Strategic Plan

ENHANCE BELONGING AND WORKPLACE CULTURE

At Mount Union, our focus has been and always will be on putting students first. Yet, no institution can be successful in the long run without employees who believe in its mission and understand their role in achieving it. We are committed to continuously improving our workplace culture to ensure an enhanced sense of belonging and pride for all employees. We stand behind the philosophy that when our people feel valued, they are better poised to play a critical role in the experience and success of our students.

A staff member accessing online counseling resources

STRATEGIC ACTION #1

Offer competitive and equitable compensation, benefits, and professional development opportunities for all employees.

Action Owner
Marci Craig

Learn More About Employment

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Continue to collaborate regarding campus and local leadership development opportunities, including Leadership Mount Union, Dare to Lead, Supervisory Boot Camp, Leadership Stark County, and Project Blueprint, among others.

Goal Owner
Marci Craig and Melissa Gardner

Fall 2024 Update
Two Mount Union community members were accepted into Leadership Stark County's Spotlight Program and one was accepted into its Signature Program. A fourth cohort of Leadership Mount Union was launched with 10 participants, and nine individuals completed Dare to Lead training to complement the two who were trained the year before. Planning efforts regarding a new Supervisor Bootcamp training program have taken place that will focus on administrative responsibilities, employee relations, and leadership development.

Spring 2025 Update
Our Leadership Mount Union (LMU) Class of 2024-2025 successfully completed the program, with both capstone projects receiving approval from the President’s Council (PC). Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome 12 new faculty and staff into our 2025-2026 LMU cohort, marking our fifth year of this impactful leadership initiative.

While the Supervisory Bootcamp is temporarily on hold due to a transition in the Office of Human Resources, we’re pleased that we were able to deliver supervisor training during Compliance, Resource, and Training Days this spring, ensuring continued support for leadership development.

Our Employee Recognition Event was a resounding success, celebrating the dedication and contributions of our team. PC affirmed the importance of this event in fostering a culture of belonging and appreciation, and we’re excited to continue it in-person in 2026.

We also saw strong engagement in external leadership development. Two individuals participated in the spring cohort of Leadership Stark County’s Spotlight Program, and two others joined Goodwill’s Project Blueprint, expanding their leadership impact. We’ve also merged our Dare to Lead training with previous campus offerings to create a refreshed program focused on how individuals “show up” in their roles and interactions – deepening our commitment to authentic engagement and workplace culture.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Continue to improve search committee training and assess the institution’s onboarding and offboarding process.

Goal Owner
Marci Craig

Fall 2024 Update
The search committee toolkit has been updated for 2024-2025, and all search committees have access to these resources on Microsoft Teams.

Spring 2025 Update
After completing an update of this document in the fall, the Office of Human Resources team is working with the vice president for academic affairs to review and update the Search Toolkit during summer 2026.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Update the format for annual staff performance reviews.

Goal Owner
Marci Craig

Fall 2024 Update
A new 90-day new hire "check-in" meeting and evaluation has been implemented to promote continuous onboarding for all new staff members with a hire date of July 1, 2024, and beyond.

Spring 2025 Update
Annual performance evaluations for all coaches and staff were rolled out in April. Coaches’ evaluations were due May 31, and all others by July 15. During the months of April and May, the Office of Human Resources hosted three training sessions on how to effectively conduct performance evaluations.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Explore health and wellness initiatives for faculty and staff.

Goal Owner
Marci Craig

Fall 2024 Update
A new health and wellness program has been implemented, supported by Aultcare funding.

Spring 2025 Update
Following a relaunch of the initiative in the fall, the Health and Wellness Program offered through the Office of Human Resources will sponsor a Thai food truck for the institution’s Fun Friday event on July 18. Planning is underway for new health and wellness activities and events launching August 1.

Faculty and staff participating in Dare to Lead training

STRATEGIC ACTION #2

Intentionally develop a respectful workplace culture that enables all employees to feel a strong sense of engagement and belonging.

Action Owner
Mark Black

Learn More About Diversity and Inclusion

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Finalize the restructuring of faculty governance, including a clarification of the VPAA role within the new structure.

Goal Owner
William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
The faculty voted to approve a new model of faculty governance, the main feature of which is to streamline the work of the faculty.

Spring 2025 Update
In May, the Faculty Governance Board (FGB) – consisting of seven members – officially replaced the Faculty Senate, and the new committee structure is set to launch on August 1. While some processes and responsibilities are still being refined, the FGB and other contributors have been meeting bi-weekly (and often more frequently) throughout the summer to ensure a smooth and timely rollout for the fall semester.

Their approach has been notably inclusive and collaborative, with consistent communication and engagement with the administration. Although this is a complex, multi-phase transition and not every detail will be finalized by fall, the momentum is strong, and the progress is both visible and encouraging.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Implement strategies to support the campus community related to freedom of expression and demonstration.

Goal Owner
Mark Black, William Cunion, John Frazier, Melissa Gardner, and Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
The institution developed and implemented a Peaceful Assembly Policy and a Pregnancy and Parenting Policy that were approved and communicated to the campus community. In addition, the Acts of Intolerance and Harassment policy was updated.

Spring 2025 Update
The 2024-2025 academic year introduced several complex developments – including updates to Title IX, Ohio Senate Bill 104, executive orders, and a Dear Colleague Letter from President Trump. Throughout these shifts, we remained focused on our purpose and strategic outcomes, using these changes as an opportunity to lead with clarity and intention.

