Strategic Plan Working Groups

The First-Year Launch Working Group will reimagine the first-year student experience with the goal of building purpose and resilience through a cross-campus success plan that bridges academic advising, foundational skill-building, and residential life. The group will develop a plan that integrates academic advising, student wayfinding and navigation, and residential life. Ultimately, the group will deliver actionable implementation proposals and timelines aligned with Compass 2035 and the Campus Use Plan to support a seamless transition into college for all students.

Prior to convening the Strategic Partnerships Working Group, the Strategic Partnerships Research Group will conduct a comprehensive inventory and analysis of Smith’s formal external collaborations to evaluate their alignment with the goals of Compass 2035. By documenting partnership attributes and interviewing stakeholders, the group will identify institutional strengths and opportunities within the current portfolio, and will provide a foundational framework for the college’s future partnerships.

Using the report from the Strategic Partnerships Research Group, beginning in fall 2026, the working group will evaluate, organize, and strengthen Smith’s approach to partnerships.

The Athletics Working Group will evaluate and refine renovation options for the Ainsworth and Scott gymnasiums. The group is charged with ensuring that facility designs remain aligned with institutional priorities, fundraising goals, and financing strategies. Their findings will provide critical guidance to the college building committee and board of trustees to inform final project decisions.

The Dining Experience Working Group will leverage prior work and planning efforts to strengthen community, belonging, sustainability, and well-being through a renewed, equitable, and environmentally conscious dining experience. The working group will translate community feedback and recommendations from dining design and operations professionals into a cohesive vision for dining, articulating a clear near- and long-term vision and developing a practical, multiyear road map for implementation.

Steering Committee

The AI Steering Committee is the central coordinating body for the college’s AI initiative. The Committee is responsible for ensuring AI policies are reviewed and developed in alignment with institutional governance, and partners with relevant individuals, departments and units to provide institutional guidance and stewardship of Smith’s overall approach to AI.

Academic Working Group

 Lead and coordinate the use of AI as it relates to curriculum, teaching, learning, and student conduct.

Operations Working Group

Oversee the planning, implementation, and governance of AI projects within the administrative and operational functions of the institution.

The Institutional Discernment Working Group will develop a framework that is designed to empower departments and individuals to evaluate what activities could be either sustained, optimized, or discontinued in order to better align with the college’s core mission. By fostering a culture of agency and expertise among staff, the group aims to reduce organizational strain and create the capacity necessary for high-priority work. This working group will consider training, communications, and formal processes to help units regularly and collectively refine their focus for a more effective and satisfying work environment.

To support this effort, the Working Group on Institutional Discernment is charged with:

LEARNING about the barriers and bottlenecks, as well as the successes and opportunities, associated with simplifying, redesigning, and/or discontinuing work at the college.

IDENTIFYING changes in systems, processes, and ways of working that would facilitate these efforts, including mechanisms for units to identify activities, processes, programs, and practices that may no longer provide sufficient value relative to the time, effort, or resources they require.

DEVELOPING A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS on how the college might strengthen a culture of discernment and prioritization and embed standardized practices into existing college processes to support this work.

While the need articulated in this charge is experienced across campus, the working group’s initial efforts will focus on units that provide academic support, student services, and administrative operations represented by the current membership, with the potential to expand to additional areas over time.

The Working Group will consider how the college can strengthen its ability to draw upon the expertise and lived experience of those closest to the work while ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and strategic objectives. It will review the findings and incorporate recommendations into a white paper, which will serve as the foundation for approaching similar work in the future. The desired outcome would be a community and culture rooted in continuous improvement that empowers all employees to contribute to organizational effectiveness, creating a more focused, efficient, and satisfying work environment.