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So What's Next That's Not Yet Known?
What is it that we have not yet thought about that will be critical five to ten years from now? It is challenging to describe coherently what you have not yet thought of. But we can reflect on earlier program creations, the ones that may have seemed risky or incoherent at the time, and think about how far some of them have carried us.
Consider the unusual features of College Park Scholars (CPS). First, CPS is not a program, but a class of programs spanning the campus. When it was formed, that was unusual. Each program is allowed substantial leeway in creating its purpose and design. That was unusual. Each program is a partnership between staff and faculty. That was unusual. Academic programs are the province of the faculty. Multi-disciplinarity and service learning were embedded opportunities, also unusual. History has shown that it was precisely these unusual features that led CPS to high value. Similarly, unusual features are found in Gemstone, the President's Promise, Maryland Pathways, Hinman CEO and many other popular programs. Offerings, built on unusual features, provide much of the sizzle for today's students. They were timely, innovative, entrepreneurial partnerships that were out on the front edge when they were created. But going forward, they will not remain so edgy; and competitive offerings will become available elsewhere.
One thing is crystal clear. We will not stay in front by following. To lead, we must create attractive, value added opportunities for tomorrow and get them out there first. Entrepreneurship, innovation, willingness to get out on the edge with unusual programs, comfort with multi-disciplinary partnerships and quick response to opportunities are institutional characteristics that we have used to great advantage. We must continue to do so. It is not a time for caution.
But now, here is the grand challenge. We need ideas - transformational ideas - for a new strategic plan. We need new thinking, a new class of programs spanning disciplines that is expandable, dynamic, manageable, topical and attractive to both students and funders. We need to stop doing things that are good, but not good enough. It is about transformational ideas. We want to live in the neighborhood that has transformational ideas - that neighborhood has the top-10 zip code. Programs that are "more of the same," even if done much better than ever before, will not lift us. They may not be worth the investment of our time and money. It's something like owning the nicest house in the wrong neighborhood. The value is not appreciated, and the appreciation is not valued.
To create what has not come before and implement what is already underway, requires a coherent strategic plan, a plan to guide the use of our resources - our time, space, capital, and energy. The Middle States accreditation process will prepare us well for strategic planning beginning in summer 2007. A conversation on transformational ideas was started at a retreat for deans and vice presidents this past June. I called it a "strategic think" for participants were not allowed to propose anything that was primarily for their own unit. The retreat initiated a yearlong, big-thinking process. We need a few transformational initiatives by next June. So why not join in? What is your best idea for the next decade? Our past shows that our future depends on implementing a few great ideas and eliminating what's not good enough. Both are tough to do but must be done.
Closing >>
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