Josie Mariano

This document outlines the University of Louisiana Lafayette's 2023-2028 strategic plan, "Vision Louisiana." The plan focuses on enhancing national prominence as an R1 institution, fostering student success, and supporting faculty research and creative endeavors. Key strategic imperatives include aligning resource allocation with the core mission, improving campus infrastructure and facilities, expanding mental health resources, and strengthening emergency communications. The plan also emphasizes economic development through partnerships in Health Sciences and renewable energy, ensuring financial stability through philanthropy, and positioning the university as a leading R1 institution deeply committed to its academic mission and community engagement for future generations.

This document, referred to as Vision 2035, outlines the strategic direction following the resolution of a significant financial crisis. It emphasizes building a financially sustainable future through key pillars: academic innovation, operational excellence, and responsible fiscal stewardship. The plan calls for a focus on growth across several areas including enrollment, student retention, expanded research, innovation, and philanthropy, with the overarching goal of strengthening the state of Louisiana through its work as a world-class research university.

The board update addresses the financial challenges, including a structural deficit and prior-year payables. Actions taken to address the deficit include initial financial controls, increased tuition and enrollment, a hiring freeze, budget rollout, travel freeze, and payroll reductions. The remaining cash flow gap is discussed, contingent upon realizing budget reductions. Revenue generation strategies are explored, focusing on student retention and expansion, monetization of physical assets, campus-wide sponsorship programs, and philanthropy. Restructuring efforts and early successes are highlighted, including the movement of SPFAC/ORAC under Research after failed audits. The path forward involves maintaining spending controls, implementing budget reductions, and developing a revenue generation plan.

This strategic plan, titled RISE: Vision 2030, serves as a roadmap to propel the institution into a leading research university. It is built upon six research engines: Life Sciences, Bio-Tech, and Health; Data, AI/ML, CPS Security and Computation; Energy, Energy Security, and Sustainability; Smart Systems, Materials, and Advanced Manufacturing; Climate Adaptation and Resiliency; and Society, Community, and Human Development. The plan outlines six strategic imperatives focused on increasing research expenditures and scholarly productivity, enhancing research culture and infrastructure, growing research and innovation capacity with a focus on inclusion, increasing doctoral graduates, expanding public-private partnerships, and communicating the public impact of research. Key outcomes include achieving $300 million in R&D expenditures, nurturing 450 postdoctoral and non-faculty researchers, graduating 150 doctoral students, and becoming a Top 100 Research University.

The Master Plan and Guiding Principles for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette outlines a framework for campus development, focusing on creating a structured community through three urban sectors: District Center, District General, and District Edge. It emphasizes building types (Courtyard, Rear-yard, and Edge-yard) to define the urban fabric and accommodate mixed uses. The plan also identifies opportunities and constraints for campus enhancements, including pedestrian linkages, gateway improvements, and strategic land acquisition to connect university campuses.