VCU Strategic Plan 2025: Fall Town Halls

Overview Background: Planning Timeline Current plan, Quest for Distinction, in its final year Next plan designed to build upon Quest’s legacy Focus on access, excellence and distinction Set VCU direction and priorities through FY 2025 Planning Timeline We are here BOV approval F W 2017 2018 Sp Su 2016 2019 - 2025 Structure & Listening Sessions Themes and Goals Implementation Plans Launch Reporting and Tracking

National Prominence Our aim: Progress to date: Determine existing areas of excellence Understand capacity and priorities Identify best practices and strategies for raising national prominence Formulate recommendations Progress to date: Four task groups launched Research Educational Awards and Distinctions Strategic Communications Baselines established; background research conducted Preliminary goals submitted for consideration

National Prominence We will make VCU distinctive by: Emphasizing “firsts”, i.e., VCU’s areas of innovation Focusing on our strengths Urban, community-engaged research university with a comprehensive health science campus Nationally recognized School of the Arts and Health Sciences programs Distinctive student demographic of first-generation and underserved populations Ongoing and future potential for interdisciplinary and integration of real-world learning Civic engagement and impact on our community “Getting the word out” Awareness is a precursor to prominence Coordinated communications are key …our enduring commitment: that we are a premier research university focused on the positive progress of humanity through discovery and innovation National prominence for VCU as an institution and/or any of its units is a rising tide that lifts all boats

National Prominence Strengths: Our strength and distinction lies in playing to our collective strengths as a Research Intensive, Community Engaged, (young) Urban University that is comprehensive University well positioned to promote our interdisciplinary research including both campuses working together.  We distinguish ourselves by achieving national prominence in research, scholarship, and creative expression, honorific recognitions for our trainees and faculty, and the quality of our students as they perform in a diverse modern workforce Our distinctiveness in research is advanced by leveraging existing research strengths, by broadening our collaborations through a more expansive (contracts, centers, Multi institutional) research funding portfolio, and through innovative and entrepreneurial research that is impactful nationally and in our community Our distinctiveness is advanced by communicating our compelling story strategically, uniformly, and with a VCU "make it real" impact-fullness that is supported and that is projected locally, nationally, and to the world. Areas of Improvement: Our distinctiveness could be enhanced through focused effort in support of distinctive demographic of first generation and underserved student populations, with effective strategies to support financially and academically those students at higher risk

Student Success Our aim: VCU is distinctive for providing students access and opportunities by leveraging our presence as a premier national research university and capitalizing on our urban location to connect students’ academic learning with real world experiences to prepare them as global citizens and leaders

Student Success Our Goals: Prepare students to be creative innovators and entrepreneurs who make a difference in an increasingly diverse and connected world Enhance the university culture supporting student success

Activating & Living Diversity Our aim: VCU is committed to, reflects and pursues inclusive excellence in all that it is, does and aspires to be. To leverage diversity is to take full advantage of the unique character and quality of VCU to make the whole greater than the individual parts

Activating & Living Diversity Our goals: Embracing, engaging and empowering difference Becoming a role model for other universities

Culture of Appreciation Our aim: VCU strives to develop a university-wide culture of appreciation that is reflected in day-to-day behaviors, activities and campus life, which will be enhanced by formal and informal recognition and awards VCU develops and maintains a climate that fosters a sense of belonging, where all students and employees see themselves as an integral and important part of the VCU community VCU nurtures a university environment where all people feel pride what they do, have mutual trust with colleagues and are treated fairly and with respect

Culture of Appreciation Our goals: Embed a culture of appreciation in daily interactions Develop a climate based on trust and respect that fosters a sense of belonging

Collective Urban Transformation Our aim: Connect VCU resources with partners in the arts, environmental sustainability, education, social services, and economic development sectors to address community-identified needs and opportunities.

Collective Urban Transformation Our Goals: Engage students, faculty, and staff in initiatives that improve critical education and workforce development indicators that present challenges for the Greater Richmond region Align VCU’s assets to contribute to specific metrics focused on enhancing the health and wellbeing of Central Virginia’s residents Enhance access to VCU’s resources to improve the Richmond region’s economic and cultural vitality to businesses and residents

Naming VCU’s Next Strategic Plan

Potential Plan Names Transformation 2025: Excellence, Innovation & Access Doing What's Difficult: Transforming Lives & Our Communities Transformation 2025: Defining VCU Distinction Defining Distinction 2025: VCU’s Path for Progress

Organizing Principles

In looking at the work groups’ preliminary themes and goals (see handout for reference), we began to see some areas of overlap – key words, ideas and underlying principles that they all had in common.

Transformation Access Innovation Excellence

Next Steps