UNC launched its new strategic plan following its endorsement by the university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday.
The plan, titled Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good, aims to address some of the university’s broader goals by creating a guide. It focuses on eight core initiatives identified through the Blueprint for Next, which was adopted in 2017.
The eight core areas of focus include: Build Our Community Together, Strengthen Student Success, Enable Career Development, Discover, Promote Democracy, Serve to Benefit Society, Globalize and Optimize Operations. Each of the initiatives have three objectives set to guide the university’s actions to improving and expanding its efforts within the areas of focus.
During the presentation to the board, Provost Bob Blouin said while the initiatives are not ranked in order of importance, Build Our Community Together is indeed the most important for UNC.
“We believe it belongs at the top because of where we are in this time,” said Blouin. “We feel that if we get that particular initiative right, then many of the others will be a lot easier for us to implement and execute.”
Guskiewicz said some elements of this top initiative have already begun, with his launch of the Commission on History, Race and A Way Forward, which is working to address and contextualize the university’s history regarding slavery and race relations. His announcement of a $5 million fund for community-building objectives, like the commission, also fits under the Build Our Community initiative.
“We have got to come together as a campus community: our leadership team, our faculty, staff, students,” said Guskiewicz. “[We need] to be sure that every member of our community knows that they belong here and that their voice is being heard. We have to implement a number of initiatives, and some of them already have been [with] recommendations to our new police chief, David Perry. But we’re excited about that initiative.”
Chair of the Board of Trustees Richard Stevens said the board is excited about the strategic plan, calling it a unique method of improvement for a university.
“It’s a bold statement,” he said. “Most businesses have a strategic plan, but most universities don’t. We’re unique in having any kind of [long-term] plan, but certainly one this bold. It’s unanimously endorsed by the board and it’s a great way forward.”
In a release of its announcement, UNC said it will pay for the opportunities and actions stemming from Carolina Next in varying ways. It said while no additional sources of funding in some instances, some will while others cause priorities to be shifted as the plan is enacted over the following years.
The university also said in its release leadership will continue to meet with groups across campus to discuss the plan in the coming months.
To learn more about Carolina Next, visit the university website dedicated to the strategic plan.
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