Oshkosh Infinite: 2026–2029 Strategic Plan

Our Mission

Who We Are

The University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh provides a high-quality liberal education to prepare students for leadership in an increasingly diverse and global society. Through innovative teaching, research, economic development, entrepreneurship, and community engagement, our dedicated faculty and staff work to create a more sustainable future for Wisconsin and beyond — offering degrees from associate through professional doctorate across nursing, education, business, the sciences, fine and performing arts, engineering technology, and more.

The Vision

Four Priorities.
One Direction.

Over the next three years, UW–Oshkosh will advance the Oshkosh Infinite vision through four institutional priorities aligned with access, student success, workforce development, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

Inclusive, Student-Centered Experience

Drive learning, belonging, and success across all student populations.

Employee Experience & Workforce Capacity

Cultivate a supported, engaged, and well-resourced workforce.

Financial Stewardship & Operational Excellence

Ensure institutional sustainability through transparent, responsible planning.

Institutional Identity & Community Engagement

Position UWO as a first-choice destination through academic excellence.

Goal One

Foster an Inclusive, Student-Centered Experience

Cultivate the academic, social, and institutional conditions that support student persistence, engagement, and timely degree completion — creating inclusive, connected learning environments that prepare all students for life after UWO.

Deepen campus belonging and community connection

Develop an integrated campus calendar and communication strategy for academic, co-curricular, and community opportunities.

Expand support for student organizations, identity-affirming communities, and affinity groups.

Grow the "Team Lead" peer-mentorship model and strengthen student leadership development programs.

Identify and reduce structural barriers limiting participation — including challenges around parking, transportation, scheduling, cost, and awareness.

Advance retention, advising, and consistent instructional practices

Broaden proactive advising and clear academic pathways to support efficient progression toward graduation.

Elevate professional development for instructors to ensure consistent learning environments for students.

Update strategies to improve CAPP student connection and belonging with the goal of increasing enrollment yield.

Address usage gaps in tutoring, academic support, and mental health services for at-risk populations.

Broaden access to experiential learning and career pathways

Establish a Career Everywhere framework across academic programs.

Address gaps in undergraduate research, on-campus employment, internships, and community-engaged learning.

Expand participation in study abroad and travel-learning experiences across student populations.

Cultivate future-ready graduates who can leverage emerging technologies and solve pressing global challenges.

Goal Two

Elevate Employee Experience and Workforce Capacity

Cultivate a supportive, engaged, and well-resourced workforce by strengthening leadership effectiveness, broadening professional development, and fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration, and accountability.

Advance professional development and leadership quality

Establish campus-wide professional development opportunities supporting skill development and career advancement across all employee groups.

Introduce structured supervisory and management training to strengthen leadership competencies and team management.

Integrate leadership accountability measures, including 360-degree feedback processes and performance expectations.

Optimize workforce planning and staffing capacity

Conduct comprehensive reviews of position descriptions, workload distribution, and staffing levels aligned with operational needs.

Develop a long-term workforce planning framework aligned with enrollment trends, program growth, and strategic initiatives.

Maintain and communicate staffing benchmarks and hiring prioritization criteria to guide resource allocation.

Improve employee engagement, feedback, and retention

Conduct regular employee engagement surveys and use results to guide institutional improvements and leadership accountability.

Implement structured onboarding, stay interviews, and exit interviews to strengthen retention efforts.

Strengthen communication and feedback channels that promote transparency and consistent information sharing.

Goal Three

Advance Financial Stewardship and Operational Excellence

Ensure institutional sustainability and effectiveness through transparent planning, responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources, and strategic use of emerging technologies.

Implement transparent financial and operational planning

Develop and publish a three-year financial sustainability plan integrating enrollment, staffing, programming, and facilities planning.

Adopt standardized decision-making frameworks for major financial and operational investments.

Embed strategic enrollment planning and forecasting into financial and operational decision-making.

Advance infrastructure stewardship and sustainability

Establish routine instructional space-use assessment and a process for reallocating or redesigning spaces to improve learning effectiveness.

Develop a multi-year facilities and grounds maintenance and renewal plan using holistic sustainability metrics.

Leverage campus facilities and operations as a living learning laboratory, building UWO's identity as a regional anchor institution.

Deploy emerging technologies responsibly

Foster open campus dialogue about the opportunities, limitations, and risks of AI to ensure adoption that supports human judgment and academic integrity.

Adopt and operationalize an AI governance and risk framework covering privacy, security, academic integrity, procurement, accessibility, and ethical use.

Deliver unit-specific training in existing and emerging technologies for all employees, and implement high-impact use cases for operational efficiency.

Goal Four

Amplify Our Institutional Identity Through Academic Excellence

Position UW–Oshkosh as a first-choice destination by advancing academic excellence, research, and creative activity while deepening community partnerships and enhancing regional vitality.

Align curriculum and scholarly activity with learner and community needs

Incentivize and recognize curricular innovation in graduate programs, interdisciplinary programs, and technology-infused pedagogy.

Grow community-engaged learning with businesses, nonprofits, and public-sector organizations to address regional challenges.

Broaden access to graduate pathways, earn-and-learn options, credit for prior learning, and stackable credentials to serve a wider range of students.

Strengthen UWO as a destination for community engagement

Develop coordinated systems for community access, event planning, and space utilization to make campus resources accessible to regional partners.

Enhance the campus and visitor experience through improved facilities, clear navigation, and stronger cross-department coordination.

Align recruitment, partnership, and communication strategies with institutional identity

Integrate a marketing message and storytelling approach that leverages UWO's distinctiveness in the local, regional, and state landscape.

Showcase UWO's strengths — experiential learning, research excellence, career outcomes, and regional impact — to community stakeholders.

Strengthen partnerships with alumni, donors, employers, and civic partners to amplify UWO's points of distinction and broadcast the value of higher education.

INFINITE

Expanding opportunities.
Empowering people.
Strengthening the region.

As UW–Oshkosh works toward implementation of the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, the university affirms its commitment to transparency and consistent communication about progress. Together, these priorities deliver on the promise of Oshkosh Infinite.