We are making great progress on UMKC Forward. I’m writing today to share a progress report and update the timeline.
As you know, more than 120 people from our UMKC family have served on committees for UMKC Forward, our campus-wide initiative to reimagine our mission as a public research university serving Greater Kansas City and beyond. These individuals have invested significant time this summer to brainstorm, research, explore and finalize recommendations based on ideas shared by faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders via town halls, surveys or other direct input to the committees. Our goals are to restructure and invest in our university’s future so that we will not only survive but thrive well beyond the wake of the pandemic. It is one of the most critically important tasks that we have undertaken as a university.
As you may recall, Team A has focused on restructuring and reorganizing for optimal growth and efficiency, trimming the university’s overall costs. Team B has been tasked with developing areas for investment to stimulate growth and revenue. Within each team, subcommittees concentrated on academic programs while others studied administrative and university operations.
Not surprisingly given the amount of work, these two teams require a little more time before the committee’s recommendations are ready to be shared with the campus for feedback. I will want to hear from each of you when that time comes. So here’s the revised timeline:
July 20 – Team A and B recommendations will be posted online, along with a survey to gather feedback.
July 27 – Survey closes.
July 29 – Survey input is presented to me.
August 12 – I will review recommendations and feedback and then announce ideas that can move forward for immediate implementation and initiatives that will move forward for longer-term development and implementation.
Again, I am grateful for the work of each committee member and chair and their thoughtful input, consideration and innovation. The amount of time invested and the number of ideas generated show a high degree of care for our university. I also want to thank each of you in advance in anticipation of your feedback.
