PLANNING FOR UNT'S FUTURE

The University of North Texas stands at a critical juncture in today’s rapidly evolving world – a moment that calls for thoughtful leadership and forward-looking strategic planning. Under the direction of President Harrison Keller, Ph.D., UNT launched its strategic planning process in Fall 2024 to define a distinct institutional identity and forge a vision to elevate UNT as a leader in education and research that will drive progress in the North Texas region, the state, the nation, and the world.

Our strategic plan won’t be a static document — but a dynamic roadmap that empowers UNT to thrive amid change and move beyond its reputation as North Texas’ “best kept secret." Grounded in data, informed by our community, and true to our mission, the planning process will position UNT to deepen partnerships, strengthen student success, and help shape the future of Texas.

Why does strategic planning matter now?

UNT has a pivotal role in contributing to and benefiting from the dynamic ecosystem of our North Texas region and state. UNT must equip every UNT graduate with the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to access economic opportunity and achieve lasting career success.

UNT business students at work in the stock trading room.

Economic Change

Dramatic shifts in the global economy and the growing demands of industry created new expectations for tomorrow's workforce. As these changes accelerate, UNT must provide the advanced knowledge and skills needed to launch rewarding careers.

State and Regional Growth

The DFW area is one of America's fastest-growing regions, adding more than 1.2 million residents between 2010 and 2020 — a 20% increase that outpaced almost all other major metropolitan areas. This growth reflects Texas' broader momentum as a leader in job creation and population gains.

A graduate's UNT mortarboard decorated with jewels

Higher Ed Transformation

Higher education is going through a radical transformation. To remain competitive and relevant, UNT must lead in redesigning educational approaches that address student needs, demonstrate clear value, and create meaningful impact.

Defining a New Future, Together

UNT’s strategic plan will establish clear directions and priorities that:

Differentiate UNT in an increasingly competitive educational landscape
Deliver exceptional value to our students and stakeholders
Leverage our unique strengths to address economic and workforce challenges throughout the region and state
Allocate resources effectively toward our highest-impact opportunities
Align our campus community around shared goals and aspirations

GATHERING INPUT AND DATA

In the spring and summer of 2025 UNT will engage with stakeholders at the Denton and Frisco campuses. We will invite input from faculty, staff, students, alumni, community and education partners, and policymakers. And we will collaborate with existing advisory bodies such as the President’s Cabinet, the Faculty and Staff Senates, the Student Government Association (SGA), and the Graduate Student Council (GSC) to guide and inform the direction of UNT for generations to come.

To ensure we hear a wide array of voices, UNT will host several open campus conversations for community members to offer ideas for the strategic plan. Some of these sessions will be hosted virtually while others will take place on campus, including one at the UNT at Frisco branch campus.

We’ve already laid the foundation for success through our new strategic budgeting model and by implementing priority initiatives to advance student success, research and innovation, and economic impact.

Guiding Principles

How UNT develops our strategic plan is just as important as the plan itself. Our approach embraces four core principles that guide every aspect of the planning process. These values ensure our strategic planning efforts will yield not just a static document, but a living framework to guide UNT's continued growth and success.

COLLABORATIVE

Developed through a collaborative process with input from university stakeholders

AGILE & ITERATIVE

Informed by agile implementation of key projects that shape and refine our understanding and priorities

A circle of four icons cycling into each other

TRANSPARENT

Communicated through open and shared understanding of process, timeline, and progress

FUTURE-FOCUSED

Oriented toward building a strong foundation for UNT’s future success and impact

Informing the Plan

UNT’s strategic plan will provide an actionable, data-based approach to redefining who we are, where we are going, and what we offer. To create the most impactful plan, UNT is partnering with leading organizations from across the state and nation.

The strategic plan will be informed by three essential inputs:

DATA AND BENCHMARKING

Institutional data and benchmarking against peer institutions to identify opportunities and gaps

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Feedback from stakeholders about UNT’s strengths, challenges, brand, and more through surveys, town hall meetings, focus groups, etc.

PROMISING PRACTICES

Review of promising practices from leading institutions across the country related to key priority areas

Timeline

UNT is embarking on a comprehensive strategic planning process that will unfold in the spring and summer of 2025 and culminate with a shared document in Fall 2025. This timeline represents our commitment to a thorough process that ensures every aspect of our strategic priorities receives careful consideration and thoughtful development.

Timeline graphic showing Capacity Review (Fall 2024); Research, Facilitation, and Input (Fall 2024-Spring 2025); Content Development and Messaging (Spring-Summer 2025); and Design/Production (Summer-Fall 2025) with Strategic Plan Announcement in Nov. 2025

Each phase of the project builds upon the previous one, creating a strong foundation for UNT's future direction and success.

Capacity Review: Rapid evaluation of organizational capacity and structures to deliver on institutional priorities, including student success, strategic budgeting, and research and innovation.
Research, Facilitation, and Input: Input gathering from university and community stakeholders, identification of promising practices related to strategic priorities, and research on UNT audience segments.
Content Development and Messaging: Drafting and refinement of strategic goals, focus areas, and metrics, as well as testing of messages with key audiences.
Design and Production: Creation of a new, five-year strategic plan, which will be released at President Keller’s State of the University address on November 5, 2025.

ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS

Advisory committees comprising representatives from each of UNT's stakeholder groups — campus representatives, policymakers, community partners, and business leaders — are informing the development of our strategic plan.

