Release of Academic Master Plan Task Force Report

Sent: November 10, 2026

From: Vincent J. Del Casino, Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier this spring, I announced the formation of an Academic Master Plan Task Force and asked a group of faculty, staff, and administrators to take on a rather ambitious assignment: make sense of the many plans, priorities, and ideas already taking shape across Academic Affairs and help us think about where we want to go next. As you might imagine, there was no shortage of material to review! Today, I am pleased to share the Task Force’s final report with all of you.

First, I want to thank the members of the Task Force for the considerable time and thought they devoted to this work, along with the many colleagues across our colleges and units who contributed their ideas and perspectives. Their efforts remind us just how much creative and innovative work is already happening at SJSU, even as we continue to grapple with the challenges facing higher education.

The report brings together that work around five areas that will help guide our academic direction over the coming years: the evolution of our academic programs; student success; our growing identity as an inclusive urban public research university; investments in faculty and staff; and the teaching, learning, and institutional infrastructure needed to navigate rapid technological change. These priorities are closely connected to our larger commitments under Transformation 2030 and to the question of what kind of university we want SJSU to become.

Of course, anyone who has worked in higher education over the past several years knows that predicting what comes next is a risky business. When I arrived at SJSU in 2019, I certainly could not have imagined all the changes we would navigate together. That is why I see this plan as a living document, one that gives us a shared direction while allowing us to continue learning, adapting, and making choices as new opportunities and challenges emerge.

The next phase of this work will be especially important. We have identified several priorities for the coming year, including academic program planning, experiential learning, faculty hiring, research capacity, staffing, and long-term budgeting. We will need to develop clear goals, metrics, and investment strategies to move these efforts forward over the next three to five years. Think of this report as Version 1.0, with Version 2.0 focused on turning our shared aspirations into a more detailed plan for action.

Read the 2026 Academic Master Plan and share your feedback

I remain incredibly excited about SJSU’s future. We have extraordinary faculty and staff, talented students, and a location that puts us at the center of some of the most consequential changes happening in the world. There is much more work ahead, but I believe we have a strong foundation upon which to build.

Thank you again to the Task Force and to everyone who contributed to this effort. I look forward to continuing the conversation and seeing where this work takes us.

As always, please reach out with any questions or thoughts.

Sincerely,

Vincent J. Del Casino, Jr.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs