Since Iowa State President Steven Leath said in March that he will be leaving Iowa State to become Auburn University’s 19th president, many questions have surfaced about what will happen to initiatives developed during his time here. 

Leath and his administration announced a strategic plan that would begin in the fall of 2017 and continue through 2022.

The plan includes four goals and aims for individuals and faculty to engage in an environment that can lead to self-growth.

The four goals are to ensure students receive an exceptional education, conduct high-impact research, improve the quality of life for all Iowans and enhance the university climate for the Iowa State community and visitors.

Nicci Port, who is a project director for the office for diversity and inclusion, previously served as the chair of the LGBTQA+ Faculty and Staff Association. She found herself on a committee that was involved in the pre-planning of the strategic plan.

Port reflected on the strategic plan’s process before it was unveiled and said it will continue after Leath’s departure.

She said the latest strategic plan was to be released at the same time the Board of Regents released its plan with hopes that Iowa State’s plan would align and be responsive to the Board of Regents’.

Port’s staff association and other staff associations united to draft a recommendation paper and sent it to the steering committee.

“The response [from the steering committee] was very good,” Port said. “We took the risk, put ourselves out there and we were accepted.”

After the positive reaction from the steering committee, Port found the entire process to be encouraging and felt that the plan was moving in the right direction.

The plan was created by the community, unveiled in the fall of 2015 and endorsed by Leath.

Port doesn’t see Leath’s departure impacting the plan because the community crafted it.

But she did say that there is a chance a new president might prioritize one goal more than the others. 

“But none of the goals would be ignored because it is the community working on the goals,” Port said.

Another reason why Port doesn’t believe the plan will die is because Leath and his cabinet have appointed individuals to be in charge of certain goals. For example, Reginald Stewart, vice president for diversity and inclusion, and Kate Gregory, senior vice president for University Services, are in charge of the fourth goal of enhancing university climate for all.

“Losing a president doesn’t impact it as negatively as you might think,” Port said.

Overall, Port is interested in the upcoming data the university will receive and what students, faculty and staff have to say in the campus climate survey.

Port sees the strategic plan as an opportunity for Iowa State to display what is most important to the university and to those who reside here.