Strategic Academic Focusing Initiative

Our faculty-focused development of a strategic academic vision

About Strategic Academic Focusing Initiative

Round 2 Submission Instructions

We encourage you to revisit your first proposal in light of any feedback you may have received. You are free to revise and submit this proposal in accordance with the questions above, or to submit a new proposal derived from consolidation and refinement of multiple previous submissions. Please include the following sections:

  1. Executive Summary of Initiative
  2. Definition of Thematic Area
  3. Intellectual Components of the Initiative
  4. UCM's Role
  5. Faculty Participation
  6. Special Programmatic Needs

See the April 2 letter for more details

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Overview

Our campus has reached a critical new phase of its development: We are no longer constrained by the basic needs involved in establishing a brand new research university; we are now presented with the opportunities and challenges of advancing and developing our university towards excellent academic programs that are recognized nationally and internationally.

In 2009, the campus created a Strategic Academic Vision. Refinement is now needed to take into account changes that have occurred since that time. Strategic Academic Focusing must consider where future investments in academic programs and support infrastructure are best made.

The Chancellor and campus have set a goal to grow to 10,000 students, of which 1,000 are to be graduate students by the 2020-2021 academic year. This is commonly referred to as the 2020 Project. In the spirit of shared governance, the Provost/EVC and the Academic Senate Chair established the Joint Administration- Senate Strategic Academic Focusing Group (with members from the faculty and the administration) whose charge is to facilitate a campus dialogue aimed at a more focused strategic academic vision.

As a first step in the process, we want to hear from faculty and campus units.

We need articulation of growth trajectory and evaluation metrics for faculty-identified academic programs. Your ideas or responses are not restricted to the 2009 Strategic Plan.

Successful proposals will address five broad questions found in the September 26 memo. Briefly:

  1. Refinements to the 2009 Strategic Academic Vision
  2. Important research problems or questions in your field(s)
  3. Resources that are needed
  4. National programs that are most closely aligned
  5. Important campus metrics that are met

See also Questions to Consider below and our FAQ page for further guidance.

Eligibility

We are requesting proposals and encourage feedback from everyone at UCM, but specifically:

  • academic units
  • graduate groups
  • organized research units
  • individual faculty or groups that may contribute to establishing a more focused strategic academic vision

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Review Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed using the following guiding principles:

  1. Rational fairness and equity: Having a balanced approach based on reality and context, as we consider what to build and support, in contrast to what we will not foster.
  2. Transparency: During the planning process, information and methods of decision-making are not held back from interested parties (e.g., faculty, students, and community). The process used in this planning mission are made known to the rest of the faculty.
  3. Fidelity: If changes to the campus mission, design, composition are to be made, they should be made in light of prior contracts (implied or explicit).
  4. Balanced approach between undergraduate and graduate education, with a recognition of the original mission of the university.
  5. Recognition that UCM cannot be all to everyone, and that is must identify itself uniquely with its own philosophies and niche, in order to be competitive and successful in the near future.

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Phase 1 Proposal Format

You will need to provide:

  1. Title of Initiative
  2. Names of Principal Authors
  3. Executive Summary (150 word max)
  4. Initiative Description (1-4 pages max)
  5. Impact metrics including enrollment and FTE actuals and estimates (worksheet provided which must be uploaded)
  6. Other supporting documents, such as charts or graphs (optional)

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Timeline and Open Proposal Process

  • Oct 28 - Nov 15: First Round Open Submission Phase
    • Submit Initiatives by Nov 15, 2013.
    • We will invite broad comments and encourage collaboration and potential connection to other initiatives.
    • These initial submissions will be the basis for providing input to the "2020 Project" RFQ Process in 2014.
    • You can return and login to update/edit your proposal and/or comment on other submissions at anytime before Nov 15.
  • Nov 15: First Round Submission Deadline
    • All initiatives for this first round should be entered by this deadline.
  • Nov 18 - Dec 2013: First Round Review
    • Initiatives will be reviewed in preparation for 2020 Project RFQ Process.
  • Jan - Apr 2014: Open Improvement Phase
    • Continue to build upon ideas, taking advantage of input and expertise acquired through this forum.
    • Update Initiatives, work on more detailed refinements and collaboration opportunities.
    • Complete all edits to Initiatives by March 16, from which the final academic focusing plan may be developed.
  • May 2, 5:00 pm: Second Round Submission Deadline
  • May 3 - Summer 2014: Review Phase
    • All initiatives will be reviewed internally and externally, and used to develop a new Strategic Academic Plan for the campus.

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Questions to Consider

What are the Intellectual Drivers and our UCM Identity?

  1. What are the grand challenge research problems or important questions in your field, and how are they contextualized within broader (multidisciplinary) research problems/questions?
  2. What are the key opportunities for intellectual contribution to addressing these problems or questions by your program?
  3. Are extramural funds required to support the research in your field and if so what are the likely sources of these funds (gifts or grants) over the next decade?
  4. What are the key characteristics that establish a clear and unique identity for your program at UCM? How do these characteristics clearly distinguish this program from similar programs at other campuses?
  5. What role does interdisciplinary collaboration—either on or off campus-- play in the future success of your program at UCM?
  6. What other research areas at UCM are key to successful collaboration and growth of your program?

What resources, including Project 2020 can help you realize your Vision?

  1. Under constrained conditions, what types of resources (library research materials, specialized equipment, etc.), and physical space are required to help you establish a unique identity for your program at UC Merced? What unique configurations of space and facilities could help you distinguish your program from similar programs at other campuses? For example, what mix of lab spaces, study spaces, field facilities, performance spaces, etc. would be optimal for the long- range success of your program? Are there unique space configurations that will enhance your involvement in interdisciplinary collaboration?
  2. What targeted faculty recruitment strategy might you follow to maximize the national and international impact of your program with costs and space a consideration in your strategy?

Who are our realistic peers and our aspirational peers?

  1. What three national programs would most closely be considered peer programs to yours at Merced?
  2. What three national programs best represent aspirational peers for the UCM 2020 vision of your program? Why? How do metrics such as faculty size, publications, graduate student size, research intensity, etc., at UCM compare to metrics at these institutions? What kinds of resources are available to your counterparts at these aspirational peer institutions? What fraction of these resources do you feel can be provided by your program through the acquisition of extramural funds (gifts or grants)?

How do we meet important Campus Metrics?

  1. UCM has an explicit goal of enrolling 1,000 graduate students, by 2020. How will your program contribute to achieving this goal?
  2. How will your program contribute to the education of our 9,000 undergraduate students?
  3. We lag behind our sister UC institutions in many measures, including research productivity, 
graduate student involvement, undergraduate retention and graduation rates and reliance on non-ladder rank faculty for instruction. What can your program do to help establish UCM metrics more comparable to our sister institutions?

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