PSFA Launches New Strategic Plan to Strengthen Student Success

As the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts embarks on a new academic year, it’s charting a fresh course with the launch of a comprehensive strategic plan designed to elevate the college and expand opportunities for student success.

“Previously, the college didn’t have a strategic plan, per se,” said PSFA Dean Janis McKay. “There was one that had been done by an individual. That was a few years ago, but it never really saw action, I think – in part – because of COVID.”

According to McKay, this is the first time the college has undergone a comprehensive, year-long strategic planning process, which included bringing in an outside consultant to organize the groups contributing to the plan.

McKay refers to the plan as a “living document” that she and the planning committee will look at each year and quarter to ensure it aligns with the college and SDSU’s overall priorities.

“A lot of our goals are the same,” she said. “It’s not hard to align them; you just want to make sure you don’t forget anything.”

The first step was for McKay to form a steering committee, which she organized in Spring 2024, to research consulting groups that they would consider hiring.

After selecting a consulting firm, McKay sent a survey to all PSFA students, faculty, and staff, inviting them to share their experiences and suggest areas for improvement within the college.

“What we really wanted was a plan that reflected the needs and wishes of everybody in the college, including the students,” McKay said.

“We didn’t want to leave anybody out,” she continued. “We wanted to know from every angle what was working, what’s not working, and what we should aspire to.”

Survey responses were organized into key categories that would inform the work of the larger strategic planning committee. That committee consisted of one faculty, one staff, one undergraduate student, and one graduate student from every school.

McKay said the focus areas consisted of goals such as fostering a dynamic and connected community, providing student internships, and helping students find fulfilling careers after graduation. She believes the college should not only help students find jobs that pay well, but also careers that will feel meaningful to their lives.

One of McKay’s specific goals is to secure donors to help fund paid internships, allowing students to focus on their work without taking on a second job.

Other focuses of the plan include improving the visibility of the college, the health and well-being of faculty and students, and elevating curriculum to fit what the workforce needs and what students want.

“For me, it was all about facilities and improving our internship areas and how we get people from degree to career,” said Katie Turner, a strategic plan committee member-at-large from the School of Television, Theatre, and Film.

Turner said the strategic plan committee looked at other university plans to inspire them on what to emulate and what to avoid. Then, they developed a mission statement, core values, and action items.

“A long list of initiatives is already in progress in various areas of the college, so I’m really excited about that,” Turner said.

The plan was unveiled at a meeting called by McKay on Oct. 10, 2025, after which faculty and staff celebrated with tacos and live music by the SDSU Mariachi Ensemble.

The work is far from over, as Dean McKay and the strategic planning committee continue moving toward full implementation, ensuring PSFA’s mission to support its students, faculty, and staff remains at the forefront.