University of Michigan-Flint

Chancellor Ruth Person

The University of Michigan-Flint will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2016. The journey to that anniversary is one that has been marked with great successes. We are on course to continue the tradition of excellence that is the hallmark of this fine campus.

Part of planning for this auspicious occasion is doing the necessary work of also planning for the future. As our 2010 Strategic Plan comes to a close, it is time once again for the campus community to come together to work on a collective vision of possibilities and promise. To that end, we will officially launch our strategic planning process early in the fall, aiming for a concluding date of May 2011.

The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Budget & Strategic Planning worked diligently for a number of months in the winter and spring terms to construct a strategic planning process that is inclusive, focused and purposeful. Many hours were spent discussing the topics that needed to be addressed as well as who should address them.

An important step in strategic planning is challenging ourselves to answer questions with smart solutions. Some of those questions include:

• What kind of academic programs are required to address the future needs of our students, our region and our state?
• How do we best support our students’ developmental, social, economic and physical needs through our student life efforts?
• How do we best prepare all of our campus constituencies for living in an increasingly diverse and global environment?
• What is an appropriate size for our campus student population?
• How can we ensure that each student who enters an academic program at UM-Flint completes that program?
• How can we best serve our external constituencies, communities, organizations, alumni and other supporters?
• How can we best encourage research, scholarship, create endeavors and professional development?
• What physical space is required to address the above seven questions?
• What other resources are required to address these questions?

Answering these questions will require a plan that is succinct, sustainable, visionary and flexible, challenging but realistic. That is why I am calling upon faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members to add their voices to this process. There will be several opportunities for everyone to share their ideas for UM-Flint. Never has there been a time in higher education when strategy and innovation are more necessary. I believe our campus community is up to the task and that together we will craft a plan that will set a clear, attainable goal for the future.

I look forward to working with all of you as we embark on a creative and exciting new journey together.

Ruth Person
Chancellor