Â鶹´«Ã½

Dear Monarch Nation:

As Â鶹´«Ã½ is fully focused on charting a clear course for our continued success and future direction, we are embarking on an inclusive andintensive year-long strategic planning process. That process will be defined by the engagement and work of a total of 12 groups, specifically a Steering Committee; Mission and Core Values Subcommittee; Challenges and Opportunities Subcommittee; Academic Excellence Subcommittee; Research Growth Subcommittee; Corporate/Community Partnerships and Economic Development Subcommittee; Strategic Enrollment Growth Subcommittee; Student Engagement and Success Subcommittee; Philanthropic Giving and Alumni Engagement Subcommittee; Branding, Marketing, and Communication Subcommittee; Budget Team; and Writing Team.

Following nominations from the University's functional areas and recommendations from campus stakeholder groups, I am pleased to announce the for these significant groups. Please join me in recognizing your dedicated colleagues, including students, faculty, staff, and community members, who have agreed to step forward and participate in this important process.

The first three groups (the Steering Committee; Mission and Core Values Subcommittee; and Challenges and Opportunities Subcommittee) will begin their work later this month. Seven additional groups (the Academic Excellence Subcommittee; Research Growth Subcommittee; Corporate/Community Partnerships and Economic Development Subcommittee; Strategic Enrollment Growth Subcommittee; Student Engagement and Success Subcommittee; Philanthropic Giving and Alumni Engagement Subcommittee; and Branding, Marketing, andCommunication Subcommittee) will begin their work in January of 2022. The Budget Team will begin its work in April of 2022, while the Writing Team will begin its work inJune of 2022. This phased approach will maximize the outcomes of each group andprovide a supportive environment in which a strong foundation will be built throughout the coming year. Together, we will work toward a September 2022 presentation to the Board of Visitors and a subsequent campus-wide comment period followed by a December 2022 consideration by the Board of Visitors and a January 2023 implementation by our campus community.

As we embark on this collaborative process, periodic updates will be shared. Additionally, an interactive platform will be available for the campus and the community to provide feedback. In order to facilitate this level of continuous engagement, a webpage will be launched in the coming weeks to share regular updates regarding the overall process and related milestones, as well as agendas and minutes for each of the groups. Until that time, I encourage you to contact my office if you have any questions regarding this important process. I look forward to the collaborative journey in which we will join together to define the collective possibilities for our campus and individual opportunities for all Monarchs!

With Monarch Pride,

Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President