Skip to main content

The California State University is in the process of developing a new strategic plan for the statewide system. The development of this plan reflects our commitment to engage in long-term planning that will allow us to realize our call, and our position, to be the national model for public higher education. The work we are embarking upon is extraordinarily consequential – and its impact will span generations of CSU students.

The plan will offer a guiding framework for alignment across campus-level plans while allowing universities to address their unique needs and serve their communities. It will define the CSU’s overarching vision – providing clarity and ensuring that all constituents and stakeholders understand the CSU’s identity, values and strategic priorities, as well as how we intend to advance those priorities.

Proposed strategies for the plan include:

  • CSU Identity & Reputation: Solidify CSU’s identity and reputation as a leader in public higher education by defining its unique value for internal and external audiences:
  • System-Level Collaboration: Prioritize system-level collaboration to create a more agile and responsive CSU system that supports the evolving needs of students, employers, and communities
  • Affordability & Financial Stability: Establish CSU’s position as an affordable and financially viable educational system
  • Adaptive and Responsive Infrastructure: Create policies, routines, and systems that allow for real-time adaptability and responsiveness to changing internal and external conditions:
  • Student-Centered Experience: Cultivate a student-centered experience that provides personalized, high-impact learning experiences and responsive instruction and support systems
  • Innovative Teaching and Learning: Champion innovative teaching and learning to meet the evolving needs of modern learners.
  • Economic Empowerment & Social Mobility: Ensure economic empowerment and social mobility for students by providing skills in high demand.
  • People-Centered Employment Practices: Acknowledge the value of highly skilled, adaptable, and dedicated workforce supported to achieve collective impact and drive institutional transformation.

Share Your Feedback

Excellence @ CSU

Community feedback is critical to the strategic planning process. Every voice matters so please contribute to one or more of the engagement opportunities below. Please keep in mind that feedback should be specific to the systemwide strategic plan; comments/feedback may be moderated to ensure relevancy.

Proposed Strategies: Reactions

Proposed Strategies: If, Then

Share a key accomplishment/milestone you envision the system achieving in the next three years as a result of each strategy.

CSU Identity and Reputation

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in its Identity and Reputation, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

System-Level Collaboration

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in System-Level Collaboration, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

Affordability and Financial Stability

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in Affordability and Financial Stability, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

Student-Centered Experience

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in Student-Centered Experiences, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

Innovative Teaching & Learning

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in Innovative Teaching & Learning, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

Economic Empowerment and Social Mobility

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in Economic Empowerment and Social Mobility, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

People-Centered Employment Practices

IF the CSU system prioritizes and invests (e.g., time, effort, focus, resources) in People-Centered Employment Practices, THEN what outcomes would you expect to see?

Additional Strategies

Are there other strategies that would contribute to the CSU’s future stability, viability, and growth?

Share your suggestions and react to others’ submissions. (max 140 characters).

No submissions yet.

Regional Specialties

Review Feedback from Listen & Learn Phase

CSU of the Future

What’s one major accomplishment or milestone you’d like to see the CSU achieve in the future?

Write the headline of a news article from the future highlighting this achievement.

13 February, 2025

MarilynJackson says:

Create "international track" degrees - CSU builds on its visionary work providing affordable & accessible study abroad programs to students.

13 February, 2025

rain says:

Stop culling the smaller majors!!

13 February, 2025

rain says:

Stop cutting the funds for small majors-- we want to learn too!!

13 February, 2025

rain says:

I would like for smaller majors to have funding for the classes they need on a regular basis without having them fall through all the time!!

12 February, 2025

claire says:

A community where faculty and students are empowered to do their best work. Celebrating achievements, supporting new great ideas and efforts

12 February, 2025

fhuey says:

CSU Caps Administrative Pay at $250,000! "No one gets paid more than a U.S. President!"

12 February, 2025

fhuey says:

CSU Announces Degree-Light: A direct path to a degree in your major. NO GE Courses Required! Graduate in 2 years!

12 February, 2025

toosky2160 says:

1) engagement with students and improving student learning; 2) solving financial problems over the long term

12 February, 2025

irmorales says:

I would love to see the CSU achieve high enrollment as once before , by being able to provide students with a proper education and resources

11 February, 2025

Thar says:

I’d like to see the CSU unis fill out their senior lecturers’ schedules with classes--5/5--before hiring more lecturers in a department.

11 February, 2025

Joshruiz says:

More flexible learning modalities across CSU campuses. Some campuses are not designed well for adult learners or limit those we serve.

10 February, 2025

LecturerCSU says:

Value your Lecturers. Stop calling us Temps. Allow us to apply for promotions. More CSU students learn from lecturers than tenured faculty.

Discussion Forum

What is the highest priority challenge/problem that you hope this strategic plan can address for the CSU system?

Given that this plan is focused on systemwide strategy, please consider challenges/problems that impact all universities/campuses within the system.

How would you like to see the student experience change as a result of this strategic plan?

Consider the student experience in a systemwide context and share examples of changes this strategic plan might enable.

What would enable the CSU system to be more adaptive and responsive to external conditions and trends?

Consider the impact of economic, social, workforce, and other external trends on the CSU system and reflect on how the system might better respond and adapt.

CSU Highlights

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:

Email CSUstrategicplan@sova.org
Website www.calstate.edu/Strategic-Planning-for-the-CSU