Strategic Planning Process, 2013-14

August 30, 2013

Members of the Rutgers Community:

As many of you return to campus this fall, I look forward to continuing the University-wide strategic planning process we began during the last academic year. I am writing to provide an update on the process and to outline the ways in which you can participate during the fall semester. In addition, we have been working throughout the summer to incorporate input gathered during our conversations this spring, and I want to share a change to our strategic plan framework we have implemented in response to your collective feedback.

As I announced in the update I sent in May, we have formed 13 committees of faculty, students, staff, and alumni to discuss the strategic pillars, foundational elements, and themes for academic distinction that have been identified so far, and these committees will begin their work in September.

Based on conversations this spring, I am confident that the strategic plan can be finalized on schedule this fall. In listening to feedback from members of the University community, however, it became clear that we should broaden the pillar previously titled “Collaborations and Partnerships.” This pillar will be re-titled “Envisioning Tomorrow’s University,” and its scope will be expanded to consider innovative ways to align the University’s internal and external partnerships and academic opportunities, how technology is transforming the work of the modern university, and alternative models for institutional organization.

For this pillar, our goal this fall will be to start a dialogue that will challenge all of us to envision the future of higher education rather than to provide specific answers or solutions. While we will begin this conversation in the fall, I expect that this effort will continue over the next few years, as, collectively, we think more broadly about Rutgers’ future. You can find the revised framework here.

As we continue our strategic planning efforts this fall, we look forward to the participation of our new colleagues from the former UMDNJ. There will be many opportunities for members of the community to get involved, including departmental discussions for faculty, town halls led by the chancellors on each campus, and a University-wide retreat. Meetings will also be scheduled throughout September and October for the individual committees and advisory groups. You will be hearing more about dates, times, and locations in the weeks ahead, and we will post a full listing of these events on the Strategic Planning website.

From the integration with the former UMDNJ to the capital planning that will create the new face of the University, there has quite simply never been a more exciting time to be at Rutgers. I look forward to continuing to work together to develop a bold vision for the future of this great institution.

Sincerely,

Bob Barchi