University President the Rev. Scott Pilarz announced Wednesday  in an email that Marquette’s Board of Trustees endorsed the university’s strategic plan, titled Beyond Boundaries: Setting the Course for Marquette’s Future.

The plan has already been approved by the University Academic Senate, the Deans’ Council and the President’s Cabinet.

The Strategic Planning Coordination Committee, co-chaired by University Architect Tom Ganey and Vice Provost for Research and Graduate School Dean Jeanne Hossenlopp, spent 18 months preparing the plan. It operates around six “strategic themes” with their own sets of goals and objectives, including “pursuit of academic excellence for human well-being,” “research in action,” and “formation of the mind and the heart.”

“Although today represents a major milestone for the university, it is also the beginning of what is sure to be the challenging and rewarding work of bringing the plan to life through implementation,” Pilarz said in the email announcement. “In the coming weeks, expect to hear more from me about a structure to achieve both the plan’s specific goals and our ultimate aspiration of being recognized among the world’s most innovative and accomplished Catholic and Jesuit universities.”

Associate Director of University Communication Andy Brodzeller said Marquette’s strategic plan is developed to achieve its own individual goals and is not related to the university’s upcoming reaccreditation in fall 2014.

“Parts of the re-accreditation process include self-study about strategic planning, but they are two separate things,” Brodzeller said.

Brodzeller added that the support of the Board of Trustees is an essential “strategic point.”

“It’s important to have an endorsement from the Board of Trustees, just like the input we get from students and faculty,” he said.