A crowd of students, faculty, staff and members of the community gathered Thursday afternoon for the Chancellor’s forum with the intention of discussing the strategic plan and the task forces.

Although the University is preparing for large budget cuts, the strategic plan is considered the overall goal for the University for the next five to ten years, according to Chancellor Randy Woodson. Attendees of the Chancellor’s forum had the opportunity to ask questions directly related to the findings and suggestions of the Strategic Planning task forces.

According to Woodson, there is some confusion as to why the University is continuing with the strategic plan.

“That’s why a lot of people have said to me, ‘Chancellor, why do a strategic plan when there’s no resources?’ Well, frankly, that’s when it’s most critical to think strategically,” Woodson said.  “That’s when you have to make critical decisions about how to keep the University strong going forward. You need clearly defined priorities and strategies, and that’s what this is about.”

Although the meeting centered on the strategic plan, Woodson did mention the impending budget cuts.

“With regards to the budget, it’s the most popular YouTube video around. I think you’ve heard my message,” Woodson said. “We’ve got a lot of activity right now looking at the issues that were outlined in that, with the goal of trying to get some early recommendations submitted to my office by mid-March.”

Provost Warwick Arden said the forum will not be the only opportunity for people to submit suggestions, and members of the strategic plan task force are always open to input.

“Today’s forum is just one of several opportunities for input and comment. We’ve had multiple forums before,” Arden said. “There is the website to go to give your continued input. And of course, Margery [Overton] and I and the task force chairs are always open to further input by email and direct comment.”

David Zonderman, associate department head and history professor, began the questions by agreeing with the Chancellor.

“I obviously agree with the Chancellor when he said now more than ever we’re facing challenges we haven’t seen since the Great Depression. We do need to think strategically,” Zonderman said. “Our strengths are not just our so-called historic strengths, which are engineering and agriculture. We are, of course, a comprehensive university now, and I think we really have to acknowledge that virtually all of campus has tremendous strengths.”

Zonderman was one of the few who said he examined the White Papers, summaries from each of the nine task forces, which range in length from three to 47 pages, prior to coming to the meeting. 

“I actually did go through all the White Papers. I’m really intrigued as there seems to be a lot of synergy from a lot of about four or five of the reports about developing focus areas, especially in research and graduate education,” Zonderman said. “I guess my comment on that is that I, as a researcher, think there are some tremendously exciting ideas in there. As someone who also is in graduate education, I’m a little concerned that we need to think a little more, to put it crudely, on how the market functions.”

Zonderman said several of the graduate programs recommended would be beneficial, such as the creation of a doctorate of history program, but he is concerned about the logistics of such additions. 

“I worry that we would end up with what looks like an intellectually exciting degree that no one could get a job with,” Zonderman said.

Not everyone came to the meeting having read the White Papers, as Christine Grant, associate dean of faculty development and special initiatives of the college of engineering said.  Grant said she was anticipating each of the task forces to give descriptions of their suggestions.

“I was talking to some of the people around me and they seemed to think that was going to be the format.  So, I guess what that challenges me to do is go back and read the reports, but there may be some other people in the room who were under the same impression,” Grant said. “I came here thinking we were going to get a summary, so I didn’t have any questions prepared to ask.”