SPH Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning 2025-2030
The purpose of strategic planning is to set a shared direction for our School that can guide our decision-making, resource allocation, and communications with external stakeholders.
Our 2025-2030 strategic plan carries themes forward from our last strategic plan: student support; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; teaching and learning excellence; global health; research; and community engagement. These foci remain relevant in today's environment and are well aligned with the Chancellor's strategic priorities.
Consistent with accreditation requirements from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), our plan includes approaches to:
- promote student success
- advance the field of public health, and
- prepare students to work with diverse populations and communities
As you reflect on each of the goals and related objectives and strategies below, please consider 1) which ones are of greatest impact and importance to SPH's ability to achieve excellence in the above areas, and 2) how they may be strengthened in the face of the current and future fiscal and sociopolitical environment.
Our Strategic Framework
Our strategic framework illustrates the overarching themes of our plan. Student success is advanced through transformative curriculum, teaching excellence, and holistic support services. Our research is strengthened when we have the infrastructure and resources to compete successfully for funding, sustain the impact of our projects, and amplify the work we do.
Our mission to improve the health and well-being of the people of the metropolitan Chicago area, the State of Illinois, the nation, and of others throughout the world requires that we enhance the skills, values, and partnerships that enable us to seek out and respond appropriately to unique community needs and perspectives. This mission is achieved when our faculty and staff are empowered to do their best work.
Our strategic goals will be presented to the SPH faculty for approval on Monday, September 15th at the full faculty meeting.
Click the links below to view action summaries for each goal. Links to more detailed documents with specific objectives are provided (Box login required).
Goal Statement Overviews
Goal 1: Student and Teaching Excellence
GOAL 1: Prepare our students to address emerging public health challenges through teaching excellence, transformative curricula, and holistic student support
We will elevate teaching through continuous faculty development, student feedback, and innovative curricula that respond to emerging issues. We will expand access through flexible degree and credential programs, and deepen partnerships with community and global health organizations. We will prioritize holistic student support with professional development, career services, and retention initiatives.
If successful, our students will be fully prepared for complex public health careers, with strong graduation and job placement rates, high satisfaction from alumni and employers, and equitable support systems that foster belonging and achievement.
Goal 2: Community Engagement and Partnerships
GOAL 2: Enhance SPH community engagement infrastructure capacity (for research, teaching, and practice) and invest in strategic partnerships to improve health equity centering communities most impacted by inequities in Chicago, Illinois, and the world.
We will invest in community-engaged teaching, research, and practice that strengthens reciprocal partnerships and centers community voices. We will create professional development for faculty, staff, students, and partners, build inclusive pathways for local youth, and expand our global engagement capacity.
If successful, SPH will gain recognition as a trusted partner, where diverse communities feel valued as co-creators of solutions, and faculty, staff, students, and partners are confident in their ability to collaborate for health equity.
Goal 3: Research Impact and Infrastructure
GOAL 3: Enhance our research program to drive progress in addressing major public health challenges, reduce health inequities, and improve population health globally.
We will strengthen research capacity by investing in faculty, staff, and student development, expanding seed funding, and improving research infrastructure. We will grow interdisciplinary and community-engaged research, secure diverse external funding, and ensure research visibility and translation into policy and practice.
If successful, our research will generate measurable impact on public health, attract sustained funding, provide rich opportunities for students, and achieve national and global recognition as innovative, collaborative, and action-oriented.
Goal 4: Supportive Climate for Faculty and Staff
GOAL 4: Implement an integrated approach that harmonizes employee wellbeing and performance, creating a workplace where individuals are empowered to excel while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
We will promote continuous learning, mentoring, and onboarding to support growth. We will foster inclusivity by creating spaces for dialogue, valuing employee voices, and recognizing contributions. We will prioritize wellness, improve infrastructure, and nurture belonging through community-building programs and recognition initiatives.
If successful, our faculty and staff will thrive in a respectful, supportive, and innovative workplace with improved wellness metrics, strong collaboration, and a culture that sustains excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement.
Our Process
Our strategic planning process started with our annual faculty and staff kickoff and will continue to be shaped by feedback from our students, alumni, and community and public health partners. Once complete, the plan will be submitted for faculty approval to begin implementation in Fall 2025.
Over the course of our planning process, there will be several ways to provide feedback:
- Faculty and staff open comment period (2/13/25 – 3/14/25)
- SPH community Q & A sessions (weekly 2/20/25 – 3/12/25)
- Prioritization survey (4/7/25 – 4/16/25)
- Full Faculty meeting (4/21/25)
- External partner comment period (5/1/25 – 6/30/25)