Strategic Planning Implementation Phase Begins (December 16, 2020)

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students, 

It has become somewhat of a recent campus tradition to share a strategic planning update before we break for the holidays. This time of year often culminates with great work by the  faculty, staff and students as the semester concludes, and I'm happy to share what has been accomplished over the past few months. 

Earlier this fall the campus community helped to narrow the voluminous number of suggestions to nearly 20 strategic ideas that will guide UM-Dearborn through the next decade and beyond. We have now entered the development and implementation phase for these plans. 

Since October the following work has been completed: 

• Theme leaders have been identified for each campus priority:  Enhancing Student Experience and Success; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Develop Faculty and Staff Excellence; Economic Stability. 
• Theme leaders are reaching out to faculty, staff and students to populate implementation teams; membership will be completed by early January. 
• Implementation teams will: 
  • Be kept small and nimble but representative of faculty, staff and students. 
  • Engage the campus community in necessary and varied ways. 
  • Develop performance metrics, create short, medium and long-term goals and timelines; utilize data/analytics in decision making/recommendations. 
  • Provide monthly progress reports. 
• The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Implementation Team has made great progress.  They have identified five areas of focus; selected faculty and staff for each of the areas of focus; and outlined their approach to this important work. 
• The strategic planning website has been redesigned, streamlined and updated with additional content related to the implementation phase of the process. 

Shortly after the first of the year, I will announce a strategic planning steering committee. Inclusive of the campus community, the committee will receive and consider progress reports, and provide input, guidance and oversight of the implementation team's work. It is my hope that later in January the first implementation team progress reports will be shared with the campus. 

Thank you for your great work, commitment and dedication during this disruptive year.  I wish you a healthy, restful and peaceful break. 

Go Blue - Go Dearborn!

Domenico Grasso
Chancellor