University of Illinois System
Strategic Framework

Implementation

The implementation phase of the University of Illinois System’s strategic framework kicked off at the 2016 Board of Trustees retreat, which took place the day before the July board meeting. Four members of the U of I community presented briefly, each focusing on one of the four pillars.

Many new and ongoing initiatives across our universities align with the four pillars of the strategic framework. Some System-wide examples of framework implementation include:

Strategic Enrollment & Management Planning (Pillar I)

At the January 19, 2017 Board of Trustees meeting, President Tim Killeen outlined plans to increase enrollment over the next five years by nearly 15 percent, to more than 93,600 students across the U of I System's three universities. The plan set aggressive goals in enrollment to increase opportunities for Illinois residents and underrepresented minorities. View the Pillar I presentation.

At the same meeting, the Trustees also approved::

  • continuation of a tuition freeze for in-state freshmen for the third year in a row.
  • raising goals for spending with businesses owned by minorities, women and people with disabilities

These initiatives are in alignment with Pillar I: An Institution of and for Our Students; Item #2: Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of the University community

Mexican partnership agreements (Pillar II)

In November 2016, the U of I System announced several partnerships with Mexican agencies and universities:

  • Mexican Science and Technology Council - providing funding to 10 Mexican students every year to pursue doctoral studies at any U of I System university
  • Department of Health, Mexico City - letter of intent signed for joint research into the causes of diabetes and obesity
  • Autonomous National University of Mexico - signed agreement to develop new initiatives
  • National Institute of Public Health - signed agreement to develop new initiatives

These initiatives are in alignment with Pillar II: Research and Scholarship with Global Impact; Item #4: Forge new research and development partnerships around the world.

President's Distinguished Faculty Recruitment Program (Pillar III)

On May 11, 2017, President Tim Killeen announced a three-year, $60 million initiative to recruit world-class faculty to U of I System universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield. The objective is to attract tenured, high-achieving faculty of national and international distinction in a broad range of academic and research disciplines who can help transform the three U of I universities because of their exceptional scholarship and teaching.  View the Pillar III presentation for the Board of Trustees

The program is contingent on full-year state funding of an appropriation for the U of I System for fiscal 2018 and subsequent years.  

This faculty recruitment program aligns with Pillar III: A Healthy Future for Illinois and the Midwest; Item #1: Develop and invest in our human capital

Investment, Performance, and Accountability Commitment/IPAC (Pillar IV)

Legislation for this compact with the state of Illinois was introduced November 10, 2016. If approved, the IPAC would set in law the level of funding and regulatory relief the U of I System can rely upon for the next five years, as well as setting in law the performance, accountability and transparency commitments that the U of I would provide in return. View the Pillar IV presentation for the Board of Trustees.

In March 2017, President Killeen proposed an amendment to the IPAC, the Invest in Illinoisans (Triple I) program, which would provide a minimum of $170 million in annual financial aid over five years to keep talented Illinois high school graduates in the state for college and stem a growing outflow of students to out-of-state schools.

The IPAC and Triple I program align with Pillar IV: Tomorrow's University Today; Item #2: Develop a University-state compact