University employees have until Dec. 17 to voice their opinions on a draft of Missouri Southern’s strategic plan.

Interim vice president for student affairs Darren Fullerton led a discussion with around a dozen employees on Wednesday regarding the 8-page document, which he hopes will begin to be implemented as early as January.

“This is a living, breathing document,” Fullerton stressed during the presentation.

Once the plan is finalized, Fullerton said he anticipates it changing on a yearly basis as Southern adjusts to economics, technology and state mandates.

“All of those things will play a part in that,” he said. “Different focuses that come through campus, to stay involved in that the document will really have to change on a yearly basis.”

The plan includes a mission statement, which has already been approved, that reads: “Missouri Southern State University is a state-supported, comprehensive University offering programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. Central to our mission is a strong commitment to international education, liberal arts, professional and pre-professional programs, and the complementary relationship that must exist among them to prepare individuals for success in careers and lifelong learning.”

The plan also includes six goals, each with multiple objectives, including achieving student success with quality academic programs, providing a complete University experience with quality programs and services, promoting an international perspective, promoting effective stewardship of resources, promoting a culture that values everyone in the campus community and promoting the development of communities.

Fullerton said the goals were not listed in order of priority.

The strategic planning committee will be in charge of annual reviews of the plan, and Fullerton said the goal is to get a wide cross section of individuals across campus involved.

“We need to really have a grassroots effort and make sure we are involving a broader selection of people,” Fullerton said.

He said the strategic plan could appear on the dean and department heads meeting agenda every month, on the student affairs direct reports agenda every month and he hoped each department would put the plan on their discussion agenda to accelerate making changes at the department level.

“We’re hoping by the end of January to have it back out to the departments so they can start doing their tactics and looking at they things they can impact at the department level,” Fullerton said.

Feedback on the strategic plan draft should be sent to Fullerton or Dr. AJ Anglin, vice president for academic affairs.

“Any comment we get, no matter what that comment is, all of those comments will be taken back to that taskforce and then we will be vetting those out,” Fullerton said.