University Times

Chancellor Patrick A. Gallagher unveiled a first draft of a new strategic planning framework that is focused on financial stability, operational effectiveness, technology and diversity, and announced a trio of town hall meetings to solicit comments from the University community.

“We must always be looking at ways in which we can more effectively and efficiently carry out our core mission to make the world better through knowledge,” Gallagher said in his Feb. 28 report to the Board of Trustees. “To that end we are engaged in developing a framework that will enable us to create a strategic plan to guide us in the years ahead.”

During the fall term, administrators obtained input in meetings with representatives from University constituent groups including the Board of Trustees, Council of Deans, senior leadership, students, faculty and staff, Gallagher said.

“We’ve reached across multiple layers and units of the University from the administration business offices, regional campuses, schools and centers to ask how we might evaluate our mission statement, set strategic priorities, then discuss how the various University units could support the plan going forward,” the chancellor said.

Drivers

In addition to the themes of financial stability, operational effectiveness, technology and diversity, the administration has identified a set of “cross-cutting drivers” that Gallagher described as “the key opportunities or challenges that we will need to address if we are going to successfully advance our priorities.”

Values and aspirations

“We also have identified our core values: A set of guiding principles that emphasize respect for each other under the Pitt tradition of excellence but also characterize our aspirations for our collective culture of inclusion, integrity and impact,” Gallagher said.

Feedback from the University community will be solicited at town hall meetings on March 18 and 20, and at a March 19 University Senate plenary session.

Details on the strategic planning framework are posted at www.pitt.edu/impact.

“This University continues its record of great accomplishments. And it has enormous momentum,” Gallagher said.

“Our agenda is still being formed, but it’s not going to be by changing our direction. We are still following the same North Star in establishing our strategic priorities. But now we will put a focus on our priorities that will allow us to respond as well to the most dynamic challenges and opportunities we will face. This focus includes enhancing our capabilities to partner effectively, to harness information and to strengthen the creativity, agility and inclusiveness of our community. And when this happens, we will enhance our success, we will make even more progress,” Gallagher said.

“We’ve already begun to take some of those first key steps together. I look forward to working with all of you as we take on the next chapter of our story and build on the remarkable success of our 228-year history.”

—Kimberly K. Barlow

Input sessions planned

Three community input sessions on the University’s new strategic planning framework have been scheduled on the Pittsburgh campus:

• • 3-4:30 p.m. March 18 in the Alumni Hall Connolly Ballroom.
• • 1-3 p.m. March 19 in the Alumni Hall Connolly Ballroom (University Senate plenary session).
• • 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 20 in University Club ballroom B.

Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Resources Management David DeJong will facilitate the meetings.

Members of the University community also may submit comments on the strategic planning framework via an online form posted at www.pitt.edu/impact/input.