Strategic Plan

Build and Sustain a Thriving College Community with a Strong Culture of Equity, Mutual Respect, Inclusion, Trust, and Collegiality

We all want MSU Law to be a thriving, inclusive academic legal community—a great place to work and a sought-after employer and legal educator. That requires deliberate, ongoing effort: collaboration, creativity, and support are essential to our success and should never be taken for granted. MSU Law has grown and changed in the past five years, and full integration into MSU has sometimes been challenging for a variety of reasons. But now we have the opportunity to move forward together—honestly acknowledging setbacks, and building cohesive shared goals as a College and as part of a great land-grant institution.

As this strategic plan is being prepared, the Law College is undertaking a strategic climate initiative that will inform specific actions to address the strategies described below. Hence, this section of the plan provides only a high-level overview of the topics most commonly raised by members of the College community with respect to building the culture they most desire. It also builds on but does not replace the previously developed College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan.

1. Cultivate a set of shared College values that inspire and guide expected behaviors and policies, helping to create a positive and inclusive community
2. Build a powerful collective responsibility among our entire community to advance the mission and success of the College through transparency, open and meaningful discussions, and the practice of accountability
3. Build an environment that embraces diversity, fosters inclusivity, and promotes a strong sense of community among faculty, staff, and students
4. Develop and maintain an organizational structure and processes that promote collaboration, transparency, and effective communication and feedback
5. Ensure fairness, diversity, and inclusion are integral to all aspects of governance, compensation, promotion, and tenure
6. Foster a culture of continuous growth and development in leadership and management competencies