UWG Next: Our Pack. Our West. Our Future.

Members of the UWG Community,

Today, I am pleased to share that the University of West Georgia is launching UWG Next, a strategic planning process that will help guide our direction over the next five years and beyond.

UWG Next is grounded in a simple idea: the best plans are built through listening. This process is intentionally designed to be collaborative and transparent, bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners to help shape UWG's priorities and long-term future.

Throughout this work, UWG Next will remain anchored in the values and priorities that guide our university today, our five Big Rocks: student success; research and innovation; athletics; economic development and community engagement; and the arts. These priorities reflect both who we are and the impact we seek to have as a regional public university.

The planning process will be guided by a Strategic Planning Steering Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Jon Preston, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Allyson Bretch, vice president for university advancement and CEO of our philanthropic foundations. The committee will be composed of representatives from across the UWG community. This group will help ensure the process is thoughtful, inclusive, and aligned with the needs of our students and the communities we serve.

While details will take shape over time, the UWG Next process will broadly move through phases focused on listening and discovery, synthesizing input and identifying themes, drafting and refining priorities, and ultimately reviewing and adopting the university's next strategic plan. Throughout the process, we will share updates and provide opportunities for engagement.

As UWG approaches its 125th anniversary in 2031, UWG Next gives us an important opportunity to step back, listen carefully, and plan intentionally for what comes next. I encourage you to stay engaged and take part in this work as opportunities become available.

To learn more about UWG Next, including information about the planning process, a full list of the steering committee members, and future opportunities for engagement, I encourage you to visit UWG Next.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the University of West Georgia and to the students and communities we serve.

Sincerely,

Michael Johnson, Ph.D.

President

University of West Georgia