January 29, 2021

Dear Campus, 

I invite you to engage with the next and final phase of the University Design Team’s work to help position UM as a flagship for the future. Following months of research on the state of higher education and the needs of our students and community, the UDT is excited to share with campus opportunities they are exploring to shape UM as a flagship for the future.

Your engagement and feedback last fall on the Design Principles was encouraging and helpful.

Now, the UDT invites campus to provide input on a set of proposed Strategic Initiatives that have emerged. These Strategic Initiatives, which are concrete expressions of the Design Principles, are potential actions for achieving UM’s vision and mission. Those we find most promising will be integrated as strategies under UM’s Priorities for Action.

The Strategic Initiatives can be specific to one or several units and might encompass many facets of UM’s work ꟷ from teaching and the student experience ꟷ to community engagement. They address real-time challenges and opportunities in higher education today.

As we continue to think deeply about and respond creatively to UM’s bright future, I encourage you to participate and engage in workshops on the proposed Strategic Initiatives and submit your own proposals for additional Strategic Initiatives.

Please watch for workshop invitations in February.

Finally, as the work of the UDT sunsets this spring with recommendations for bold and brave change, the video below illustrates how the design team’s work will be carried forward in UM’s ongoing strategic operating rhythm.  

UM President Seth Bodnar