DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University Department of Athletics on Friday released its Strategic Plan for 2018-21, outlining the path to success that NIU Associate Vice-President Sean T. Frazier, his administrative team and the coaches and staff will use to lead Huskie Athletics into the future.
 
"It's extremely important to have this road map for success," said NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.  "I'm excited because so many people from all areas of the department – coaches, senior administrators, staff and student-athletes – poured their heart and soul into developing it.  The strategic plan provides another example of the ways in which we are prioritizing academic and athletic success."
 
The 2018-21 Strategic Plan is the second three-year plan completed under Frazier, and retains the original Athletics Vision Statement "to be a nationally-recognized NCAA Division I program that wins championships and graduates student-athletes with integrity while engaging a diverse community."
 
The new Strategic Plan also introduces "The Huskie P.A.C. - Promoting Athletes to Champions" which is defined as the integration of academic, athletic and civic leadership. The "P.A.C. Principle" is incorporated into a slightly altered mission statement, which retains the commitment to "developing champions in the classroom, in competition and in life" that has been a part of NIU Athletics' stated mission since 2009. 
 
Beverly & Associates facilitated the year-long strategic planning process that solicited input from a wide-range of individuals representing areas throughout the department, across campus and the Huskie fan base, and was led internally by Chief of Staff Debra Boughton. Unlike in 2015, current NIU student-athletes were consulted with several serving on the committee that developed the final document.
 
"I am very proud of the hard work of the Strategic Plan Working Group, which consisted of student-athletes, head coaches, senior staff and department head leadership and a representative from our Huskie Fan Advisory Board," Boughton said. "I am particularly proud of the interest and involvement of our student-athletes, a group that did not play a large role in the design and implementation of our last strategic plan.  I am hopeful that this plan will be one that truly drives our department priorities for the next three years, and one that all members of the NIU community will support to assist us in continuing to move our department forward."
 
The bulk of the document considers four "pillars", of equal importance, which will provide the essential platform for the work of the department over the next three years, namely:
 

• Student-Athlete Experience
• Communication and the NIU Family
• Community Connection
• Financial Stability

Two of the pillars are carried over from the previous incarnation of the Strategic Plan with Student-Athlete Experience remaining, while "Financial Sustainability" becomes "Financial Stability" in the 2018 document.
 
"Being a part of the Strategic Planning process was an honor," said Connie Teaberry, NIU Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.  "The direction the department is headed has the best interest of not only Athletics, but the University and community as well. It was important that the views of the staff, student-athletes and the Huskie Fan Advisory Board were heard, and we collectively agreed on the four pillars.  I'm excited to see the positive changes from the implementation of the Strategic Plan come to fruition."
 
Specific goals and objectives are detailed under each pillar, and will be used as benchmarks throughout the life of the plan.
 
Click to read and/or download the entire NIU Athletics Strategic Plan document.
 
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