Leveraging all the talent available to us is critical as we tackle the challenges we face and build upon our strong foundation at the University of Idaho. That is the basic premise of the working group model weâve been using for the past 18 months. The model brings university alumni and friends with specific skillsets and interests together with our talented faculty and staff to help develop major initiatives. The importance of the working group deliberations cannot be overstated. Their conclusions and recommendations are informing some of the most important strategic decisions and setting the stage for the University of Idahoâs future. The Sustainable Financial Model Working Group was the first such collaboration. The group delivered its white paper last spring, and discussions about the metrics for a new financial model are now taking place â with the goal of launching the new budget model in FY22. This planning will align our colleges and operating units to university and State Board of Education objectives, and ensure the university is better prepared for financial challenges in the future. Our Research Working Group recently delivered its white paper, providing the university with a roadmap to reach R-1 status as defined by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. We already do enough research to be an R-1 institution â $113 million last year. Our roadmap prescribes how we increase the number of postdocs and graduate more Ph.D. students, requirements for R-1 status. Reaching R-1 status would help us recruit faculty and attract more research dollars into the university and the state. The pandemic has shaped the way we think about remote learning and prompted a fast-track of the Online Education Working Group. We will continue to be a destination campus and remain focused on providing that experience, but this new environment has changed expectations and opportunities around the demand for online education. This working group has looked at every aspect of remote delivery, from improving our online student services, strengthening our marketing of online offerings, the infrastructure and technology required for expansion, plus an analysis of the investment needed for faculty support and course development. The Online Education Working Group is finishing its work and among its recommendations is a call for investments in broadband and converging the digital space with the traditional in-person experience so we can better meet students where they are. A staggered approach to these various initiatives means multiple groups are, at times, operating simultaneously. The process allows the University of Idaho to take on multiple projects aimed at advancing our priorities of student success, research and telling our story. We need continued focus on our immediate budget challenges and on the myriad challenges around operating and keeping our university open during this pandemic. Once we have more bandwidth, we expect to engage new working groups around other key initiatives. The working groups help us think through complex issues and develop roadmaps that will improve our ability to compete in the future. And, our future looks bright thanks to the significant time, brainpower and hard work invested by these cross-functional teams. Vandals get it done, and it is this work â together with other recognitions â that confirms the University of Idaho is an institution on the rise. The positive impact of the working groups will benefit generations of Vandals to come. |