Update on New UA Strategic Plan

May 3, 2018

By Shane Burgess, University of Arizona Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension

As we approach Spring Commencement, I am confident we have fully prepared our 2018 graduates for the next chapter in their lives. But what about the classes of 2022, 2026 and beyond? And how will the University of Arizona and our entire enterprise – Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension – continue to serve our students, state and the world in a decade or two?

On April 24, faculty, staff and appointed professionals engaged in a wide-ranging discussion of the new UA Strategic Plan, which proposes ideas that would touch every corner of this statewide campus. Thank you to all of those who have participated in this dialogue to date. We are some of the most diverse constituents of the university, and your thoughtful contributions can help shape a Strategic Plan which will serve our stakeholders well.

Our foundation going forward must be based on trust. Trust and an open dialogue in which we challenge one another to try something new and discard what isn’t working.

I trust that this plan will be of value and will be implemented strategically by university leadership. I expect that it will allow us to break the barriers of distrust and make our bureaucratic processes more effective and efficient.

Thank you for all that you do.

Media contact:
Bethany Rutledge, director of administration and communications
520-621-7198, rutledge@cals.arizona.edu