Trustees approve strategic plan with sustainability as a core Cardinal Principle; and reaffirm commitment to shared governance
Following nearly a year of development, the University of Louisville’s 2026-2030 strategic plan was formally approved by the university’s Board of Trustees at its Jan. 22 regular meeting. The plan, Igniting Potential, Shaping Tomorrow, outlines the goals, along with the strategies to achieve those goals, for UofL to be a great place to learn, discover, connect and work. Sustainability and its requirements are highlighted in several places in the strategic plan, including:
Connect Goal #1
Strengthen fundraising effectiveness and sustainability to support institutional priorities.
Connect Goal #4
Cultivate strong university-community partnerships for equitable impact and mutual benefit.
Work Goal #2
Achieve operational excellence and financial sustainability through workforce optimization and digital transformation.
Drafts of the plan were shared with the trustees in May and June 2025. Each draft reflected suggestions submitted by students, faculty, staff and other constituencies, including UofL's Sustainability Council. The campus community was also invited to strategic plan update Town Halls throughout the process.
“This plan belongs to all of us,” said President Gerry Bradley. “The decisions we make, how each unit operates, the allocation of financial, human and other resources will all apply directly to our strategic goals.”
The university’s academic programs and operating units will have until May 2026 to begin incorporating the plan’s goals and action items into their own strategic initiatives. Additionally, recommendations from the President’s Commission on Climate, Culture and Well-being will be applied to the plan as appropriate.
Approval of the strategic plan was accompanied by the affirmation of the revised Cardinal Principles and the university’s mission and vision statements. These revisions also reflect input from the university community.
Mission Statement
The University of Louisville's mission is to educate and serve the public through transformative teaching, innovative research, and engaged partnerships — advancing knowledge and improving quality of life and health across Kentucky’s communities.
Vision Statement
The University of Louisville is where excellence and opportunity converge to drive transformative progress in health and societal well-being.
Cardinal Principles
"At UofL, accountability means keeping our word and standing by our commitments to each other and the community we serve. We take responsibility for our actions, learn from our mistakes and continually strive to do what we say we will do — with commitment and purpose. This commitment extends to being responsible stewards of our resources and the environment, ensuring the long-term sustainability of our operations, community well-being and the planet. "
This represents the very first time that sustainability has been explicitly included in UofL's core principles.
Bradley will further discuss the strategic plan in his Feb. 12 State of the University Address, which will take place at 4 p.m. in the School of Music’s Comstock Hall. The event will also be livestreamed on UofL’s YouTube channel.
Value of shared governance
The Board of Trustees constituency representatives – Andrew Winters (Faculty Senate), Kevin Ledford (Staff Senate) and Macy Waddle (Student Government) – presented a Position Statement on Shared Decision-Making to the board. The statement emphasizes the value of shared governance, open dialogue, belonging and well-being, faculty and staff stability and investment in American innovation and global competitiveness among UofL students, faculty, staff, administration, strategic partners and state government.
Though not an actionable measure for the trustees, the board’s constituency representatives felt the statement was appropriate and necessary given the complex challenges that face higher education in Kentucky.
“We certainly welcome this statement as it properly reflects the collaborative nature between the Board of Trustees and the university’s constituencies,” Bradley said. “I think it is important to point out that not all university boards of trustees include or involve constituency groups in their decision-making. At UofL, all voices are heard. All voices matter.”
The UofL Board of Trustees regular committee meetings will take place Thursday, March 19, 2026. Meeting minutes, schedules and other information are available on the UofL Board of Trustees website.
Source: Trustees approve strategic plan, reaffirm commitment to shared decision-making (UofL News, Jan. 28, 2026)