In response to the federal guidance and executive actions, Mark Black guided the Organizational Impact Coalition through a strategic pivot – preserving and amplifying our core values of inclusion, belonging, and authentic engagement across campus. While these policy shifts posed challenges, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable members of our academic community, we chose to lean into our strategic framework to provide the support needed by all members of our campus community.

The University’s Strategic Plan became both our compass and our call to action. We elevated Strategic Initiative #5 – Enhance Belonging and Workplace Culture – as a guiding principle, reinforcing our commitment to a respectful, inclusive environment even in times of uncertainty.

Ultimately, our response was not just about resilience – it was about transformation. These external influences became a catalyst for bridging divides, fostering critical dialogue, and reaffirming our institutional mission and our purpose to ensure every member of our campus community feels seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Utilize audit tools to review existing policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure equity and create a comprehensive handbook and training.

Goal Owner
Mark Black

Fall 2024 Update
In collaboration with legal counsel, the institution is auditing its employment policies for faculty and staff while also looking at policies and procedures that may create inequities.

Spring 2025 Update
This work is ongoing, and there are no additional updates at this time.

A staff member walking with students on campus

STRATEGIC ACTION #3

Develop internal communication strategies and rollout procedures that are tailored to various employee populations and enable the community to efficiently manage change.

Action Owner
Melissa Gardner

Read Campus News

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Launch Students First – A Strategic Action Plan for 2024-2027.

Goal Owner
Melissa Gardner

Fall 2024 Update
The Students First strategic action plan was officially launched this past fall. A web presence has been launched, annual goals have been established, and mid-year progress updates on these goals have been collected. A Strategic Plan Review Team has been formed and met for the first time in the fall. A strategy for regular communication has been established and will begin to be implemented this spring.

Spring 2025 Update
President King hosted a campus-wide spring meeting to share important updates, many of which highlighted progress on the Students First strategic plan. In alignment with this, the Strategic Plan website has been refreshed to include the 2024-2025 annual goals along with updates from both fall 2024 and spring 2025.

The Strategic Plan Review Team has remained actively engaged, meeting regularly to review progress in key areas such as enrollment, affordability, search engine optimization, retention, leadership development for faculty and staff, and the advancement of our core values. Summaries of these discussions have been thoughtfully added to the Strategic Plan website, ensuring transparency and continued alignment with our institutional priorities.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Engage the campus community in exercises to identify institutional core values and the behaviors that will bring them to fruition.

Goal Owner
Mark Black, Marci Craig, and Melissa Gardner

Fall 2024 Update
Exercises with campus constituents were conducted utilizing Brené Brown’s Core Values Exploration tool, led by 11 faculty and staff members who had been previously trained in the methodology. Approximately 200 campus community members participated overall. The feedback gathered led to the proposition of three core values – belonging, excellence, and integrity – that are currently being reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

Spring 2025 Update
A major milestone this year was the Board of Trustees’ unanimous approval of our institutional core values – belonging, excellence, and integrity. This achievement followed a thoughtful and inclusive process that began with a preview during the January Board meeting, where trustees were invited to provide feedback via a follow-up email. The proposed values were formally shared in early spring, and after careful review, they were officially adopted during the May Board meeting.

With this foundation in place, we’ve begun planning for a full rollout in the 2025-2026 academic year. Partners in the Office of Human Resources, Office of Communication, and Office of Organizational Impact are working collaboratively to develop engaging training and implementation strategies that bring these values to life across campus.

As part of this effort, we’ve launched training sessions for faculty, staff, and student organizations, including fraternities and sororities. These sessions explore what it means to truly “Show Up” and embody our core values through everyday behaviors. Rooted in the Dare to Lead framework, the training encourages participants to recognize and move beyond “armored leadership” styles, embracing vulnerability and authenticity as strengths in leadership and collaboration. Together, these efforts are helping to embed our values into the fabric of our campus culture – ensuring they are not only words we affirm, but principles we live by.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Publish a dashboard of key data elements to monitor progress on metric-related goals.

Goal Owner
Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
A dashboard report has been completed, capturing first-half fiscal-year results and key operating indicators on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis for publication to the President's Council.

Spring 2025 Update
The dashboard was not completed in Spring 2026 but is scheduled for completion in Fall 2025.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Develop internal and crisis communication strategies and rollout procedures that are tailored to various employee populations.

Goal Owner
Melissa Gardner

Fall 2024 Update
An update will be available in the spring/summer of 2025.

Spring 2025 Update
A second all-campus gathering was added in Spring 2026 to increase in-person communication. A postseason play communication strategy was also developed in collaboration with the Office of Athletics to celebrate student-athlete achievements and share timely updates.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Develop an academic affairs communication plan.

Goal Owner
William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
Several open forums have been held during which faculty and staff in academic affairs have been invited to share ideas, concerns, and questions with the VPAA. Monthly meetings for department chairs and program directors have been reestablished to meet with the VPAA and the deans, often with invited guests from various areas. The VPAA has provided bi-weekly updates to all faculty and academic affairs staff on matters of interest to them.

Spring 2025 Update
The fall activities all continued into the spring and have continued to provide clear and effective channels of communication between the faculty and the administration.