November 13, 2019
Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to announce that, at the December meeting of the Board of Trustees, I will recommend to the Board that we create the President’s Strategic Imperative Fund. The purpose of this fund will be to generate proposals that will make significant contributions to the strategic imperatives outlined in the five goals of our strategic plan,
Destination 2040: Our Flight Path.
I invite all members of the campus community to submit a proposal that aligns with any one of our plan’s strategic imperatives. Priority will be given to proposals that meet at least one of the following criteria:
- improve undergraduate student retention, persistence, and completion;
- modify existing or create new high-demand graduate programs, including degrees, certificates, and/or micro-credentials;
- enhance faculty and staff professional development, personal satisfaction, or well-being; or
- lead to revenue generation, cost savings, cost containment, or operational efficiencies that result in a strong return on investment.
Applicants must first submit a pre-proposal by January 15, 2020.
Individuals with innovative ideas that span departments, colleges, or divisions are encouraged to collaborate with their colleagues in other units to create team proposals.
All proposals submitted for consideration will be reviewed by an evaluation team comprising members of the University Strategic Planning Committee. These individuals will provide their recommendations to me, and I will announce my final funding decisions no later than April 30, 2020.
If the Board approves this recommendation, we will award up to $5 million from the fund over a three-year period (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023).
Available funding levels will include:
- Level One proposals seeking one-time funding that ranges from $25,000 to $100,000.
- Level Two proposals seeking one-time funding that ranges from $100,001 to $250,000.
- Level Three proposals seeking one-time funding that ranges from $250,001 to $500,000.
I believe that this new opportunity will empower you to contribute to the successful implementation of our strategic plan. If you have questions, please attend one of our upcoming information sessions:
- Wednesday, November 20: 10-11 a.m., Music Lounge, 2nd floor, Student Center.
- Thursday, November 21: 2-3 p.m., Music Lounge, 2nd floor, Student Center.
As our campus community develops these proposals, we will be guided by our enduring values: excellence, innovation, courage, integrity, inclusiveness, social responsibility, and gratitude.
In that spirit, I am grateful for your investment in our University’s bright future as we continue to implement our ambitious strategic plan.
