Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are having a strong conclusion to the academic year.
I am writing to provide an update on several key priorities within the University’s Strategic Plan and to highlight progress achieved over the last several months toward our Outstanding Success Possibilities (OSPs).
As part of the Institutional Innovation and Global Impact OSP, Master Research Agreements have been executed with Capewell Industries, Hanwha Aerospace, The Lighting Quotient, Bausch+Stroebel, Eastern Metal Works, and C3 Medical Device Consulting. Seven additional agreements are currently being negotiated. These efforts have generated nearly $100,000 in revenue and continue to build momentum toward our goal of securing 12 corporate program sponsorships totaling $600,000 in programmatic revenue. In addition, the University has signed an MOU with i5 Services, operator of the CONNEX Marketplace digital platform – a database of 200,000 national manufacturing companies – to establish a national Supply Chain Resiliency Hub at the University.
Through the People First and Operational Excellence OSP, an extensive vendor evaluation process was conducted, with Aetna, a nationally regarded provider, selected to offer employee medical coverage, effective July 1. In addition, a Service Delivery Excellence Course was introduced, with a 100 percent completion rate for administrative and union staff. Additional customer-centric programming opportunities are being developed.
Within the Transformative Student Experience OSP, the Charger Families Council has officially launched, enriching efforts to support the experience of students and our Charger families. Initial work has focused on enhancing communication, engagement, and philanthropy. The Council is being led by the Division of Student Affairs and the Division of University Advancement. The goal is to expand membership during summer SOAR programs. We are excited about the opportunities this group presents to deepen family connection to and support for the University.
In our Market-Responsive Education OSP, we continue to develop new collaborative and interdisciplinary programs. Two interdisciplinary programs are under development: an M.S. in Clinical Embryology (designed with stackable certificates) and an M.S. in Geotech. Additionally, the AI Literacy Framework for Teaching and Learning working group, in collaboration with IT and Marketing, will soon launch a website to collect and share the University’s AI initiatives.
Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing these priorities and for all you do to support the University and our students.
Sincerely,
Nancy