NIU leadership is committed to creating and sustaining budgets that are academically responsive and fiscally responsible; that reflect our dedication to being student-centric and equity-minded; that demonstrate an ongoing investment in our faculty and staff; and that align with our mission, vision and values.
NIU’s 2025 University Goals (DOCX) codify the university’s strategic priorities. Accordingly, these annual and multiyear goals are guided by our Strategic Action Planning Framework (PDF). In no particular order of importance, the themes associated with our planning framework are:
- Empowerment and Shared Responsibility
- Student Recruitment, Student Success and Student Experience
- Academic Excellence and Curriculum Innovation
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
- Research, Scholarship, Artistry and Engagement
- Resource Development and Fiscal Responsibility.
The themes help not only to connect the goals to our university to mission, vision and values, but also ensure that they reflect our priorities and highlight opportunities for synergy and coordinated effort.
Incorporating recommendations from the 2022 Budget Planning Resource Group (PDF) as well as guidance from the President’s Budget Roundtable, and the Resource, Space and Budget committee formed in November 2024, NIU adopted an inclusive and iterative all-funds budget planning process that aligns resources with strategic priorities over annual and multiyear time frames and fosters financial sustainability through a combination of revenue generation, expense reduction and resource reallocation. To achieve a structurally balanced budget in our current fiscal year (FY26), administrative and academic leaders continue to work collaboratively across campus, taking steps to manage recurring revenues and expenses and incentivize new and innovative revenue generation. The continued engagement of shared governance and the collective recognition of by all employee of their roles are imperative to success.