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Questions &Answers
Satish K. Tripathi is provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
Why are we engaging in the UB 2020 planning process now?
We have an unparalleled opportunity to distinguish our university,
its programs and our faculty—to become one of the best public
research universities in the nation. In order to be competitive with our
peer institutions, we need to identify a group of multidisciplinary
priorities in which we can succeed instead of striving to be all things
to all people. This will allow us to admit the best students, hire the
best faculty and realize the best opportunities for institutional
prominence, giving UB an institutional leadership role in higher
education. President Simpson and I have a shared vision for the success
of this effort.
Why does this process include envisioning retreats and other
meetings?
The faculty are absolutely integral to our university's
success, and the envisioning retreats and other meetings provide a forum
in which our faculty—as subject-matter experts—can develop
fully our areas of strategic strength. I encourage all of our faculty
members to participate in this groundbreaking process.
What is the timetable?
Our planning process is moving
forward in three phases. In Phase 1, which ended in December, we came to
understand UB's existing and potential academic strengths, and we
recommended a set of strategic strengths. Now we have begun Phase 2,
which will create a vision for each strength, assess other programs and
funding sources, and develop an investment plan for each strategic
strength. As the first step of Phase 2, we are engaging in a substantial
"envisioning process" with a broad cross-section of the UB faculty through
a series of daylong envisioning retreats and follow-up sessions. We
anticipate that the first part of Phase 2 will end in May. The remaining
components of Phase 2 and their timetables are as follows:
Assess other programs and funding sources (June 2005). UB will identify competitive programs at other institutions and external funding sources.
Create a plan for continuously growing each strategic strength (July-August 2005). A cross-functional team of UB faculty and staff will develop a model for operating each strategic strength.
Develop a strategic strength investment plan (September-October 2005). UB will create a plan for university investment in the strategic strength areas, identifying realistic investments that need to be made during the first year, within three years, five years and longer time periods. UB also will identify key areas in which both the deans and the Office of the President will make strategic investments.
In the third and final phase, which will start in November 2005, we will migrate toward our strategic strengths by beginning to enact the developed plans. The deans, guided by their college's or school's strategic plan, will begin to realign resources, make investments, develop partnerships and recruit new faculty. Concurrent and subsequent to this process, the deans will measure success and progress toward goals.
What do you expect the faculty to do?
President Simpson
and I are asking the faculty to define a vision for the fields of study
under discussion: academic areas, resources and new faculty that we need
to bring to the University at Buffalo. Our real expectation for faculty
is to get involved with the planning process. In order for this planning
process to be truly successful, we—as a campus—will need to be
creative in our thinking, provide opportunities and venues to share our
unique perspectives and think beyond traditional academic boundaries.
How will the information be formalized?
We expect the
information gathered from each envisioning retreat and future planning
sessions to result in a white paper from the Office of the Provost. Each
white paper will be coauthored by three to five UB faculty members, with
broad involvement from the other faculty who have participated in the
planning sessions. Each white paper will contain several components
including: (1) unique elements—a description of the unique factors
that currently distinguish, and have the future potential to
distinguish, UB within that strategic strength; (2) areas of focus—a
summary of the academic, research and other elements on which UB should
focus in order to become a recognized leader in that strategic strength;
(3) resource plan—a description of the resources/capabilities that
UB currently possesses, and those that it must possess, in order to
achieve success within that strategic strength; (4) breadth of
involvement—a description of the connection of the various elements
within the strategic strength to current research, graduate and
undergraduate education, and service efforts. This will give us a plan
for multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration; (5) timelines
and strategic-strength growth plans—a five-year plan with
appropriate milestones and a vision for the stages of growth.
What resources will be available?
We realize that there
are concerns about available funding. As the vision for each strategic
strength is more clearly articulated, we will need to consider how to
bring appropriate resources to bear. This responsibility will, in part,
reside with the deans, who will need to consider allocating their
existing resources to support the strategic strengths. President Simpson
and I also will need to provide additional support for these strategic
strengths, such as sponsored research grants and gifts from donors.
Where can I get more information about UB 2020?
We have
just completed major updates to our Web site at http://www.buffalo.edu/
ub2020, and we will continue to add new information in the
weeks to come. In addition, we encourage all UB faculty, staff and
students to send us emails by using the feedback form on the Web site at
http://www.
buffalo.edu/ub2020/feedback.php.
What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have
answered it?
I would have asked, "How will this planning process
affect existing academic programs?" My answer is this: Although the
final results of the planning process will necessarily affect UB's
budgetary, academic support and facilities investments, this process
will not diminish our commitment to sustain the existing excellence of
our research, scholarship and creative activities, as well as our
undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.