FY27 Objectives and Projects
This year’s playbook contains seven long-term objectives that focus on enrollment and student success; student wellbeing, civic engagement and career readiness; serving a wider range of learners; research and economic development; external engagement; the employee experience; and core infrascturcure.
Objective 1: Improve student recruitment, access, retention, persistence, and completion
-
1.1 Strengthen current student communications
Project purpose: To improve communication to students so that they can more easily understand, navigate, and act on information that supports their success.
Project Leads: Claudine Cellier and Devin Carpenter
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
1.2 Drive the design and implementation of an undergraduate advising model that responds to current and future student needs and expectations
Project purpose: To support student success through aligned advising ecosystems, standardized policies and procedures, consistent and high-quality professional development, and coordinated caseload support for colleges.
Project Leads: Brian French and Brian Reed
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
1.3 Enhance Native American student success and Tribal partnerships by acknowledging and implementing the tenets of Tribal sovereignty
Project purpose: To partner with Tribal Nations in shaping pathways, supports, and experiences so that Native American students persist and complete at parity
Project Leads: Karla Bird, Michelle Guzman, and Kristina Lucero
Executive Sponsor: Adrea Lawrence
1.4 Cultivate excellence in general education by developing a collaborative, cross-disciplinary assessment
Project purpose: To equip faculty with adaptable, evidence-based teaching strategies for gateway courses so that we strengthen student success, boost academic confidence, and improve degree completion.
Project Leads: Amy Ratto Parks and Lauren Fern
Executive Sponsor: Adrea Lawrence
1.5 Refine our strategic approach to graduate and professional enrollment, including exceeding the doctoral completer requirement to maintain R1 status
Project purpose: To strategically align graduate and professional offerings with student and market needs and program insights so that enrollment and outcomes improve.
Project Leads: Ke Wu and Brad Goan
Executive Sponsor: Paul Lukacs
1.6 Develop integrated and effective student financial services functions
Project purpose: To integrate financial aid and student accounts functions so that we improve effectiveness in service, systems, and processes.
Project Leads: Drew Riley and Stacey Eve
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
1.7 Establish a representative academic AI Working Group to provide academic direction, develop shared principles, identify risks and opportunities, and recommend guardrails that align AI use in teaching, research, and academic operations with UM's academic mission, sustainability commitments, and shared decision-making traditions
Project purpose: To strengthen faculty-led AI principles and guardrails so that instruction, assessment, and credential value remain aligned and credible.
Project Leads: Amy Ratto Parks and Michael Cassens
Executive Sponsor: Adrea Lawrence
1.8 Define reduced credit bachelor degrees and alternatives, assess the models and alternatives in the context of UM’s current mission, programs, enrollment strategy, and post-graduate outcomes, and identify promising opportunities to present to UM leadership and faculty
Project purpose: To explore the design of more flexible and accelerated pathways so that students can complete degrees more quickly and affordably.
Project Leads: Dominic Beccari, Isho Tama-Sweet, and Soazig LeBihan
Executive Sponsor: John DeBoer
1.9 Prioritize and improve internal systems and process design at the intersection of the student and employee experiences
Project purpose: To redesign internal systems, processes, and cross-unit practices in ways that reduce friction for both students and employees, and improve institutional effectiveness.
Project Leads: Brian Reed and Pamela Altmaier
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
1.10 Transform umt.edu into a cohesive, student-centered digital experience that leads with UM’s value proposition, earns trust and removes barriers
Project purpose: To reposition UM’s digital assets for student recruiting, build a student-centered digital experience, and optimize umt.edu for the primary purpose of serving prospective and current student needs.
Project Leads: Corey Cardoza, Mark Lannen, and Stephanie Geyer
Executive Sponsor: Dave Kuntz
Objective 2: Prioritize wellbeing, civic engagement, and career readiness as critical components of the UM student journey
-
2.1 Amplify student engagement, wellbeing, and experience through a coordinated framework
Project purpose: To create a coordinated, student-centered framework that integrates wellbeing, civic engagement, leadership, student involvement, and career readiness across the UM journey, and helps units connect their student experience work more consistently to deliver on UM’s value and impact.
Project Lead: John Nugent
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
2.2 Develop a coordinated approach to support the free exchange of ideas at campus programs
Project purpose: To review our policies and procedures to ensure UM protects the free exchange of ideas.
Project Lead: Jeanne Loftus
Executive Sponsor: Leslie Webb
2.3 Coordinate strategic external partnerships to strengthen student, community and industry impact
Project purpose: To coordinate and align the University’s engagement with employers, industry partners, community organizations, government agencies, alumni, and other external partners to support a more strategic and connected approach.
Project Leads: Andrea Vernon, LeAnn Layton, and Mike Fisher
Executive Sponsor: Brian Reed
Objective 3: Establish UM as a platform for learning to serve the needs of a wider range of learners
-
3.1 Establish UM as the regional leader in online education through a focus on academic quality and innovation, support for teaching excellence, and expanded access for a wider range of learners
Project purpose: To strengthen the quality of online education so that access expands to a wider range of learners without compromising integrity or value.
Project Lead: Amy Ratto Parks and Rebecca Kranitz
Executive Sponsor: Shara Tscheulin
3.2 Develop a comprehensive and financially sustainable noncredit training portfolio
Project purpose: To expand noncredit offerings to grow access, meet workforce needs, and strengthen pathways into degree programs.
Project Leads: Brad Goan and Julie Cahill
Executive Sponsor: Shara Tscheulin
3.3 Establish a coordinated, institution-wide dual enrollment strategy that expands access, strengthens K-12 partnerships, and improves high school student engagement with UM
Project purpose: To expand and coordinate dual enrollment pathways to increase college readiness and early access to UM.
