From the President - Winter 2022

Spartans have big dreams and high expectations, and Michigan State entered 2022 with an ambitious, integrated and comprehensive strategic plan to guide us to the year 2030 and beyond.

As you can read in detail in this issue, the strategic plan frames our intent to grow our regional, national and global impact as we pursue excellence in key areas. Supporting student success is a central theme, as is recognizing the vast contributions of faculty and staff as we address innovation, sustainable health, financial and resource stewardship, and the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We believe every student we admit can succeed and graduate. Last year’s 82.1% graduation rate marked another solid step toward the strategic plan’s 86% overall target as we continue to work diligently to close opportunity gaps between student groups.

We envision growing our annual research expenditures from today’s $725 million to $1 billion. These dollars represent a commitment to increasing leadership in innovation, transdisciplinary research, broadening student and faculty researcher diversity and addressing the world’s greatest challenges. We also aim to increase our impact on regional economic development through our research and community partnerships.

The long-term vibrancy of MSU requires enhanced resource and financial stewardship. Our commitment to sustainability is leading us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and craft an information technology strategic plan to efficiently support our academic and business operations.

We will leverage our broad expertise to advance health and health systems and address troubling disparities in health care access and delivery here in Michigan and around the world. Our deeply embedded Flint public health initiative, our innovative medical partnerships in Grand Rapids and our growing presence in Detroit through our partnership with the Henry Ford Health System illustrate our determination to expand our impact in the communities we serve.

On campus, we will continue to foster a healthy and caring culture, including a focus on mental health. We see that reflected today in ways such as the year-round
services provided to students by our Counseling and Psychiatric Services, depression screenings routinely conducted during Student Health Services primary care visits and a new online platform connecting users to off-campus mental health services. The Support More initiative, noted later in this issue, will add to the campus community’s trauma-informed capacity for supporting survivors of relationship violence, sexual assault or abuse, sexual harassment and stalking. Meanwhile, planning is underway to eventually replace the IM West building with a new recreational facility to support physical and mental health maintenance for our entire campus community.

Like all meaningful strategic plans, MSU 2030 will serve as a steady beacon, keeping us focused on our mission, priorities and goals in the days and years ahead. As the strategic plan acknowledges, the engagement of our alumni remains a cornerstone of our success. We thank you for your commitment to MSU, and we look forward to sharing our many Spartan successes with you going forward.

Go Green!