LWTech Strategic Plan 2024-2029

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Introduction

At the outset, Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech)* recognizes and honors the indigenous peoples who have inhabited the land where LWTech now stands. These communities are the original stewards of this region, engaging in skill building and industry since time immemorial. Their enduring connection to this land inspires our commitment to both honoring the past and building a future that reflects shared values, diverse histories, and prosperous futures. (*In this document, the terms LWTech, the college, and “our” are used interchangeably to indicate both the role of LWTech as a community resource and to demonstrate a shared commitment of the campus community to this document.)

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the college's founding, a significant milestone that reflects our longstanding dedication to serving the community. Since its inception, the evolution of LWTech occurred alongside the changing needs of the Eastside, a dynamic and growing hub of industry and innovation. Our journey from a modest vocational technical institute to a comprehensive institution of higher learning offering Bachelor’s degrees is a testament to our adaptability and forward-thinking approach.

In 1991, the college joined the Washington state community and technical system and became Lake Washington Technical College. This change was more than symbolic; it signified our deepening commitment to providing high-quality technical education accessible to all. Two decades later, in 2011, the Legislature changed our name to Lake Washington Institute of Technology in recognition of our pace-setting efforts offering Bachelor of Applied Science degrees focused on science and technology education aligned with industry demands. Concurrently, the college continues to expand programing in other areas of job readiness and workforce preparedness.

As LWTech moves ahead, it is essential to recognize that our longstanding commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is not just a legal or institutional requirement; it is the right thing to do. It reflects our heart and our mission. EDI is integral to who we are and what we do at LWTech, ensuring that all members of our community, regardless of their background, can learn, grow, and succeed. Our alignment with Washington State’s educational mandates and the State Board’s direction is a testament to our dedication to these principles.

Our strategic plan is not just a blueprint for the future—it is a declaration of our values and our vision. It is an invitation to everyone with a connection to our institution to join us in crafting a future that respects our rich histories, responds to the present needs, and anticipates the challenges and opportunities of the future. 

 

Plan Objectives

The Plan Objectives outline the purposes of the Unified Plan. Each of these objectives are ways that the plan is intended to be used.

 The Unified Plan is an institution-wide, umbrella framework for LWTech to use to:

  • Fulfill the mission of the institution.
  • Clarify strategic direction for aligning learning activities, programs, departments, and organizational culture.
  • Ensure that the institution’s pursuit of student success fully integrates its historical and ongoing commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI).
  • Reinforces the institution’s ability to sustainably meet the needs of the community into the future.
  • Comply with NWCCU and WA State and State Board for Community and Technical Colleges planning requirements.
  • Provide guidance through 2029, inclusive of the 2026 NWCCU accreditation cycle.

 

LWTech Mission Statement

The mission statement focuses our daily activities and decisions with a shared, near-term outcome. We expect that every action we take will reflect our mission.

LWTech prepares students for today's careers and tomorrow's opportunities.

 

LWTech Vision Statement

The vision statement describes our aspirations for the institution and our community over time. As we take daily actions for our mission, our vision keeps us aligned towards common, long-term outcomes.

LWTech transforms workforce education by meeting students where they are and leading with equity.

  

Equity Diversity Inclusion Statement

The EDI Statement clarifies the role that Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) play in achieving the mission and vision. With the adoption of the Unified Plan, LWTech is intentionally recognizing EDI as a part of the institution’s purpose.

 LWTech’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts lead with racial equity to remove historical and current barriers and to value the full identities of our students and employees.

 

Core Values

The Core Values define the standards of behavior that are essential to realize our mission, vision, and commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. They provide guidance for the way all members of the LWTech community engages one another, including students, faculty, staff, and collaborative partners. They provide practical context for decision-making, and position students for success as attendees and in the workforce. Taken together, they represent the essence of what makes LWTech’s approach unique among community and technical colleges.

  • Equity: We come together with shared responsibility and accountability to ensure all members of our community have what they need to be successful and valued.
  • Resourcefulness: We creatively use resources, collaboration, and innovation to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities.
  • Continuous Learning: We commit to ongoing improvement, welcoming and incorporating feedback to grow our individual and collective potential, capacity, and effectiveness.
  • Compassion: We engage one another with empathy, extending support to help one another achieve our individual and collaborative goals.
  • Community: We nurture enduring interpersonal and collective connectedness, rooted in respect, resilience, and sustainability, which honors past generations and benefits current and future generations.

 

Strategic Goal Areas

The Goal Areas are headings for three institution-wide priorities necessary for achieving the Unified Plan. Each area includes examples of goals and projects that contribute to these priorities. As a part of plan implementation, each Department will clarify how their major activities align with the Goal Areas.

Goal Area #1 

Student Ready: We will organize learning and support around students’ needs.

Rather than requiring students to be ready for college, LWTech will meet students where they are and work with them to be successful.

Goal Area #2 

Workforce Ready: We will actively prepare students for a workforce that continues to change and diversify.

Our students face a rapidly changing work environment that requires skills for specific industries and job functions as well as skills necessary to successfully work with people of different races, cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. Our LWTech environment should model and reinforce the expectations we are setting for our students.

Goal Area #3

Future Ready: We will ensure the ongoing sustainability and effectiveness of LWTech to meet the needs of our communities.

As the environment in which we operate continues to change, we will consistently evaluate and reinforce the institution’s sustainability through fiscal and operational effectiveness and by deepening relationships with employers and our communities.