UNT alumni and supporters providing advice, guidance, and input toward the design and direction of the strategic plan:

Michael Archer ('81), Managing Partner, Manhattan Innovation Lab
Dave Copps ('86), CEO, Worlds Enterprises Inc.
Sarina Davidson ('19), Senior Director, Corporate Fundraising, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County
Jackie Davis ('15), CASA Supervisor, Dallas CASA
Ryan Farha ('01), Deputy General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, ORIX Corporation
Bob Garza ('74), Retired, Formerly at Southwestern Bell
Adam Griffith ('08), Vice President of Information Technology, Uncommon Brands
Ashleigh Griffith, Global Brand Manager, Yum! Brands – KFC Division
Sam Golden ('74), Managing Director & Senior Advisor, Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC
Diann Huber ('01 Ed.D.), Founder & President, iTeachU.S.
Harry Joe ('70), Labor and Employment Attorney, JMO Firm PLLC
Cathy Krendl ('67), Retired
Drew Lawton ('91 MBA), Independent Director, Jackson Financial
Don Lovelace, President, Lily of the Desert, Inc.
Andy McDowall ('24), Software Developer, Paycom
Colin Meyer ('97 TAMS), Chief Medical Officer & VP of Product, Reata Pharmaceuticals,
Don Millican ('74), CFO and CPA, Kaiser-Francis Oil Company
Thomas Muir ('93), Mayor, City of Sanger
Vikas Sinha ('23 Ph.D.), VP, Broadcom Software
Suzanne Smith ('94 TAMS), Founder, Social Impact Architects
Terry Strange ('68), Retired, formerly Vice Chairman & Managing Partner, KPMG LLP
Kendria Taylor ('03), President, TG8 Solutions Insight
Keith Walters ('03), Co-Owner, Walters Wedding Estates
James Webb ('86), President, Paradigm Development Holdings

Representatives from university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and community organizations

Mark Albert, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering
Alex Ames, Chair Elect, Staff Senate; Stacks & Holds Coordinator, University Libraries
Brenda Barrio, Assistant VP, Research and Innovation, Division of Research & Innovation
Brandi Everett, Vice Provost for Academic Resources, Office of the Provost
Chris Foster, Associate Vice President, Student Accounting, Division of Enrollment Administration
Amanda Fuller, Associate Director of Academic Affairs Communications, UBSC
Lynette Gillis, President/CEO, UNT Foundation, Division of Advancement
Jill Harold, Lecturer; Director of Lower-Division Service Courses, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Lee Hughes, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, College of Science
Holly Hutchins, Vice Provost for Faculty Success, Office of the Provost
Karen Hutzel, Dean, College of Visual Arts & Design
Abraham John, Assistant VP, AITS, Division of Enterprise Systems
William Joyner, Vice Chair, Faculty Senate; Associate Professor of Voice, College of Music
Bhavya Kanyadara, GSC Executive Team Director, Graduate Student Council
Kinshuk, Dean, College of Information
Paul Krueger, Dean, College of Engineering
Lisa McIntyre, Vice Provost for Student Success, Office of the Provost
Pam Milner, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs, G. Brint Ryan College of Business
Joseph Oppong, Professor, Geography, Toulouse Graduate School
Jen Palcich, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Patrick Pluscht, Executive Director, DSI Digital Growth, Division of Digital Strategy & Innovation
Laura Smith, Dean of Students, Division of Student Affairs
Jody Sundt, Associate Dean for Academics, College of Health and Public Service
Toni Sorsdal, Compliance Manager, University Integrity & Compliance
Barrett Taylor, Professor, College of Education
Margarita Venegas, Director of Communications, Division of Finance & Administration
Jaidyn Watkins, Vice President, Student Government Association (SGA)
Cortney Watson, Assistant Dean for Finance and Operations, TAMS
Kim Williams, Professor & Chair for Hospitality and Tourism Management Department, College of Merchandising, Hospitality, and Tourism
Matt Witty, Executive Senior Associate AD/Chief Financial Officer, Division of Athletics

Leaders from UNT at Frisco campus, community, and industry partners in the region

Shari Childers, Clinical Associate Professor; Academic Associate Dean, Dept. of Multidisciplinary Innovation, CACS
Wes Cunningham, Associate Deputy Superintendent, Frisco ISD
Jason Ford, President, Frisco EDC
Hope Garcia, Assistant VP, Student Affairs, Frisco Campus, Division of Student Affairs
Ryan Gebhart, President, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Centennial
Christal Howard, President & CEO, Frisco Chamber
Aaron Kasner, Director, Corporate Partnership Marketing, Dallas Cowboys
Caren Lock, Managing Director and Government Relations Officer, TIAA
Audhesh Paswan, Dean of CACS, Vice Provost of UNT Frisco, College of Applied & Collaborative Studies
Amy Peterson, Director, Strategic Engagement, UNT Frisco
Wes Pierson, City Manager, City of Frisco
Brittany Reiner, Assistant Dean, Program Execution, UNT Frisco
Gloria Salinas, Vice President, Frisco EDC
Valerie Shaw, Head of University Partnerships, Fidelity
Jeff Smith, Vice President and Managing Director, Omni PGA
Kim Garza Turner, Executive Director, Community & External Relations, Division of Finance and Administration
Angela Venuk, Chief Information Officer, Datascan

CAMPUS CONVERSATIONS

This spring’s Campus Conversations brought together a few hundred UNT faculty, staff and students to learn about UNT’s process for developing the university’s five-year strategic plan and give them the opportunity to provide input on UNT’s future direction.

Read a summary of the Campus Conversations.

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER SURVEY

To inform the development of UNT’s five-year strategic plan, UNT engaged external stakeholders – including employers, workforce partners, education collaborators, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations – in a survey to gain insight about regional challenges, UNT's current effectiveness, and opportunities to enhance the university's impact through partnerships and innovation.

A summary of the survey findings will be posted soon.