Criterion 1 || Criterion 2 || Criterion 3 || Criterion 4 || Criterion 5

CRITERION 4: "THE INSTITUTION CAN CONTINUE TO ACCOMPLISH ITS PURPOSES AND STRENGTHEN ITS EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS"

Institutional leadership encourages ongoing attention to improvement and engagement in planning processes that chart the future directions of the University at all levels. The University is continuously working to strengthen the quality of the academic programs of its schools, colleges, and divisions. Across the University, faculty review and revise curriculum in order to respond to changing learning needs, to incorporate the latest advances in knowledge, and to expand and diversify opportunities for students at all levels. The University’s schools and colleges seek to bring the unique resources and strengths of a great research institution into the learning experiences of students at all levels. The University sustains an on-going iterative process of planning at all levels that ensures the future strength of the institution as its continuing role as a national leader in comprehensive excellence in higher education.

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND REVIEW PROCESSES

The University’s 1989-90 comprehensive self-study directed special attention to strategic planning processes. The University of Michigan recognizes that ongoing review and evaluation of its activities and goals is crucial to continuous improvement. In this way the institution determines whether it is both doing the right things and doing things right. Through the process of review and planning efforts involving key representatives throughout the institution, the University determines future directions and initiates necessary changes. The University is committed to improvement and progress toward its stated goals, and that commitment is evident in the actions of its leaders, faculty and staff.

In keeping with the decentralized organization of the University, planning activities take place across the entire university and at every level. Individual unit discussions with the President, Provost and Chief Financial Officer are at the heart of the university’s strategic planning process, as opposed to a single centralized plan or formula. These regular annual reviews cover a wide range of activities throughout the units in all areas of planning; academic, budgetary and facilities.

The President works with the other Executive Officers to initiate major strategic planning efforts that affect the entire University. A recent example of this centrally-coordinated planning is the work of the Life Sciences Commission (http://www.lifesciences.umich.edu/about/LifeSciRep.pdf). In 1998-99, the Commission convened to assess the University’s strengths and weaknesses in these rapidly changing sciences that have assumed enormous importance. It sought to identify strategic goals for the University to become one of the leading academic centers life sciences research, application, and education.

In May 1999, the Regents approved a major new collaborative undertaking in the life sciences. This initiative encompasses the establishment of a new Life Sciences Institute. This initiative will pursue research in cognitive neuroscience, genomics and complex genetics, and structural and chemical biology. It will emphasize theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of complex biological systems. It will also link to research and teaching in biotechnology, biomedical engineering, evolution, and human behavior and organogenesis, and it will seek to understand the relationship of developments in the life sciences to human values and person-environment relationships. The new institute will be closely linked to existing schools, colleges, and academic departments and programs across the University. University faculty will have opportunities to participate in the institute as fellows and through teaching and research sabbaticals. It is envisioned that the institute will build links and collaborations with other universities and private industry through partnerships and public educational outreach programs.

Plans call for $200 million in funding, with approximately $90 million for construction and equipment of new facilities and $110 million earmarked as endowment to provide program funds for the Institute.

More recently, the President has announced the formation of two commissions to undertake a strategic review of two areas of major importance to the future of the University: the undergraduate program of the University; and the relationship between the University and the information revolution. (http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9900/Jan24_00/7.htm)

The special focus self-study that has been the centerpiece of University reaccreditation, New Openings for the Research University: Advancing Collaborative, Integrative, and Interdisciplinary Research and Learning (http://www.provost.umich.edu/reports/slfstudy/sess/index.html) has been an important opportunity for the University to address an area of critical institution-wide interest. This effort convened University-wide faculty working groups to address systematically a number of concerns and issues that have been receiving attention during the last several years. The ideas and recommendations contained in this report provide the basis for the development of additional thinking and planning, and a departure point for strengthening the research and teaching that knits together this complex, diverse, and decentralized institution.

In addition to special strategic planning studies and initiatives, the Provost and the Deans meet regularly in the Academic Program Group (APG) to talk through central intellectual and organizational issues for the University. In 1998-99, for instance, the APG organized a retreat to discuss the future of the professoriate. From this emerged several subcommittees that produced reports addressing issues of collaboration and interdisciplinarity and the integration of teaching, research, and practice. (http://www.provost.umich.edu/reports/index.html)

An important strand of the strategic planning process takes place in each school, college, and division. Each unit examines its goals and activities as well as its place within the University. Because the Provost is both the chief academic as well as budgetary officer of the University, as part of the resource allocation process she takes part in ongoing discussions with individual Deans, Directors and other leaders to review long-range and short-term goals for their units. At the end of the appointment term of Deans and Directors, generally five years, each unit undergoes a review prior to the reappointment of the unit head or a search for a new leader.

In addition, schools, colleges, and divisions initiate their own strategic planning processes to meet specific needs. In the case of the School of Natural Resources and Environment, for instance, in 1996-97 a comprehensive strategic planning initiative considered SNRE’s mission and core purposes. The School of Information undertook a similar self-study leading up to its re-chartering by the Board of Regents in 1996. Individual departments also undertake strategic planning. In the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, a regular cycle of departmental review takes place. In some instances, departments initiate strategic planning in order to reposition focus and programs. For example, within the past several years the Department of German Languages and Literatures has initiated a new program in German Studies, which has become one of the most exciting undergraduate programs of its kind in the United States.