Institutional Strategic Plan
Juntos: Higher Education. Higher Purpose.
Through the heritage passed down by our founders, the Sisters of the Congregation
of Divine Providence, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) is called to a higher
purpose. That higher purpose – to transform the lives of our students and through
them create a better world – is the focus of our strategic plan.
As the university enters the final two years of the plan, we are facing a world we could not have imagined at its 2018 outset. The pandemic drastically changed the landscape of higher education. To deal with the changes, our strategic plan has become laser-focused on three crucial areas: matriculation of new students, retention and persistence of current students, and graduation of all our students.
Institutional Priorities
Matriculation, retention and graduation have been a part of the strategic plan since its inception, but the intense focus is designed to help us move the needle faster related to these university priorities. As OLLU welcomed our new president, Dr. Abel A. Chávez, MBA, PhD, in 2022, he began introducing new ways to promote and measure progress through the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) system. As we continue with the strategic plan and prepare for our next one, we will adopt OKRs as the way to better formulate and measure the initiatives that underpin our plan.
Strategic Themes
OLLU’s vision for the future centers on three key themes:
Theme 1: OLLU will be a model for academic excellence.
When the Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence began their work in 18th century France, they knew that they could affect the greatest and most sustained good through education. When they came to South Texas, they looked at the needs of the region and developed academic programs that would produce graduates who could meet those needs.
The mission of OLLU calls us to ensure quality, innovative undergraduate and graduate learning experiences. The key results associated with Theme 1 will ensure we are meeting this directive from our mission in a way that honors the work of our founders.
Theme 2: OLLU will be an exemplar model for student access, success and support.
The OLLU mission calls us to prepare our students for success and continued service. We must ensure that all of our practices create a platform for success. We have great expectations of our students to improve our world. We must create a clear path and provide the necessary tools for their success. Theme 2 key results are designed to create a launching pad for success.
Theme 3: OLLU will be a vibrant, inclusive community.
Our belief in Divine Providence provides a confidence that our path is guided by God. This confidence leads to an inclusive community that recognizes the gifts of all of our students, faculty and staff. The objectives under Theme 3 will ensure that our resources are aligned to create vibrant and inclusive experiences.
Detailed information and plan updates can be found online (login required).