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UNO’s Strategic Investment: Social Justice, Inequality, Race, and Class

The UNO Strategic Plan is informed by its Mission, Vision, and Values, in particular inclusive excellence. It is timely to consider the launch of a new commitment throughout our strategic plan, a new and intentional investment at the scale of the Big Ideas, committed to the topics of Social Justice, Inequality, Race, and Class in our society. 

As vividly demonstrated by the disparities in health outcomes during the COVID-19 and by the regional and national events, now more than ever UNO must remain committed as part of its Strategic Plan to be an academic partner to our community in effecting positive change, whether through community engagement, supporting our students, translational research that changes the national discourse, or positive high impact experiences in Omaha and beyond. 

Review the agenda for the March 9 Strategic Planning Forum

Assessment Survey

Please review the Strategic Investment proposals and watch the presentation recordings (credentials are required).

 

Constituency Involvement

Feedback from faculty, staff, students, and community partners will be gathered through the March 9 Strategic Planning Forum. The proposals and the feedback will be discussed by the following groups: 

Groups for planning discussions

  • Planning: Academic Deans, Student Success, CEC Advisory Board, Faculty Senate, Student Government, Athletics, Staff Advisory Council
  • Advisory: Faculty DEAI Committee, Chancellor’s Council on African Americans, