Themes for Academic Distinction
As Rutgers moves through the strategic planning process, several themes for differentiating the university academically have been emerging. These broad themes have been synthesized from comments expressed through surveys and interviews and at faculty forums, departmental discussions, town meetings, and a strategic planning retreat. The current themes and related subthemes, which are listed here, will continue to evolve throughout the process and will ultimately form one of the pillars of the strategic plan framework. None of the themes will be finalized until the final strategic plan is presented to the Board of Governors in fall 2013. Feedback from the Rutgers community, including suggestions for new themes and subthemes, is welcome via this website’s comments section.
Educating involved citizens and effective leaders for a dynamic world
A. Developing a broadly educated citizenry through emphasis on the liberal arts
B. Ethics, responsibility, and citizenship in a globalized society
C. Business, entrepreneurship, and citizenship in the modern economy
D. Art and literature as channels for transcultural communication
Improving the health and wellness of individuals and populations
A. Integrating biomedical discovery and health care in the genomic area
B. Integrating the limits and potential of the human mind
C. Caring for diverse populations in our country and around the world
D. The economics and policy of health and disease
E. The psychology and sociology of wellness
Ethnicity, diversity, and migration in the formation of communities and nations
A. Exploring diversity as an engine of social and economic change
B. Demographic change and cultural identity
C. The politics and aesthetics of difference
D. Impact of immigration on American history, society, and economy
E. Diverse peoples and their contribution to a dynamic democracy
Understanding and creating a sustainable world through discovery, innovation, engineering, and technology
A. Our role in the natural and built environment
B. Developing energy alternatives for tomorrow's world
C. Constructing a safe and secure society
D. Reclaiming and renewing the urban environment
E. Leading the regional innovation economy
Creative expression and the human experience
A. Aesthetic experience as a source of understanding
B. Creative processes in mathematics and the life and physical sciences
C. Collaborative creation: art as a force for cohesion in the modern world
D. Social enterprise at the intersection of the humanities, economics, and innovation
E. Art, media, and communication in the digital age
