# Discover 2025: Strategic Planning Process & Resources Explore the process behind Arkansas State University’s Discover 2025 Strategic Plan, including project phases, committee details, key partners, and resources that supported its development. # Steering Committee The following members have been appointed to the Arkansas State University’s Strategic Plan Steering Committee. ## Chair --- ### Implementation Coordinator --- #### Dr. Melanie Wicinski ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/melanie-wicinski-2024.webp) Associate Vice Chancellor for Accreditation and Assessment Phone: (870) 972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202J --- ### Co-Facilitators for the Public Forums Phase --- #### Dr. Russ Hannah, Ed.D., CPA, CGMA, CGFM ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/russ-hannah-edd-cpa-cgma-cgfm-2025.webp) Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration Chief Financial Officer Phone: 870-972-3303 Office: Administration Building, 222 --- #### Dr. Calvin White, Jr. ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/calvin-white_2023.webp) Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Phone: 870-972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202D --- #### Kathy Hicks ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/kathy-hicks-2022.webp) Associate Vice Provost for Budget & Planning Phone: 972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202L --- #### Dr. Fen Yu ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/fen-yu-2022.webp) Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Research Phone: (870) 972-3154 Office: Administration Building, 105A --- #### Tiffany Keb ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/tiffany-keb-2024.webp) Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Policy & Procedure Phone: 972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202F --- #### Madeline Ragland ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/madeline-ragland-2024.webp) Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Student Services Phone: 870-972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202 --- ### Committee Roster Sorted alphabetically by last name. --- #### Chris Boothman ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/chris-boothman-2023.webp) Vice Chancellor for Distance Education & Technology Chief Information Officer Phone: (870) 680-4830 Office: Administration Building, Suite 233 --- #### Dr. Erika Krennerich Chudy ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/erika-krennerich-chudy-2021.webp) Vice Chancellor for Advancement Director of Planned Giving Phone: (870) 972-2941 Office: Cooper Alumni Center --- #### Dr. Loretta Neal McGregor ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/loretta-neal-mcgregor-2023.webp) Professor of Psychology Phone: (870) 972-3064 Office: Education, 309 --- #### Dr. William McLean ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/william-mclean-2022.webp) Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Associate Professor of Political Science Phone: (870) 972-2104 Office: Administration Building --- #### Chris Pezman ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/chris-pezman-2025.webp) Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Office: Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center --- #### Dr. Martha Spack ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/martha-spack-2022.webp) Dean of Students Phone: 870-972-2048 Office: Reng Student Union, 2029 --- #### Jake Williams ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/jake-williams-2025.webp) SGA President --- #### Dr. Calvin White, Jr. ![](https://www.astate.edu/images/headshots/calvin-white_2023.webp) Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Phone: 870-972-2030 Office: Administration Building, 202D # The Strategic Plan Project This page provides an overview of the process behind Arkansas State University’s Discover 2025 Strategic Plan, including the consulting partner, project phases, and resources that guided the initiative. ## [![The Napa Group Logo](https://kb.astate.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-12/scaled-1680-/image-1764777228215.jpg)](https://kb.astate.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-12/image-1764777228215.jpg "The Napa Group") For more than 40 years, The Napa Group has partnered with education, business and non-profit organizations to strengthen their competitive advantage and financial sustainability as they respond to the changing expectations of their customers. In consultation with Napa Group, a six-part model produced a strategic solutions with supporting resource plans and an implementation roadmap informed by enterprise thinking and integration. Below is a recap of the six stages conducted to achieve the #Discover2025 plan through engaging stakeholders both on and off campus. [The Napa Group's Website >>](https://napagroup.com/) ## Project Phases ### Phase 1: Project Launch/Organizational Assessment **Time frame:** February - March 2019. - Project plan, leadership roles and communications plan - Form Steering Committee - Environmental scan and trends report - general market - Environmental scan and trends report - Arkansas State specific #### Recommended Read [![Artwork from the book cover, a robot hand holding a butterfly](https://kb.astate.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-12/scaled-1680-/image-1764777351677.png)](https://kb.astate.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-12/image-1764777351677.png) To prepare for this process, our Steering Committee members read "Robot-Proof," which explains the future of higher education. The library has acquired copies and it is also available digitally from [Project MUSE](https://muse.jhu.edu/book/55644/) or [EBSCO](https://research.ebsco.com/c/hawx2m/search/details/izsih2ybzb?db=nlebk&db=nlabk). ### Phase 2: Compelling Vision **Time frame:** March - May 2019. - Project website launch - Facilitated Steering Committee #1 (March 6) - Opportunities, challenges and high-level themes - Steering Committee Meeting - summary notes - Steering Committee-led focus groups (May 9) - Focus Group Responses - unedited ### Phase 3: Realistic Strategies **Time frame:** May - June 2019. - Facilitated Steering Committee #2 (May 29) - Draft strategic framework (goals and objectives) - Stakeholder engagement plan confirmed ### Phase 4: Stakeholder Engagement **Time frame:** September - October 2019. - Sep. 25 – 5:30-7:00 – Community Leadership (Student Union Auditorium) - Oct. 21 – 1-2:30 – Stakeholder Engagement – Students (Student Union Auditorium) - Oct. 21 – 3-4:30 – Stakeholder Engagement – Staff (Student Union Auditorium) - Oct. 23 – 3:30-5 – Stakeholder Engagement – Faculty (Student Union Auditorium) - Oct. 30 – 11-1 – Stakeholder Engagement – Alumni (Cooper Alumni Center) - If you can’t attend your group meeting, an open town hall for anyone is set for Wed, Nov. 6th, 5:30-7 - Task Force formed and charged ### Phase 5: Task Forces & Engagement **Time frame:** November 2019 onward. Taskforce Membership - Task Force reports submitted - Facilitated Steering Committee #3 - Draft plan, performance goals/outcomes ### Phase 6: Final Strategic Plan & Implementation Framework Final meetings, discussions, and formal adoption of the plan were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Final drafts were reviewed and [adopted during the Fall 2020 semester](https://www.astate.edu/about/news-archive/discover-2025-strategic-plan-approved-by-board-of-trustees.html). In June 2023, new tasks were developed that aligned with post-pandemic initiatives. # Strategic Plan Document Read the whole #Discover2025 Document