Strategic planning goals: ‘aspirational and achievable’

CU’s strategic planning process continues to move forward, with leaders compiling a list of metrics that could eventually be employed to measure progress.

During its meeting March 5 at 1800 Grant St., Faculty Council heard an update from President Mark Kennedy and Todd Saliman, system vice president for finance and chief financial officer and co-chair of the strategic planning effort.

Working groups formed for the Leaning Into the Future strategic planning process recently completed key metrics and goals for each of the strategic focus areas, Saliman said.

“We asked each working group to submit two metrics. We got a few more than that, so we’re narrowing them down,” Saliman said. Once determined, metrics will be posted to the strategic planning website.

Soon, the groups will propose three to five prioritized action steps by focus area. The fiscal feasibility team will estimate costs later in April.

Ultimately, costs will be one of the factors in determining prioritization, Kennedy told the council.

“Targets will be set by campus, and resources are determined at the campus level,” Kennedy said. “When we look at those, we need to make sure they’re both aspirational and achievable.”

CU Boulder’s Terri Fiez also spoke at the meeting. The vice chancellor for research and professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering also is co-chair of the working group taking on Research/Scholarship/Creative Work and Graduate Programs.

“The process has been really valuable,” Fiez said. “We’ve really gotten to know each of the campuses. (Working group member) Tom Flaig, my counterpart at CU Anschutz, and I both visited CU Denver and UCCS. We’re really looking for collaboration opportunities. What are our strengths at each of our campuses? We need to be able to articulate that.”

Leaning Into the Future is roughly halfway to completion, as the effort that began in early summer 2019 moves toward a July presentation to the Board of Regents and implementation expected in the fall.

Members of the CU community continue to play a key role in the development of the systemwide strategic plan. Faculty and staff are able to engage via the email links posted here.

Also at last week’s Faculty Council meeting:

• Professor Emerita Brenda J. Allen, professor of communication and former vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at CU Denver, continued her work with the council on diversity, equity and inclusion. At a recent retreat, she and the council generated a list of action items, with the priorities being to develop a faculty council statement regarding its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; to engage in professional development on inclusive processes (e.g. meetings, onboarding, recruiting members, etc.); and to develop strategies related to the Faculty Council’s relationship with CU leadership.
• Tanya Kelly-Bowry, vice president of government relations, updated the council on the current legislative session. She said CU leaders have been working with other institutions and state lawmakers to develop a new funding formula for use in the upcoming fiscal year. CU has requested additional funding above the governor’s initial budget request; the Legislature’s budget bill for the 2020-21 fiscal year will be introduced later this month.
• David Gross, candidate for the Board of Regents in the 2nd District, attended the meeting for a Q&A session. A Democrat and Boulder resident, he’s running for the seat held by Linda Shoemaker, D-Boulder, who is not seeking reelection. Gross earned a Ph.D. in financial economics at CU Boulder, where he now is a Leeds School of Business faculty member. Faculty Council Chair Joanne Addison has said the council aims to invite all candidates for regent to appear at a council meeting. The council does not endorse candidates for regent.