
“Forward Together” has been the focus of President Harlan Sands’ first year at Cleveland State University. Now, in that spirit, the University is charting a bright future by focusing its resources on seven key priorities, or pillars.
The priorities, as well as new mission and vision statements, were shared with students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends in a series of campus Town Hall meetings.
“This is a comprehensive blueprint for enhancing and elevating CSU,” said President Sands.
CSU’s new Statement of Strategic Priorities builds upon past planning exercises; student, faculty and staff priority committees established during the presidential transition; formal and informal conversations, and more.
“This document is truly a collaborative work that reflects the spirit of a vibrant campus community. We intend to use these ideas to focus our work as we begin to write the next chapter in the evolution of CSU,” said the president.
The pillars reflect common themes, including: delivering a meaningful 21st century education – the CSU way; expanding CSU’s unique brand to attract more students; strengthening student progression and graduation; and recruiting, growing and retaining talent.
A Strategic Priorities Steering Committee and various sub-committees are guiding the effort; progress is being posted on a dedicated website.
CSU’s seven strategic priorities are:
Continue to enhance CSU’s reputation as a public urban research institution of distinction focused on student success, Engaged Learning, workforce development, community partnerships and more.
Retain and graduate more students by providing a first-rate educational experience, as well as wrap-around support services, such as mentoring.
Better define and deliver experiential learning opportunities such as co-ops, internships, civic engagement opportunities and work-study placements. Provide experiential learning to every student who wants such an opporunity.
Prepare students for jobs as the region’s primary talent developer, fueling economic growth in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Provide civic leaders and policy-makers with research and ideas that foster urban revitalization, economic development and public health.
Provide educational opportunities for a growing number of students from beyond the local area. This includes recruiting academically qualified international students, growing transfer enrollments from community colleges, and providing more opportunities for working adults through continuing education and certificate programs.
Grow revenue through increased student enrollment and improved student retention, fundraising and development efforts, and sound financial management.
Foster an inclusive, collegial and socially engaged academic community through living-learning communities, extracurricular experiences, more residence halls, and better communication and collaboration.
“With a strategic framework in place, our next team step is to identify specific goals for investment and action,” says President Sands.
Empowering Students.
Creating Knowledge.
Engaging Communities.
Shaping Our World.
Vision
We will be a nationally recognized and student-focused public research institution that provides accessible, affordable and engaged learning opportunities for all. We will be both:
An “anchor” institution for Northeast Ohio, recognized for cutting-edge research, creative activity, and innovative collaborations that drive economic development and enrich the lives of our students and citizens, and
A “beacon” institution whose vitality attracts diverse and talented faculty, staff and students from within and outside the region, thereby enhancing our distinctive and inclusive living, learning and working environments.
Submit your feedback, ideas or questions at stratpriorities@csuohio.edu


CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

President Sands celebrates first-year milestones: new partnerships, Say Yes scholarships, strategic priorities, and a focus on student success to strengthen Northeast Ohio’s future.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.

CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

President Sands celebrates first-year milestones: new partnerships, Say Yes scholarships, strategic priorities, and a focus on student success to strengthen Northeast Ohio’s future.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

President Sands celebrates first-year milestones: new partnerships, Say Yes scholarships, strategic priorities, and a focus on student success to strengthen Northeast Ohio’s future.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.