Strategic Plan 2020-2025

Strategic Planning North Star

UW School of Public Health tackles the greatest health challenges in our region and around the world.

Our groundbreaking discoveries are fueled by rigorous science and equity-driven solutions.

Our students are leaders who emerge prepared to work in partnership with communities to improve the health of all people.

KRA - Collective Culture of Meaningful Change

Our culture supports ongoing development and growth.


Outcome 1 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH has a culture that supports ongoing development and growth.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Provide conflict resolution/mediation training across SPH departments and programs. 
  • Develop and offer staff leadership training opportunities.
  • Implement a development program to support faculty in classroom instructional support, research portfolio building, and leadership skills.

Outcome 2 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH has a student-centered culture.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Provide workshops and tip sheets on disability and accessibility awareness for staff in Student and Academic Services.
  • Develop a school-wide professional development plan for Student and Academic Services staff. 

Outcome 3 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH has a culture of well-being and connection.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Provide community building and well-being events across departments and programs. 
  • Enhance collaboration between the Office of the Dean and the departments/programs.

KRA - Education for Leadership and Transformation

Our dynamic and supportive learning environment attracts the next generation of diverse leaders who go on to drive transformational change in communities throughout the world.


Outcome 1 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH will offer consistent academic, professional, and personal support across all degree programs.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Refine evaluation practices and use of evaluation data to create continuous improvement and tailored career services across SPH.
  • Offer new student orientation content in multiple modalities to increase student participation.
  • Identify gaps and create additional support for eligible students seeking accessibility accommodations.

Outcome 2 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH will adopt best practices for student financial support; defined as students having the support they need to complete their degree program.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Research options for a student funding portal.
  • Update the SPH student emergency fund policy, procedures, and timeline.

Outcome 3 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH will deliver high-quality evidenced-based education across all degree programs.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Evaluate the SPH teaching support program for this academic year.
  • Conduct a landscape analysis and develop guidance for evaluation and improvement of degree programs.

KRA - Equity, Justice, and Anti-Racism

We are an academic institution that promotes good heath for all and breaks down structures of racism.


Outcome 1 - 2025 Goal

The EDI Roadmap is implemented and our progress is shared with key stakeholders, increasing our visibility and reputation as a School that prioritizes equity, diversity, and inclusion.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Create a final report to close out progress made on the original 2019 EDI Roadmap through 2023.
  • Develop an EDI strategic plan summary, in collaboration with departmental EDI Committees.
  • Create an annual calendar of EDI activities and initiatives that will be shared with SPH faculty, staff, and students.

Outcome 2 - 2025 Goal

With guidance from community members, principles of anti-racism are adapted in our public health work.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Continue to offer the Universal Anti-Racism Training (UART) series to SPH faculty and staff throughout the academic year.
  • Present knowledge change data from years one to three of the UART to SPH stakeholders.

Outcome 3 - 2025 Goal

Structures and policies are in place at the School and improved to facilitate the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty and staff, especially those who identify as black and/or indigenous.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Develop language for Student and Academic Services positions that highlight EDI expectations across SPH.
  • Implementation of the Faculty Development Program with the Public Health Critical Race Praxis framework, to include support for faculty in ‘Mentoring Across Difference’.
  • Facilitate focus groups with SPH staff around the integration of an EDI component to the annual performance review.

KRA - Methods to Research to Practice Continuum

We are a force for change. Continuous learning and rigorous science fuel our work. Collaborative research leads to cutting edge discoveries that we apply in ways that ensure healthier communities. Every outcome informs new waves of discovery.


Outcome 1 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH will celebrate important work across the continuum from fundamental methodologies to the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies for understanding and changing complex health systems.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Incorporate Methods to Research to Practice (M-R-P) storytelling into a broader SPH communications strategy.
  • Embed and share M-R-P stories across relevant SPH web pages, newsletters, social media, and the magazine.

Outcome 2 - 2025 Goal

UW SPH will continue to conduct cutting-edge work in methods and research, with priorities implemented according to a roadmap created by the SPH Research Council.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Increase support for training grant applications and renewals.
  • Enhance support for F- and K-award applications.
  • Conduct a needs assessment to identify research staff professional development needs.

Outcome 3 - 2025 Goal

At UW SPH, deep collaborations among faculty, staff, students, and key stakeholders result in successful models of academic practice.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Provide input on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion-informed Academic Affairs Handbook to meet the needs of SPH public health practitioners.
  • Develop a Practice Action Plan according to the charge of the SPH Practice Council.

KRA - Reputation and Visibility

We are recognized and highly regarded for our approach and transformative impact throughout the region and the world.


Outcome 1 - 2025 Goal

The reputation and visibility of UW SPH increases through use of a unified narrative across School communications which promotes the School’s strengths, expertise, and unique programs.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Align editorial content with UW Marketing & Communications monthly themes.
  • Integrate advancement best practices and guidelines in faculty and staff onboarding resources.
  • Hire a new SPH Digital Communications Manager and create an SPH tone/personality guide.

Outcome 2 - 2025 Goal

Coordination and alignment of UW SPH and department and program marketing and communication activities are maximized, delivering more effective messages of real-world impact to all our audiences.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Grow capacity around inclusive language for storytellers and marketers in SPH.
  • Increase content production in collaboration with department communicators.
  • Finalize and implement a process for public endorsements and statements.

Outcome 3 - 2025 Goal

Public audiences and alumni are meaningfully engaged in the UW SPH community and giving back financially.

CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-24) MILESTONES

Status updated on a quarterly basis.

Key: not started or in progress or completed

Milestone
  • Develop, launch, and analyze results from an alumni engagement survey.
  • Evaluate current state for broad-based alumni giving and innovate improved strategies.
  • Develop and launch initiatives informed by alumni engagement survey with the aim of increasing alumni participation.

Strategic Framework

Strategic Framework circle