Within the next five years, the Hilltop may have more to look forward to than a new business and engineering building. As University Senate is currently editing the university’s Strategic Plan with hopes of improving campus social issues.
The Strategic Plan for the next five years includes four phases, each with a separate set of goals. Phase One details “Engagement, Information Gathering and Planning Themes,” Phase Two focuses on “Priorities, Goals and Objectives,” Phase Three deals with a “Review of Strategic Plan Draft” and Phase Four goes over the “Implementation Plan.”
Student Senate met with Provost and Strategic Planning Chair Walter Zakahi last Monday at their general assembly to review the draft for Phase IV, the implementation plan. One focus included diversity.
“[With] the process we’re going through, we want to be inclusive,” Zakahi said to Student Senate.
With this in mind, student senators reviewed the plan and said they were concerned by how the budget would dictate social issues. Specifically, one student brought up goal three, line 13, which focused on sexual misconduct.
“We’re just wondering why [the objective], which discusses providing resources and strategies to cope and investigate sexual misconduct, is being held off until year 3,” Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Camille Sanders said.
Aside from description, next to each objective is a number one through four, indicating which year it will be implemented. University Spokeswoman Renee Charles explained this goal “isn’t totally a money issue,” though, and that administration plans to get to work on it sooner rather than later.
“We are already moving down the road on some of this work, but we know there is more to be done,” Charles said. “Getting to all the goals will take a couple of years to do. Think of it this way … Developed in year one, 75% in year two, and 100% in year three.”
Zakahi said the plan addresses social issues in the most effective and efficient ways the university is able. One of his personal goals is also outlined in the plan, which is to hire a more diverse staff.
Zahaki said that around 15 years ago, there was a national controversy that diverse groups were only being hired based on diversity and not merit.
“We [technically cannot] include a numeric goal [for diverse hires]. However, I used the word ‘meaningful’ increases [in diverse faculty staff]. About 30 percent of the incoming freshmen are of color. We’re nowhere near that in terms of staff. Our goal will be to hire a staff that will reflect the diverse student classes.”
Another issue the plan addressed is transparency (goal 4), which Zakahi elaborated on.
“Whether you’re a student or a staff member around Bradley, I think you should be able to log in and [see the budget] for the academic year,” Zakahi said. “Obviously not how much staff members are being paid, but maybe how much departments are receiving.”
“The Strategic Plan was approved last fall and has been enforced by [the Board of Trustees]. Right now, we have a rough draft, we’re looking for feedback, and we want to know what the campus thinks,” Zakahi said.
To review the rough draft of the plan or see dates for upcoming discussions, visit https://www.bradley.edu/sites/strategicplan/project-work-plan/
