|
In preparation for the planning process, the
committee began with an understanding of the current position of the college -- its
position relative to its peers, its academic and curricular distinctiveness, and
the areas where it stands to build on the momentum of recent initiatives and investments.
This review served as an important beginning to the planning process, providing data,
analysis, and background to inform and frame subsequent discussions with the community.
Over the past several months, the President led a series
of more than fifty small group discussions with faculty, students, staff, alumnae,
and trustees focused on three questions:
Reflecting on these discussions, the committee has developed
eight strategic directions to guide the next phase of our planning effort. During
this next phase, we will seek ideas for specific initiatives and strategies to advance
our progress in each of these critical areas.
The eight strategic directions all engage us in re-imagining
the liberal arts. As we shift our attention from identifying critical areas of focus
to crafting specific strategies to pursue, the committee urges the Smith community
to think creatively about how best to make important new connections in at least
three areas: among Smith constituencies, between the curriculum and the co-curriculum,
and between the college and the cultures in which it is located. Also, there are
several essential principles that pervade all of the strategic directions rather
than serving as specific directions on their own. First, we intend to make explicit
and measurable commitments to diversity in the strategies supporting each of the
eight directions. Secondly, we will strive for synergy between the curriculum and
the co-curriculum, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the residential
character of the college. Finally, each strategic direction will involve issues related
to staffing, funding, facilities, and structure/organization.
This fall, the President will convene a combination
of roundtable discussions and other opportunities to explore each area in greater
detail, with an aim toward developing specific proposals. We will also seek input
from individual faculty, students, staff, and alumnae on potential strategies. By
the end of the fall, we will identify the most promising ideas (including expected
outcomes, resources needed, and action plans) under each strategic direction in order
to develop a final planning document during Spring 2007. |
|
The
Planning Process
Re-imagining
the
Liberal Arts at Smith
Strategic
Directions
Committee
on
Mission & Priorities
Contact
Us
|
