 Bemidji State University has come up with a new strategic plan designed to push the campus forward for the next five years. Lakeland News reporter Cheryl Moore sat down with BSU's president to discuss the thought process of the goal sheet. Strategic planning for 2018 through 2023 at Bemidji State University actually started last February. Officials held six community listening sessions throughout the year to figure out what exactly needed work. In addition to those community listening sessions, we held campus listening sessions in town hall meetings and gathered feedback and input from our campus community, faculty, staff, and students. About that process is we identified some themes that we would move forward with. We numbered them one through five but that didn't mean that number one was more important than number two or three or four or five. There are five priority areas in the strategic plan. Build university capacity through distinguishing themes of place. Increase engagement with American Indian communities to become a destination university. Increase student engagement in campus life. Strengthen BSU's academic identity by infusing its shared fundamental values into all academic programs. And create a university culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. The plan has been aligned with Minnesota State Systems. We've identified the first year really as the first three semesters and so we have have specific activities that will be starting in year one as we call it. The BSU strategic plan has been in the work since last year. That's because the previous strategic plan was due to expire in 2017. Now all the points are equal but one of the main goals of this plan is creating a more diverse campus. We're really looking to attract more diverse populations of students and faculty and staff here to the Bemidji area and as you know it's very critical not only to have the support here on the campus community but also within the greater Bemidji community. One administrator will be over each of the five priorities. Dr. Hinsrude says the ultimate goal is to create a stronger campus. The reason that you engage in strategic planning is to make the institution stronger and to really set a course or a direction for the institution. You come in and you analyze what you might be able to do differently to improve the institution and to really focus on the success of our students. Reporting in Bemidji, Srahmar, Lakeland News. The implementation of this strategic plan began on January 1st. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.