appreciation and regards,

Mildred García, Ed.D.
President