Budget / Recalibration

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October 6, 2010

Recalibration: A Campus-Wide Initiative

The process of sculpting a new academic vision and institutional profile requires the involvement of the campus community and its constituents.

As Leo I. Higdon, Jr. writes:

At this point, institutions need to evaluate everything both in the short and long term and reunite efforts to focus more directly on our core educational missions. We need to take a good, hard look at where our colleges and universities are headed, what central values we hold most dear, and then very purposefully connect all of the programs, practices, and initiatives back to the educational mission. This examination is critical before moving forward. We need to be bold, be honest and, most importantly, involve the entire institution all stakeholders in this analysis. (Leo I. Higdon, Jr., "Building a Strong Future for Higher Education." Liberal Education, Spring 2010, p. 32)

Our planning process will be as encompassing and our strategic intent as compelling as those described by Higdon. We will work to preserve our capacity to create transformational learning environments, recalibrate to sharpen our educational focus, and be richly innovative in increasing our capacity to keep improving.

Becoming Distinctive, Sustainable, and Innovative

Anticipating a $5 million decrease in state funding over the next biennium, we must begin now to plan for the possible impact that such a reduction would have.  To be successful, we must sharpen our focus and begin resetting our academic vision and institutional profile. Ultimately, our effectiveness will depend on our ability to recalibrate our programs and services, ensuring they are distinctive, sustainable and innovative.

To guide the sharing of ideas and information, a model for communication will be used throughout the recalibration process.  The model identifies the communication levels, constituent groups involved, and the communication channels to be used.  A commitment to transparency and accountability encompasses the entire recalibration process.

If you have comments, please use our contact form to send a message to the president. While I will not be responding to individual email messages sent, I will consider them as plans are laid, decisions are made, and information is shared.