Implementation Updates
December 12, 2025
The Strategic Plan Implementation Team is pleased to share an important milestone in the implementation of Stockton University’s Soaring Forward: Strengthening Community, Advancing Excellence Strategic Plan.
During a presentation at its December meeting, the Board of Trustees reviewed the campuswide objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) that will guide our work for the next several years. This review reflects an important milestone in our progress and is a direct result of the dedication, collaboration, and thoughtful work of colleagues across every division.
Over the past eight weeks, our Implementation Team co-leads have worked together to develop and refine measurable and time-bound objectives for each of the plan’s five priorities. The Board recognized the clarity, rigor, and commitment reflected in this work, and we hope you feel proud of what we have accomplished so far. We have made significant progress in a short period of time.
Objectives for each of the five priorities are now available for the campus community to review on the Strategic Plan website (authentication is required). The Strategic Plan objectives reflect where we want to be as a university and what we want to achieve by the end of 2028. The KPIs are also designed to evolve as our understanding of our needs, and those of our stakeholders shift or expand. Some of our current work focuses on establishing the benchmarks we need in order to refine and strengthen future objectives.
The next phase of implementation focuses on strategy development (the key things we will do to achieve the KPIs across divisions) and action planning (who does what by when within units). As we continue our commitment to broad campus engagement, the Strategic Plan Implementation Team will expand to include additional faculty and staff. Divisions will begin reviewing their current plans or creating new ones, refining existing strategies and developing new ideas along the way.
To support this effort and help ensure we achieve our goals, Stockton will begin using ClearPoint, a platform that assists institutions in aligning resources, tracking progress, and reporting results. In the coming weeks, Nicole Suprun and Dr. Jamael Harrison will provide training for those who will use ClearPoint to organize initiatives, monitor key performance indicators, and document progress throughout implementation. In addition, the campus community will receive a walkthrough of the ClearPoint dashboards that will be available for broad viewing, so everyone can see how progress will be tracked over time.
In January, the Implementation Team will begin prioritizing actions, aligning resources, and preparing the first reporting cycle. This work will be collaborative and inclusive, and we will continue to provide regular updates as we advance through each stage of implementation.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this early success, and especially to our co-leads and colleagues who have invested significant time into data analysis, drafting, feedback cycles, and revisions. Your commitment to Stockton and to our region shines through every part of this work. We are excited for the next steps and for what we will accomplish together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Terricita Sass
EVP and Chief of Staff
Past Implementation Updates
The Strategic Plan Implementation Teams continue to make steady progress as we move
from planning to measurable action. Over the past two weeks, the Implementation Co-Leads
and Divisional Executives have advanced the development of objectives and key performance
indicators (KPIs) that will define how Stockton measures success across our five strategic
priorities.
During a workshop on Oct. 31, EAB helped us sharpen our focus on outcomes over outputs—moving from counting activities to understanding the impact of our work. Teams explored how strong metrics can clarify accountability, celebrate wins, and help us make better decisions over time. The training also underscored the importance of acknowledging external factors that influence results and avoiding unintended incentives that can distort behavior.
The Implementation Team has endorsed ClearPoint Strategy as the platform that will help Stockton organize, track, and share progress on our goals. The contract is now under legal review, and training for divisional executives and action teams is planned for spring 2026.
Each implementation team is currently finalizing draft objectives for review with Divisional Executives. These will inform the set of KPIs to be presented to the Board of Trustees in December. Future updates will introduce how ClearPoint will support transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the institution.
Our shared goal remains the same: to build a thoughtful, inclusive, and sustainable framework that helps Stockton Soar Forward—together.
Stockton University's Strategic Plan, Soaring Forward, was officially endorsed by the Board of Trustees in September 2025. At the State
of the University Address, President Joe Bertolino introduced the Strategic Plan Implementation
Co-Leads who will work closely with Divisional Executives to guide the work ahead.
Together, they will help shape Stockton’s next chapter through five key priorities:
- Cultivate a Community of Care
- Inspire Minds
- Empower Student Success
- Anchor in Purpose
- Sustain Tomorrow
This fall, our primary focus is the development of objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPIs will be presented to the Board of Trustees in December. These metrics will guide our progress and shape our work for the next three years and beyond.
This week, the Implementation Co-Leads and Divisional Executives are participating in a series of working sessions with EAB, focusing on KPI development and aligning our collective efforts. In the coming weeks, Divisional Executives will assemble their respective action teams. These teams will help define how each unit contributes to our shared priorities — and how we measure success along the way.
We are committed to a process that is thoughtful, inclusive, and clear. A visual roadmap has been added to our internal calendar to help orient us in this phase of work.
Stay tuned for future updates as we continue to Soar Forward — together.