Project Leads: Drew Riley, Grace Gardner, and Julie Cahill
Executive Sponsor: Shara Tscheulin
3.4 Adapt our systems and processes to support a wider range of learners
Project purpose: To adapt systems and processes to improve access, navigation, and outcomes for a wider range of learners.
Project Leads: Brad Goan and Julie Cahill
Executive Sponsor: Shara Tscheulin
Objective 4: Build partnerships and leverage research, creative scholarship, and economic development initiatives in response to community, state, and global needs
-
4.1 Collaborate with partners to address health needs across Montana, with a particular focus on mental and behavioral health
Project purpose: To coordinate interdisciplinary expertise to more effectively address Montana’s behavioral health needs.
Project Leads: Amanda Cahill, Michael Rohd, and Roni Johnson
Executive Sponsor: Brad Goan
4.2 Develop a strategy with state, federal, and private partners to grow UM research and creative activities in response to changing federal and state priorities in key research areas and to remain a top-tier R1 research university
Project purpose: To engage external partners proactively and strategically to support research growth and ensure that UM's research investigators and creative scholars are able to respond quickly to shifting federal and state priorities.
Project Leads: Drew Reinert, Erika Hildner, and Lily Apedaile
Executive Sponsor: Paul Lukacs
4.3 Improve research support systems, processes, and services
Project purpose: To optimize research administration for principal investigators and research support staff so that we effectively and efficiently support research on campus and maintain R1 classification.
Project Leads: Katherine Swan and Nicole Thompson
Executive Sponsor: Paul Lukacs
Objective 5: Broaden UM’s engagement with alumni, donors, and community members
-
5.1 Promote our impact and deepen confidence in UM through community engagement across Montana and in key national markets with strong UM ties
Project purpose: To promote UM’s impact across Montana and in key national markets to strengthen public confidence in the University and deepen relationships that drive advocacy, philanthropy, enrollment, and long-term connection to UM’s mission and public value.
Project Leads: Dave Kuntz and Jay Beagle
Executive Sponsor: LeAnn Layton
5.2 Build organizational momentum and philanthropic engagement around the University's highest strategic priorities to advance opportunities that serve students, serve Montana, and position the institution for long-term impact
Project purpose: To align institutional leaders, volunteers, and philanthropic partners around the University's highest strategic priorities, building the case, capacity, and momentum necessary to secure transformative investment and advance priority initiatives.
Project Leads: Heather Rue,Jamie Stanton, and Kara Fleharty
Executive Sponsor: Cindy Williams
5.3 Develop an institutional plan to ensure NCAA Division I athletic success: graduating student athletes and developing leaders, winning conference championships, regularly competing in NCAA postseason opportunities, and winning a national championship in football
Project purpose: To pursue Division I Athletics excellence and success as a means of building school pride, growing community engagement, and enhancing philanthropic support.
Project Leads: Greg Sundberg and Jean Gee
Executive Sponsor: Kent Haslam
Objective 6: Enhance the employee experience to support engagement, job performance, and career development
-
6.1 Establish clear, practical expectations for managers—defining leadership competencies, behaviors and core responsibilities—and align development, evaluation, and accountability systems to those standards
Project purpose: To define and support effective management practices to enhance workplace culture and employee performance.
Project Leads: Alicia Arant, Jasmine Laine, and Shawn Blair
Executive Sponsor: Jay Stephens
6.2 Leverage NEOED Learn to implement employee trainings for key processes: Banner, travel, procurement, recruitment, and hiring
Project purpose: To provide important process and systems training so that employees can perform their work effectively.
Project Leads: Kit Edington, Marcie Briggs, Matt Weber, and Michelle Wunder
Executive Sponsor: Jay Stephens
6.3 Equip employees with AI fluency, clear guardrails, and practical tools to improve operations and enhance employee experience
Project purpose: To develop employee AI fluency and provide tools and guardrails to support employee engagement and retention, making UM a place where people grow and do their best work.
Project Leads: Corey Cardoza and David Niekamp
Executive Sponsor: Zach Rossmiller
Objective 7: Improve core infrastructure to support strategic objectives
-
7.1 Develop and communicate strategic priorities and key projects in core operational areas (e.g., technology, data, financial, compliance and policy, and physical infrastructure)
Project purpose: To define and communicate a core infrastructure roadmap that focuses and aligns operational efforts that provide high value to students, faculty, and staff.
Project Lead: Eva Rocke, Kate Duran, and Pope Ashworth
Executive Sponsors: Brad Goan, Lucy France, Paul Lasiter, Paula Short, and Zach Rossmiller
7.2 Advance campus renewal by opening the new residence hall and inviting philanthropic support for priority capital projects, including the construction of a new science and conservation building as well as renovation of the Music Building
Project purpose: To invest in modern dynamic spaces that support high-quality accessible learning, world-class research, and collaboration required for a 21st century education.
Project Lead: Jameel Chaudhry, Jennifer Cavanaugh, and Libby Metcalf
Executive Sponsor: Paula Short
7.3 Maximize our built environment as an expression of our brand through coordinated improvement to our visual identity (e.g., wayfinding, signage, landscaping) to support recruitment and investment
Project purpose: To maximize the student, employee, and visitor on-campus experience by aligning UM’s visual identity with consistent branding, messaging, wayfinding, and landscaping.
Project Lead: Jenny Lavey, Kelly Nolin, and Paula Short
Executive Sponsor: Dave Kuntz