Last October, Fairmont State University’s Board of Governors unanimously approved Strategic Vision 2025-2035, outlining a bold roadmap for the university’s next decade. Now, with the semester underway, the planning process is moving into the next phase: developing implementation plans.  

STRATEGIC VISION 

Just 90 days into his presidency, Fairmont State President Mike Davis announced to the Board of Governors that strategic planning was a primary goal of his first year in office. The President launched the process with a campuswide meeting and brainstorming session in December 2023.  

After hiring Dr. Brian Selmeski as Chief of Staff in January 2024, President Davis charged him with leading the campus wide Strategic Planning initiative. Selmeski quickly formed the University Strategic Planning Process Committee (SPPC) and worked with them to create processes and resources to support the team.  

“This was not a traditional strategic planning process, and it did not produce a traditional strategic plan,” said Selmeski. “Our work was informed by President Davis's direction to include all university divisions – from academics to athletics – as well as students, alumni, foundation, board, and community members. His guidance emphasized five key principles: ‘Be inclusive, don’t start with ‘no,’ be ready to be wrong, set ‘unrealistic’ or ambitious goals, and ensure that everybody can see themselves in the goals.’ The result was a high-level document that captures a shared vision of what Fairmont State seeks to be.” 

The University’s Strategic Vision consists of four elements: 

1. A new Vision, to be “A Great Place to Learn, to Work, and to Call Home.” 

2. Three Aspirational Goals, or North Stars, broad statements of intended results for each vision element that provides clear direction (although they may be difficult to measure and might never fully be achieved): 

• A Great Place to Learn entails delivering transformative educational experiences, strengthened by meaningful relationships and holistic support, to ensure student success in both career and life. 

• A Great Place to Work entails establishing the university as the leading higher education employer in West Virginia that provides a supportive and rewarding environment for full-time, part-time, and student employees.  

• A Great Place to Call Home entails cultivating an inclusive and engaging campus where everyone feels valued, inspired, and connected, and makes the university the bedrock of North-Central West Virginia. 

3. Five Key Initiatives for each of the Aspirational Goals, lines of activities that will help guide implementation planning.  

4. A new Mission that emphasizes providing opportunity, growth, and achievement for students as well as transformational impact for West Virginia. 

"EAB, a leading higher education consulting firm, assisted us with our Strategic Planning Process and called it the most inclusive they’ve ever seen—something I’m incredibly proud of,” said Davis.  

IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING 

Starting this semester, teams from across Falcon Nation will begin working on eleven implementation plans that will serve to operationalize the Strategic Vision. Each will contain SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) Objectives that will turn the Strategic Vision into action and be used to measure progress towards our Aspirational Goals over the next three years. Once approved, these implementation plans will become a part of the overall Strategic Plan, ensuring measurable steps toward making Fairmont State a Great Place to Learn, to Work, and to Call Home. 

“We’re approaching these plans with a growth mindset—building and resourcing academic programs that attract a wide range of students, investing in facilities that set us apart, and recruiting and supporting students who seek an education that blends academic rigor with outstanding student services,” said President Davis. “Most importantly, we’re going to do these things together." 

Fairmont State’s Strategic Vision 2025-2035, approved by the Board of Governors on October 23, 2024, will be operationalized through 11 three-year interconnected Implementation Plans, which collectively will form the Strategic Plan.   

Implementation Teams will be led by a vice president or equivalent, will include one to two members of the SPPC, as well as members of various campus divisions. 

“There is a lot of work to do,” said Selmeski, “so Implementation Plans will be developed in four phases: Initially we will focus on the Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Plans, which will be in place by summer. Starting in the fall, we will prioritize the Budget & Finance, Athletics, and Information Technology Plans. Next, we will tackle the Human Capital, Institutional Effectiveness, and Academic Plans. Finally, we will address the Campus or Facilities, Alumni & Advancement, and Community Engagement Plans.”  

More information, including video and digital resources about the Strategic Vision and Implementation Planning, can be found at the Strategic Plan webpage.