2020 Academic Master Plan

This Academic Master Plan is the work of many authors. During a year of discussion forums, list-making, drafting, and more discussion, the outline of the Plan took form and initial drafts were written based upon ideas and feedback from people across campus. Just as every sentence of this Plan has been shaped by many writers and editors, this Plan is, at least in part, an affirmation and continuation of many reforms already being implemented by faculty and administrators in every academic program in response to new challenges and opportunities at our University.

For example, in response to new budget constraints and ideas generated by Rapid Action Task Forces in early 2015, academic programs across the University have made painful decisions and are finding creative ways to focus their priorities and to refine their programs. This Academic Master Plan calls us to thoughtfully and boldly continue this important and innovative work in the areas that define the academic life of the University and form the core of the Blugold experience.

The twelve primary sections of the plan are listed alphabetically to the left. Each identifies a priority area on which to focus our collective efforts over the next four years.

Navigation to the left allows you to read sections according to your own order of interest, and to easily access particular sections for future reference. The design also emphasizes the interdependent and intertwined relationship between the elements of the Academic Master Plan. Where appropriate, hyperlinks within each section will take you directly to additional resources or references. Within each section you can access the particular priorities and actions with a button on the right side of the page. Following each priority is a list of actions, which appear as bulleted statements that more specifically define the work needed to achieve the priority goal. The Provost will identify a point person charged with creating detailed sub-plans and leading the implementation team that will complete the work on each priority. These sub-plans will determine specific dates by which actions must be completed and identify the appropriate leading indicators that will measure progress toward our goals. The implementation teams will require broad faculty and staff involvement from across campus. In addition, where appropriate, we will ensure faculty and staff input by consulting and working through shared governance based on our established academic and personnel policies and procedures.

The Plan outlines specific priorities and actions to be undertaken in the next four years - from fall 2016 to fall 2020 - although the work of the Academic Master Plan will likely continue well beyond this four-year window. Most importantly, this Plan will guide our work and hold us accountable as we move forward toward institutional guideposts that extend into 2020 and beyond.