ABERDEEN, S.D. — Northern State University has been selected as one of 10 institutions through the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) to participate in the Gardner Institute's Sensemaking and Strategic Prioritization process. Northern's participation in the initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Gates Foundation. 

The competitive opportunity supports institutions in advancing student success through a structured, data-informed, collaborative process that strengthens retention, persistence and completion. The initiative includes a comprehensive Institutional Transformation Assessment, guided sensemaking conversations, and the development of a strategic roadmap aligned to institutional priorities. 

Northern State University's selection comes at a pivotal moment, as the university advances a new strategic planning process focused on academic innovation, student success and coordinated campus-wide efforts to support every student. 

"This opportunity comes at exactly the right time for Northern," said Dr. Erin Fouberg, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. "We are in the middle of shaping our next strategic plan and deepening our campus-wide commitment to student success. This work will help us align our efforts and ensure every student has access to the strong, proactive academic support they need to succeed." 

Through the Gardner Institute partnership, Northern will engage faculty, staff and campus leaders in a collaborative process to better understand the factors that influence student success and to identify priorities that most directly improve student persistence, retention and completion. 

"My Gardner Institute colleagues and I are honored and excited to partner with Northern State University and COPLAC in this important work," said Drew Koch, chief executive officer of the Gardner Institute. "Institutions make the greatest progress when they develop and implement a comprehensive plan for student success. This effort will help Northern State University bring together strong existing work into a more coherent whole, informed by the Institutional Transformation Assessment and the collective wisdom and contextual knowledge of its faculty and staff." 

Participation in the initiative also supports Northern's preparation for its upcoming Higher Learning Commission reaffirmation of accreditation in 2027, reinforcing ongoing efforts to connect strategic planning, assessment and continuous improvement. 

As a member of COPLAC, Northern State University joins peer institutions across the country committed to the mission of public liberal arts education and to advancing student outcomes through innovation, collaboration and evidence-based practices.