Western Rising Focused Strategy — February 2026 Update

Western Connecticut State University invited campus feedback on updated Western Rising Focused Strategy materials in advance of the February 18, 2026 University Senate meeting. This was an opportunity for departments, offices, and individuals to help strengthen clarity, alignment, and shared priorities.

Feedback Provided: Overall, the feedback affirmed the value of seeing the strategy consolidated in one place, with suggestions primarily focused on clarity, plain-language framing, and a few alignment fixes. A small number of comments addressed organizational structure and reorganization topics, which are important, but were likely submitted in this channel in error and are being addressed separately from the Focused Strategy document itself.

Read More / Review the Updates

Read the updated Focused Strategy (website) and the Crosswalk to previous planning efforts, the original document is also provided.

Updated Web Version (February Update) Previous Version (PDF) Read the Crosswalk (PDF) Feedback & Changes (PDF)

Ongoing Feedback

Feedback will be an ongoing process. Use the online form (anonymous option available) or email feedback directly at anytime.

What to Include in Feedback

To help make input actionable and easy to incorporate, feedback is encouraged to include:

  • The specific text/section being referenced
  • Proposed wording (where relevant)
  • Rationale for the suggested change
  • If proposing substantive changes: whether the feedback reflects an individual view or unit-level discussion, and approximately how many participated

Feedback will continue to be welcomed during and after the Senate meeting as part of an ongoing, iterative process led by Commitment Teams.

The Planning Process

Organization Structure:  

We plan to set up three groups to implement the process. The five-person Process Management Group (PMG) appointed by me will conduct the administrative tasks to manage the process and real-time communications. The next larger group with 8-10 members will be the Steering Committee (SC) that will collect, summarize, synthesize and craft the final strategic plan based on the multiple rounds of information gathering, feedback, consultations and discussions conducted at various events planned throughout the process. The Steering Committee will be a body of various stakeholders — faculty, staff, students, alumni — who choose to send their representatives as members. Finally, the largest group that will engage in the process is the Strategic Planning Group (SPG) a collection of various subcommittees and working groups that correspond to various strategic plan domains.  

Process Management Group (PMG)

AVP (IEP) – John Osae-Kwapong 

Director of Communications & Marketing – Marcia Firsick 

Presidential Assistant – Charmaine Lloyd 

Instructional Designer – Aura Lippincott 

Professor Ancell School of Business – Mohinder Dugal 

Steering Committee (SC)

Chair/Co-Chair – Michelle Brown & Julie Perrelli

Senate President – Jeffrey Schlicht

Dean of School of Visual & Performing Arts – Brian Vernon 

Dean of Student Success & Engagement – Julie Perrelli

VP of Enrollment Mgmt. and Student Affairs – Jay Murray 

Financial Administrator – Inita Mix 

Faculty – Joshua Rosenthal

Associate Dean, Library Services – Veronica Kenausis

Athletics – Lori Mazza

Student – Kristina Caravetta    

Alumni Board – Tom Crucitti 

Dean of Macricostas School of Arts & Sciences – Dr. Michelle Brown  

Sub Committees

Sub Committee 1: Academic Excellence

Chair/Co-Chair – Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox

Athletics – Alex Harrison

Faculty – Carol Huang

Dean of Professional Studies – Joan Palladino 

Celt Director – Leslie Lindenauer 

One Faculty – Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox 

 

Sub Committee 2: Financial Sustainability

Chair/Co-Chair – Melissa Stephens & Deanna-Cibery Schaab

UPBC Chair – Jim Donegan

Director of Financial Aid – Melissa Stephens  

Budget Director – Mufu Weng

Facilities – Deanna Cibery-Schaab 

Faculty – Zuohong Pan 

 

Sub Committee 3: DEI & Belonging

Chair/Co-Chair – Scott Towers & Jessica Coronel

HR – Michele Ribeiro Cazorla

Faculty – Carina Bandhauer 

Title IX – Scott Towers

Faculty – Chair of Social Work, Karen McLean

Student – Maia Quirk 

Associate Director of Pre-Collegiate Access – Jessica Coronel

Director of Counseling Services – Ree Gunter

 

Sub Committee 4: Transparency & Collaborative Decision Making

Chair/Co-Chair – Anna Malavisi & Maribeth Griffin

Faculty – Anna Malavisi

Student – Rebecca Wozniak 

Faculty – Adam Brewer 

IT – John DeRosa

Director of Residential Programs & Staff – Maribeth Griffin

 

Sub Committee 5: Community Partnerships

Chair/Co-Chair – Fred Cratty & Yaseen Hayajneh

Foundation Board Members

Interim Dean of Ancell School of Business – Yaseen Hayajneh

Faculty – Mitch Wagener 

Director of Career Services – Kathleen Lindenmayer 

Director of Pre-Collegiate Access – Rob Pote 

Director of Career Academy Partnerships – Brent Dean

Human Resources – Fred Cratty

Alumni Board – Ray Lubus

Mayor’s Office Representation

Foundation Board Member – Nelson Merchan