May 2, 2018

MEMORANDUM

FROM: DAVID YELLEN

I am writing to update the campus community on the status of the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan, which was formally adopted by the Board in November 2017 and will guide our decision making for the next five years.

As you know, the plan focuses on three essential goals: Ensuring Student Success, Promoting Innovation, and Advancing the Social Good. These goals and supporting initiatives assist us in setting operational priorities and form the basis of the College’s annual planning and assessment process.  As is our standard practice, leaders of each academic school and department develop annual plans and measure progress according to these priorities.  Continuous monitoring of our performance measures, along with an ongoing review of the external environment, will continue to take place at every level of the organization. 

In addition to these ongoing efforts, I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Strategic Plan Projects Advisory Committee.  This Committee will be comprised of a select group of individuals from the Marist community who will, over the life of the Plan, help to allocate $1M of funding for grassroots ideas solicited from faculty and staff through an open and inclusive process.  Each year of the Plan, $200,000 of strategic initiative funding will be recommended by this Committee to help further the goals and initiatives outlined in the Plan. 

I have asked Dr. Moira Fitzgibbons, who served so ably as co-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, to lead these efforts as chair of this new Committee.  We envision that the Committee will be comprised of approximately 15 members representing each school, key operational areas, and the student body.  Deans and vice presidents will be forwarding the names of recommended individuals from their respective operating areas to Dr. Fitzgibbons.  In the coming weeks, Dr. Fitzgibbons will communicate additional details related to the Committee’s composition and process and invite those interested to express their desire to serve on the Committee.

To review a copy of the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan or to contact the Strategic Plan Projects Advisory Committee, visit https://strategicplan.marist.edu.

Best wishes for a successful conclusion of the spring semester.