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Working groups share progress, gather community input at Day of Conversation session

By Justin Mattingly

UPDATED: Feb. 25, 2015 at 10:38 p.m.

The seven working groups in charge of Syracuse University’s Academic Strategic Plan shared their findings with the SU community Wednesday, which included the need for improved advising and communication.

Three sessions of the “Day of Conversation” were held in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. Sessions were held at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to gather input from the SU community about the university’s Academic Strategic Plan, which is part of SU’s Fast Forward initiative.

“We’re here today to continue this campus conversation,” Liz Liddy, interim vice chancellor and provost, said at the beginning of the first forum.

Each working group provided its research methods, key findings and preliminary recommendations. Each group was given five minutes to make its presentation, and following the conclusion of the reports, groups went to different areas of Goldstein Auditorium to allow attendees to provide their input and ideas.



The seven working groups are:

  • Undergraduate excellence
  • Strategically focused research and doctoral programs
  • Leadership in veterans and military affairs
  • Enhancing internationalization
  • Change: Innovation and institutional renewal
  • Student- and faculty-centered operations
  • Professional program excellence

Working groups focused on individual issues. Some of the working groups called for change in the university’s advising structure, both academic and career. The groups also called for better communication and collaboration across the university.

Each working group had specific recommendations to share as well. For example, the working group on student- and faculty-centered operations recommended the creation of a “One-Stop Student Services Center,” citing confusion among students about which offices carry which services.

The working group on strategically focused research and doctoral programs recommended a new undergraduate research and scholarship office. In addition, the working group on enhancing internationalization recommended expanding SU Abroad to where 55 percent of SU students study abroad.

Liddy said in an interview following the first forum that it “brought to the surface both the topics we need to address and also it will bring concerns, but really when you think about it, it really is a tough time in higher ed.” She added that SU must differentiate itself from other higher education institutions as part of the strategic plan process.

“I think that the Academic Strategic Plan should set the vision,” she said. “We are an academic organization.”

Moving forward, the feedback of the Academic Strategic Plan will be reviewed through March 6; the SU community will have a comment period on a draft plan in early April; a revised draft plan will be delivered to Chancellor Kent Syverud in late April and in May, the plan will go to the Board of Trustees. Liddy said SU already has the implementation team put in place.





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