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Campus Bulletin

March 22, 2006

Integrated Plan Released

The University’s Integrated Plan, which identifies priorities and decision frameworks aimed at helping the University meet its mission now and in the future, has been released.

A special website has been created that includes the overall University Integrated Plan, along with the plans put forward by the colleges and other campus academic units. Because the document is for internal use only, members of the U of G community will need to enter their central login account username and password to access the web page.

“This is the first step toward creating our initial five-year plan, which will begin in 2006/07,” says Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic), who is overseeing Integrated Planning.

The plan is making its way through the University’s governance process, which will allow feedback to be obtained from faculty, staff and students. The plan will be presented to the Senate Committee on University Planning Monday, March 27, and to Senate Tuesday, April 4. Comments on the Integrated Plan may be sent to provost@uoguelph.ca.

Mancuso emphasizes that the Integrated Plan is an internal operational document and does not replace the University’s strategic plan, strategic directions or research plans. The initial plan is inherently transitional and covers only academic units. At its core is an identification of five areas of planning emphasis that will be highlighted over the next five years. Eventually, the process will encompass all components of the University.

“We will be focusing on these key areas in order to promote and advance the capabilities, capacities and reputation of the University,” Mancuso says, adding that the five areas emerged from the plans developed by the colleges, departments and units.

The overall plan that resulted from the campus-wide exercise reveals a continued depth of creativity and ingenuity at U of G, she adds. “The initiatives are innovative and novel and build on existing institutional strengths, and many of them are interdisciplinary and collaborative. We hope that Integrated Planning will ultimately provide the University with a more transparent, accountable and effective planning process as we move forward from an era of making change to one of making choices.”