Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos has charged university leadership to move forward with the next phase of Vanderbilt’s strategic planning process.
“This past year – the Vision phase – was intensively productive and creative. We set the course for Vanderbilt’s next 10 years,” Zeppos said. “The next phase, Action, will be one of new initiatives and bold steps taken. We will identify the resources needed to support them and the measures of our success. [rquote]At this time more than ever, our continued success and the extremely high goals we have set for ourselves require us to work and move forward together as One Vanderbilt.”[/rquote]
An important part of the work to be done over the next six months will be developing connections between the Vision and Action phases and the third phase, Impact. During Impact, progress will be measured and efforts will be refined to ensure the university’s continued forward momentum is in alignment with the strategic plan.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan Wente and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine Jeffrey Balser will direct the Action and Impact phases. Wente and Balser have charged a leadership group comprising Vice Provost for Learning and Residential Affairs Cynthia Cyrus, Vice Provost for Academic and Strategic Affairs John Geer, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Lawrence Marnett and Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Bonnie Miller with gathering faculty, students and staff to craft a “road map” for Action.
Over the next six months, this team will assemble stakeholder groups from across the Vanderbilt community to determine the staging and implementation of initiatives in the Academic Strategic Plan’s four themes of undergraduate residential education, trans-institutional partnerships, health and health care solutions, and educational technology.
Zeppos has called for continued consistent communication throughout the process; updates will be provided regularly to the Vanderbilt community. He and all vice chancellors will work closely with the leadership group throughout Action and Impact.
“Part of building our road map will be structuring a clear communications plan for updating and engaging our faculty, students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders,” Zeppos said. “Our success is fully reliant on the many contributions each member of our community makes every day in support of our missions of research, education and patient care.”
The full plan is available on the Academic Strategic Plan website, where questions and input are welcomed.