UNCP Launches Vision 2031 Strategic Plan

UNC Pembroke announced today the launch of Vision 2031, a comprehensive five-year strategic plan outlining a bold roadmap for student success, academic excellence, affordability and economic impact.

The UNCP Board of Trustees unanimously approved the plan at their Feb. 20 meeting. Organized around four core pillars, it clarifies priorities, focuses investment and strengthens UNCP’s impact across the state, the region and emerging national markets.

At its core, Vision 2031 is designed to address the needs of today while anticipating the demands of tomorrow. It builds on UNCP’s longstanding commitment to increasing access, elevating excellence and delivering personalized learning.

“Our previous strategic plan positioned UNC Pembroke for extraordinary momentum and progress,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings, MD. “That success is a direct result of the talent and commitment of our faculty and staff, who deliver an exceptional educational experience every day. Vision 2031 builds on that foundation, expands opportunity for our students and accelerates UNC Pembroke’s forward trajectory.”

Vision 2031 is organized around four pillars:

• Comprehensive Student Success
• Academic Excellence & Innovation
• Value, Accessibility & Efficiency
• Economic Impact & Community Engagement

Together, these pillars center on helping students persist, graduate and launch meaningful careers while strengthening the region UNCP calls home.

Chief of Staff and Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Jess Boersma, PhD, led the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which included a cross-section of faculty, staff and students. The initiative brought together voices from across the university community — including faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners — through listening sessions, campus forums, surveys and collaborative planning workshops. Each stage was shaped by community input and informed by institutional data, ensuring the final plan reflects both UNCP’s mission and its continued momentum.

Throughout the process, the chancellor and Board of Trustees provided guidance and input, affirming a shared commitment to the university’s future direction.

“This plan is both ambitious and actionable,” Boersma said. “It reflects the voices of our campus community, strengthens alignment across the institution and reinforces accountability for the results that matter most.”

Board of Trustees Chair Ed Brooks said the plan charts a clear course for UNCP's long-term strength and sustained impact.

“Vision 2031 reinforces UNCP’s commitment to access, excellence and responsible stewardship,” Brooks said. “It ensures the university remains a powerful driver of opportunity and economic vitality for southeastern North Carolina and beyond.”

Progress will be tracked through clearly defined metrics that combine required UNC System performance measures with academic program review standards and institution-specific benchmarks. These measures include retention and graduation rates, enrollment growth, research productivity, endowment growth, debt at graduation, classroom utilization and national rankings.

Working groups will convene this spring to advance implementation, coordinate alignment across academic and administrative units and ensure the plan remains a living, actionable framework. Progress will be reviewed regularly and shared with the campus community and university stakeholders.

“Our founders built this university with courage, vision and a deep belief in the transformative power of education,” Cummings said. “Vision 2031 carries that spirit forward — harnessing our legacy while preparing students for what’s next and ensuring every future is possible.”