Strategic Plan
In 2013-2014, the staff of Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaW) engaged in a strategic planning process to address known gaps in programs and services and to expand into new physical and mental health promotion areas in the next five years and beyond. The following plan is the result of that process.
2014 - 2019 Strategic Plan for Expanded Student Wellness Initiatives
Five strategic goals support HPaW in expanding existing efforts to fill known gaps in programs and services and in growing in new directions relevant to the needs of the NU student population. These goals are supported by relevant behavioral health data collected from NU students, benchmarking data collected by our staff and other relevant sources within the field, and our professional judgment and experience working with NU students and our colleagues.
(Note: At the time the strategic plan was written, CARE was a unit within HPaW and is mentioned in various goals and objectives. As of September 1, 2017, CARE is an independent department.)
- Expand Primary Prevention Efforts
- Expand Student Engagement Opportunities
- Enhance Departmental Visibility
- Build Campus and Community Partnerships
- Engage in Assessment and Research
Strategic Goals and Objectives
Objectives for achieving these five strategic goals are delineated below. This is an ambitious plan to expand support for student wellness. It is expected that:
- The implementation timeline will be revised accordingly as funds are identified from a combination of university, development and grant sources.
- Measurable goals and objectives, including learning outcomes, will be developed during the annual goal setting process.
- Revisions to objectives will be made as needed throughout the implementation process as new data is collected and collaborative opportunities are created.
Goal 1: Expand primary prevention efforts through outreach programs and individual services in our current health areas and into new wellness areas.
Objectives
- We will expand our current HPaW alcohol and other drug programs and services to fill unmet needs at individual, targeted communities and population levels.
- We will expand our current CARE programs and services addressing sexual health and sexual violence to fill unmet needs at individual, targeted communities and population levels.
- We will add new wellness programs and services to more effectively address whole person wellness, primarily through physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing at individual, targeted communities and population levels.
- We will implement population-level health promotion and education on all relevant health topics via evidence-based social marketing and social media efforts.
- We will strive to create a “multi-year curriculum” to enhance learning opportunities with and for students throughout their enrollment.
Goal 2: Expand student engagement opportunities in the design and delivery of programs and services.
Objectives
- We will engage students as active partners in peer-led education and in the design and delivery of programs and services, where ever appropriate.
- We will enhance graduate internship opportunities and provide “theory-to-practice” connections with their academic programs.
- We will provide appropriate training and supervision for undergraduate peer educators, graduate interns and work-study students.
Goal 3: Enhance departmental visibility with students, staff and faculty.
Objectives
- We will enhance HPaW department visibility through the effective and consistent use of marketing and branding strategies, in accordance with Student Affairs Marketing and University guidelines.
- We will redesign and maintain our digital and online presence to reflect our current offerings and enhance student access to our programs and services.
Goal 4: Build and maintain campus and community partnerships which enhance student health and wellness.
Objectives
- We will provide training for faculty and staff on current student health issues and making effective referrals to support student success.
- We will lead or participate actively in relevant coalitions to promote student health throughout the campus environment.
- We will remain current on evidence-based practice and the federal and state regulatory environment and work with relevant campus partners to meet compliance mandates.We will provide consultation on enhancing the health-promoting aspects of the built and social environment at NU.
- We will provide consultation on enhancing the health-promoting aspects of the built and social environment at NU.
Goal 5: Engage in assessment and research efforts on an ongoing basis.
Objectives
- We will incorporate learning outcomes and assessment into new and existing program design.
- We will conduct student health behavior surveys periodically to aid in program direction, data dissemination and marketing campaigns.
- We will continue to assess and meet the needs of underserved populations.