Many provide input to strategic planning process

October 31, 2016 | News, UToday
By Barbara J. Owens



More than 200 students, faculty and staff participated in the first round of discussion sessions about the University’s future over the last two weeks.

Greater than half of the participants were University staff, with the rest split evenly between faculty and students.

Dr. Laurie Dinnebeil, Distinguished University Professor and chair of early childhood, higher education and special education, talked to staff members at a strategic planning session last week. She is co-chair of the strategic planning committee.

Dr. Laurie Dinnebeil, Distinguished University Professor and chair of early childhood, higher education and special education, talked to staff members at a strategic planning session last week. She is co-chair of the strategic planning committee.

Three sessions were held on Health Science Campus and four on Main Campus, including one in which the public was invited to comment.

Many more people submitted input via an online survey. More than 350 submissions had been received by Friday morning.

Participants at the sessions were given a brief overview of the planning process and asked to respond to two questions:

• What do you feel are the strengths that UT should build upon in the future?

• What areas should UT improve upon in the next five years to move the institution forward, and what action do you recommend to move forward the areas that you note?

The sessions were led by strategic planning committee co-chair Dr. Laurie Dinnebeil, Distinguished University Professor and chair of early childhood, higher education and special education, or committee co-chair Dr. Anthony Quinn, associate professor of biological sciences and assistant dean for diversity and inclusion in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

The information gathered from these sessions will be introduced into the discussions that members of the strategic planning committee are having. To date, the committee has worked to identify the University’s many strengths, challenges and opportunities. Once the online input is available, the committee will use this feedback to begin identifying themes where the University should focus in the next five years.

“It is exciting to see some overall themes beginning to develop in our discussions,” said Provost Andrew Hsu, who is responsible for the planning process. “We are pleased that the UT community is sharing its ideas with us, and we are eager to continue our work.”

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