As we approach the end of the semester, we have reached an important phase of this initiative and are updating the campus community with our progress to date and next steps.
Dear Oxy Community:
Last semester we embarked on an important and ambitious planning effort to chart a path for Occidental over the next decade. Oxy’s Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) will capitalize on our strengths and address key opportunities to ensure that we can continue to thrive and provide a transformative academic experience for our students. As we approach the end of the semester, we have reached an important phase of this initiative and are updating the campus community with our progress to date and next steps. I want to commend the Steering Committee for their stewardship of this process. I am confident and enthusiastic that the final plan will set us on a course for success.
Occidental’s mission remains unchanged. Yet, the finished ISP will articulate a new vision statement to propel us forward to 2030. This emerging vision centers around building an exceptional urban liberal arts education by creating new harmonies between academic instruction, co-curricular activities, real-world experience and social change -- all of which is geared toward propelling students to be engaged global citizens and leaders who make an impact in the world.
We encourage you to visit the ISP website to learn more about the current status and where we go from here. As a brief recap, here’s what you’ll find on the site:
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Environmental Scan: This stage of the process, carried out last fall, included internal data reviews, assessment of broader trends in higher education, as well as numerous community input sessions. Community input came from over 600 people through group forums and online submissions from students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents. With the findings from the environmental scan, the Steering Committee identified eleven key issues that the plan needs to address.
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Working Groups: In early spring, the Steering Committee further considered how to address the priority considerations from the environmental scan. The committee is now constituting five working groups (listed below) to carry the ISP work forward. Each working group has two co-chairs and membership that includes staff, faculty and students.
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Financial Working Group (FWG): Putting Oxy on the strongest possible financial trajectory
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Academic Working Group (AWG): Ensuring a transformative academic experience
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Student Experience & Renewing Community (SERC) Working Group: Ensuring inclusion, belonging, and a vibrant and engaged student experience.
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Los Angeles Working Group (LAWG): Maximizing engagement and mutually beneficial connections with the global city of Los Angeles.
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Justice, Equity, Inclusion & Diversity (JEID) Working Group: Ensuring equitable opportunities, treatment, and outcomes for all, and activating the College’s Equity & Justice Agenda.
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Project timeline: Working groups will have a kickoff meeting in May, with co-chairs continuing foundational work over the summer. During the fall semester, working groups will focus on specific recommendations and development of proposed initiatives in accordance with the specific scopes that have been determined by the Steering Committee. We plan to finalize the ISP and share it with the Oxy community in March 2023.
I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this important effort, from those involved with planning to all of you who have attended input sessions and submitted your ideas and feedback. We will continue to keep you updated as this important work progresses.
Very best,
President Elam