On Monday, March 14, nearly 300 members of the UNCG community, including faculty, staff and students gathered to participate in a virtual town hall meeting led by the UNC System.
The event began with an introduction from Chancellor Gilliam who introduced Dr. Andrew Kelly, senior vice president for Strategy and Policy with the UNC System Office. Dr. Kelly reviewed a detailed powerpoint presentation outlining the current strategic plan, “Higher Expectations”, and went on to introduce the strategic plan refresh process, metrics and timeline to present to the Board of Governors in late April. He provided a QR code for campus community members to take a survey to provide input on the new plan.
Dr. Kelly noted that UNCG was the only institution in the UNC System to have met all five of its priority goals in each of the first three years of the current plan.
“Higher Expectations” was written in 2016 and approved in 2017, and runs through the end of the 2021-22 academic year. The themes of Access, Student Success, Affordability & Efficiency, Economic Impact and Community Engagement, Excellent and Diverse Institutions remain important.
Dr Kelly noted that the strategic plan highlights our promises to the state, “and UNCG is a shining example of how much progress can be made.”
The strategic areas under review for the refresh are:
- Better serving various student populations including adult learners, military-affiliated students, and transfer students;
- Lowering costs for both students and institutions to lower student debt;
- Increasing post-graduation outcomes;
- Improving the employee experience; and
- Committing to a mission-focused performance model.
Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Andrew Hamilton moderated the public comment portion of the presentation, which included campus stakeholders who asked the first questions: Sarah Daynes, Faculty Senate Chair; Hazael Mengesha, SGA President; Naglaa Rashwan, GSA President; Megan Cayton, Co-Chair of Staff Senate; and Jason Caldwell, Alumni Representative. Additional questions from faculty, staff and students were presented to Dr. Kelly throughout the comment period around a variety of themes, including the new funding model and how it aligns with the strategic plan, the impact of Covid 19 on student success and path to graduation, mental health, attention to graduate students, adult learners, transfer students, measuring diversity and inclusion on campus.
View and download Dr. Kelly’s presentation:
