Inside Iowa State

Inside Archives

Submit news

Send news for Inside to inside@iastate.edu, or call (515) 294-7065. See publication dates, deadlines.

About Inside

Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

July 2, 2004

Strategic planning group is working toward September goal

by Diana Pounds

Sometime in September, the campus community will get a look at the first draft of Iowa State's next strategic plan.

The plan, as vice president for academic affairs and provost Benjamin Allen envisions it, will be shorter, more specific and more strategic than the current plan.

"It should tell us what we should do more of, what we should do less of, and where we should invest our resources," he said.

Allen leads the 42-member committee that is developing the plan, with considerable input from discussion groups. Hundreds of individuals have offered their visions for the Iowa State of the future during approximately 20 discussions over the past few months with students, faculty, staff, alumni and Ames and Des Moines community leaders.

Themes emerging

Allen said some themes have emerged in these discussions.

"Many say we need to focus more," he said. "Some suggest we focus on science and technology. Others say we need to focus on areas of excellence and do less of something else.

"Another recurring theme is that we need to better define who we are," he said. "And we're also hearing that while Iowa State should remain true to the land-grant principles, we should de-emphasize use of the word 'land-grant,' a word many don't relate to or understand."

The new strategic plan, which will guide Iowa State's direction for 2005 through 2010, will be submitted to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, in January 2005.

Quote

"And we're also hearing that while Iowa State should remain true to the land-grant principles, we should de-emphasize use of the word 'land-grant,' a word many don't relate to or understand."

Benjamin Allen, academic affairs VP and provost