From the President

Shawn L. Jackson, Ph.D.
President, Harry S Truman College
I am honored to present the Harry S Truman College Strategic Plan: 2021-2025. The strategic plan provides a comprehensive roadmap that will lead our College forward in the next five years and serve as the framework for amplifying our mantra, “OneTruman!” Read More
President Shawn Jackson
Harry S Truman College
“Our College is steadfastly focused on our students and cares deeply about moving forward…The Truman experience rests on the shoulders of our talented team, and because of that, I am confident we will be able to implement this plan with success.”
Our College is steadfastly focused on our students and cares deeply about moving forward…The Truman experience rests on the shoulders of our talented team, and because of that, I am confident we will be able to implement this plan with success.
Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission
Our mission dedicates us to deliver high-quality, innovative, affordable, and accessible educational opportunities and services that prepare students for a rapidly changing and diverse global economy.

Vision
Our vision guides us to enrich the quality of life of our students and the community we serve through creative responses to educational, economic, social and global changes.

Values
Our core values define us through integrity and commitment, responsibility and accountability, respect and fairness, and diversity and inclusiveness.
As a first-generation college student, I appreciated the small class sizes and the support I received on campus. The professors are amazing – they want to see you succeed.
Anaiza Cartagena
Truman College Alumna | Harry S Truman College 2020
As a first-generation college student, I appreciated the small class sizes and the support I received on campus. The professors are amazing – they want to see you succeed.
Anaiza Cartagena
Truman College Alumna | Harry S Truman College 2020
The Strategic Planning Process
In Spring 2019, Truman’s President created the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) to develop an integrated approach to college-wide collaboration, engagement, creative thinking, and consensus building. Through a collaborative process, the SPC identified several areas of opportunities, or pillars, that would guide how Truman would work going forward:
Summary of Strategies
Six strategic levers form the framework for all of City Colleges’ plans. They serve as guiding principles and beliefs that are fundamental to the holistic success of our plans.

Goal: CREATE AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE
We promise that every experience with City Colleges, from pre-admissions to completion, will be exceptional. Every student will be able to maximize their learning inside and outside the classroom, navigate our institution with ease, make significant progress towards their goals, and feel welcome and supported by all City Colleges employees.
Attract, recruit, enroll, and retain students from every demographic pool
Increase the percentage of students making progress towards and completing their educational and/or career goals
Increase the percentage of Adult Education students making level gains and transitioning into semester credit programs
Improve students’ satisfaction with their educational experiences at Truman
Goal: SIGNIFICANTLY NARROW ACHIEVEMENT GAPS
We will become a “student-ready” and equitable institution that is designed for all students to thrive—especially those from historically and present-day marginalized communities. We will equip students with the support and resources they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Embrace an institutional culture that is responsive to and reflective of the diverse identities and needs of the students, faculty, and staff
Remove barriers and provide access to relevant supports and course programming
Increase institutional capacity for strategic inquiry and use of research, evaluation, and data to develop and implement equity-minded practices across the College
Goal: RESPOND TO ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE CITY
We will be forward-looking and agile in developing pathways and forging partnerships that unlock transformational career opportunities for CCC students and fuel the Chicago workforce with talent that is prepared to meet the needs of the economy.
Strengthen, create, and expand innovative programming to enhance Truman’s Center of Excellence in Education, Human, and Natural Sciences
Increase access to workforce and job opportunities
Develop opportunities for employer input on curriculum, programming, and internships
Ensure our campus environment is aligned with the needs of our community and reflects our student body
Goal: BUILD A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE
We will build a culture of excellence that inspires everyone to become the ‘best in class’ for our students and community. We hold ourselves accountable to delivering academics, experiences, and services of the highest quality. Our faculty and staff will continue to receive professional development across the district to continuously improve their practices.
Provide opportunities and resources that facilitate work-life balance, and enhance the recruitment and retention of outstanding and diverse faculty, staff, and administrators
Achieve teaching and learning excellence by empowering faculty and staff to perform their central role using an ethic of care framework
Expand our reach as a hub of innovation and incubation as the Center of Excellence in Education, Human, and Natural Sciences
Goal: CREATE A COLLABORATIVE AND CONNECTED ECOSYSTEM
We will create a more collaborative and connected ecosystem to foster coordination and communication that supports student success. At each college and across the district, we will implement people, data, and technology solutions to create holistic best practices with an inclusive approach to problem solving.
Ensure a collaborative and innovative team culture that fosters continuous improvement across all levels and functions of the organization
Ensure that our Information Technology (IT) department has an effective process in place to provide students, faculty, and staff access with technology and support.
Goal: DEVELOP, MONITOR, AND IMPROVE CRITICAL INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH MEASURES
We will develop, monitor, and improve critical institutional health metrics that ensure financial sustainability and the wellbeing of our institution
Ensure the College has sufficient resources and capacity to achieve its mission and maximize student success outcomes
Ensure state-of-the-art physical and virtual environments to serve the diverse needs of our students, faculty, and staff
Use data and other research tools to improve services, increase student success outcomes, and optimize internal and external stakeholders’ experiences