Sands Shares Plans for Year Two

Seven new initiatives, including a Forward Together Innovation Challenge, were announced as part of President Harlan Sands’ first State of the University address.

“The state of our University is very strong and we have no intention of slowing down,” declared the president.

In his remarks, President Sands highlighted successes of his first year, including seven strategic priorities unveiled this spring to take CSU into the future. The seven newly announced initiatives are “strategic investments in support of our strategic priorities,” he said.

With the Forward Together Innovation Challenge, funded by $500,000 from the University, “we are soliciting faculty, staff and student ideas to help expand CSU’s brand, reach more students and help them succeed, improve our service model and make day-to-day life at CSU better,” Sands said.

The Shark Tank-style competition will encourage collaboration on “creative and innovative solutions and ideas for investment,” he added. “Your ideas will drive us forward.”

The president also announced additional investment in CSU’s student success coaching model and a summer math and English prep program for incoming freshmen “because they work and we owe it to our students.” In addition, CSU will increase by $1 million need-based financial aid for students. 

A new CSU Engaged Learning Promise will expand cooperative education and internship opportunities, “guaranteeing that every freshman who wants a co-op or internship will get one.”

Other new initiatives include the aggressive recruitment of a minimum of 40 new faculty to grow critical academic and research programs and a 10-year update of CSU’s master plan.

Visit csuohio.edu/president/strategic-priorities to learn more.