Vision 2020, the strategic plan developed in 2008 by the Ottawa University administration, is in its fifth year of progression, and like any project, the process has been one of learning and change.
“By 2020, we expect to be a rapidly expanding and distinctive institution of higher learning, known for the quality of its programs, its ability to guide a diverse population of students to lifetimes of enlightened faith, its innovative models of education, exemplary service, inspired leadership and personal significance,” said Ottawa University President Kevin Eichner.
Since the inception of Vision 2020 four years ago, Eichner said there are three key components the administration is focusing on: Growing the Ottawa campus, expanding the adult markets in Arizona, Wisconsin and Kansas City and continuing advancement in online education.
During the beginning phase of this process, OU has gone through a process of changing its identity, rebranding and changing the motto. The idea now is to “prepare for a life of significance.”
“We’re trying to stake out a position in the competitive marketplace that is consistent with who we are and what we do,” Eichner said. “We are in the business of developing whole people here.”
The ideas of these first four years go further than just how the university identifies itself. Eichner said there are plans to build a new student center and library, as well as additional funding to several established programs including the business school, the music program, athletics and student services.
“Vision 2020 is clearly aspirational,” he said. “We have our challenges. Some things have worked really, really well, other things haven’t worked that well, and we’ve had to fix them.”
The goal to bring these concepts to fruition is $24 million, and with a little over half of the money raised, Eichner said there is plenty of work left to do.
Eichner is encouraged with the progress, but there have been external circumstances that may have implications on the direction of the initiative. The biggest, what the president calls a “moonshot,” could involve the addition of a second residential campus.
Because of the lack of expected expansion in adult markets, the idea is that there would be a shift in the types of students the administration will serve to achieve the goal.
“We’ve been exploring whether or not it might make sense for us to have a new residential campus… in Phoenix, Ariz.,” Eichner said. “That’s a change. We didn’t have that in mind when we started.”
He added Ottawa could begin to become more involved in health care and helping professions. Both of these areas of the University have shown growth.
For traditional students at the Ottawa campus, the goal is to increase enrollment to 1,500 students. Eichner said the amount of students at the college this year was not up to what he expected, but nothing is really predictable.
“I don’t have a crystal ball. None of us have a crystal ball,” Eichner said. “We can’t predict with much certainty what the environment’s going to be like, what competitors are going to do, what’s going to happen in the world, so we do our best to adjust our plans to the reality of the circumstances that we face.”
In the fifth year of 12 in this process, there will be more twists, ups and downs.
Eichner said a lot of emphasis is being put on building strengths and improving weaknesses. He said Vision 2020 isn’t for the university, but the many constituencies it serves.
“The difference between vision and grandiosity is God’s grace,” he said. “We can’t rest for one minute.”