Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share an update on the last several months of work fulfilling the sub-deliverable objectives being pursued to achieve the five Outstanding Success Possibilities outlined in our Strategic Plan.

We have made significant progress toward our campus-wide goal of implementing metrics-based decision-making across the University. A set of comprehensive Academic Dashboards has been developed in Tableau, featuring core sets of metrics and benchmarks. Program reviews and gap analyses are continuing to be conducted using data from sources such as Lightcast, a global leader in providing data-driven labor market insights, along with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition, policies and processes are being formalized for launching a variety of non-credit micro-credentials, including opportunities in Healthcare Fraud and Public School Operations, that will create new revenue-generating opportunities for the University.

Soon, we will unveil our new Diversity Scorecard, which will be posted on myCharger. This tool will help track our progress on initiatives and goals across the University related to diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging (DEIAB).

In order to develop new, in-depth collaborations on behalf of the University, the External Relations Council has targeted 12 companies/organizations. The council, which has members from across campus, has been engaged in outreach activities and conversations with several entities to pursue relationships and affiliations that benefit our students.

Finally, we continue to collaborate with DiGo, a global creative agency, on our branding. The quantitative research phase, featuring feedback from stakeholders across the University, has been completed. Initial creative concepts have been developed and will be tested in focus groups this month.

I am grateful for the time and effort so many across campus are continuing to devote to the forward-thinking initiatives that are part of our Strategic Plan. This work is building on our rich history and creating new opportunities that differentiate us in a competitive marketplace. Thank you for your dedication.

Sincerely,

Nancy Ortins Savage, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs