Gonzaga University is developing a new strategic plan that it hopes will guide its growth through the next six years.


The plan, called Vision 2012, will include goals for enrollment, academics, and student life, among other areas, says Thayne McCulloh, Gonzagas vice president of administration and planning. For now, he prefers to stick with broad subject areas in discussing the goals publicly, he says. Once the plan is approved, possibly by late summer, the university likely will launch a capital campaign to help achieve its goals, McCulloh says.


The strategic plan will provide us a roadmap for where we head, he says.


Vision 2012 comes on the heels of a capital campaign that was completed last October and raised $148 million. The projects funded through that campaign resulted from objectives outlined in the universitys former strategic plan. The goals of that plan largely were achieved ahead of schedule, prompting the school to start work on a new plan, McCulloh says.


As part of creating a new strategic plan, the school has reevaluated its mission, written a vision statement based on that mission, and is seeking opinions about the schools strengths and weaknesses.


We dont often take the opportunity to step back and get reacquainted with our purpose, McCulloh says. Were looking at how we can be in the best situation to do the work that were here to do.


The vision statement is guiding the planning process, he says. It revolves around Gonzagas commitment to educating students within the framework of its religious and humanistic traditions, he says. Humanistic, in this context, refers to an education that develops students characters as well as their intellects.


A steering committee that includes Gonzaga vice presidents, a student government representative, faculty and staff members, and community representatives currently is holding meetings to discuss the universitys strengths and weaknesses, McCulloh says. Among those providing comments are students, their parents, university board members, alumni, and Spokane businesspeople, he says.


Decisions the committee needs to make before it draws up the strategic plan include what student body size the university wants to maintain and what types of students it wants to attract. Also, the panel will evaluate whether Gonzaga should change its two-year on-campus living requirement to accommodate enrollment growth, and whether it needs to build a new student center to consolidate some of its student services, he says.


After the meetings are completed, the steering committee will draw up a draft of the plan, which then will be reviewed by university President, Rev. Robert J. Spitzer. Spitzer will present it to the universitys board of trustees, hopefully in time for the board meeting in July, McCulloh says.


After the strategic plan has been approved, the university can start exploring ways to finance its goals, he says.


Goals need resources, and the best way to raise them is through a capital campaign, he says. The strategic plan will identify for fundraisers what the institutions priorities will be.


He says its too early to tell what projects would be funded, but one might be a new student center. Currently, those student activities are housed in a three-story, 33,500-square-foot building called the Crosby Student Center.


A planned performing arts center that was funded partially through the previous capital campaign probably wont be included in a new capital campaign, says university spokesman Dale Goodwin. The university has raised $10 million for that estimated $14 million project, and likely will raise the remainder before a new capital campaign launches, he says.


The performing arts center is planned north of the Jundt Art Center. The project, which is to start by early 2007, will include converting the 250-seat Russell Theater, in Gonzagas administration building, into a multipurpose auditorium.


Contact Emily Brandler at (509) 344-1265 or via e-mail at emilyb@spokanejournal.com.