Baruch’s Momentum Continues

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As you know, we are in the middle of a robust strategic planning process that will lead to Baruch’s five-year strategic plan for 2023–28. In a supportive effort, in AY2021­–22, I established an annual process to set our College-Focused Goals—with help from the Cabinet and input from College community—to guide our priorities, strategic investments, and decision-making processes. At end of each year, I then communicate our accomplishments according to these goals. As many of the goals require a multiyear effort while lessons are learned during the implementation process, the AY2022–23 goals reflect a few important adjustments that I want to share with you. These changes reflect our discussions around staff modalities for work and learning as well as faculty research and scholarship.

There are now seven goals, all of which are fundamentally about investing in our people. Notably, last year we had one goal focused on promoting faculty and staff innovation. This is now two goals, with one focused on the “future of work and community well-being” to address the evolving needs of staff in support of a collaborative and flexible work environment, and the other on promoting “faculty research, scholarship, and creative activities” toward an intellectually stimulating environment. We have also moved toward language that emphasizes pedagogical innovation, combined with multiple learning modalities.

College-Focused Goals for AY2022–23

The seven goals are as follows:

1. Continue multifaceted institutional transformation to elevate and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion
2. Enhance the student experience and student success: increase student engagement, academic momentum, degree completion, and postgraduation success
3. Envision and enhance the future of work and community well-being
4. Promote faculty research, scholarship, and creative activities toward an intellectually stimulating learning environment
5. Stimulate pedagogical innovation via creative mixture of learning modalities while maximizing experiential learning
6. Continue multiyear effort toward an incentive-based budget model: align institutional priorities and resource allocation; create incentive for collaboration and entrepreneurial program innovation
7. Expand visibility and philanthropy while strengthening and building external partnerships

Thank You for Your Work and Collaboration

I want to extend my appreciation for your collaboration and innovation on these priorities, as they support the work we do every day—and our strategic planning process.

If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to sign up for a Virtual Town Hall, hosted by the Baruch Community Strategic Planning Committee and scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 19 and Thursday, Oct. 20. They are being held at different times to ensure maximal participation. I look forward to seeing you there and hearing your input as we work together to co-create the College’s next strategic plan.

Sincerely,

S. David Wu
President, Baruch College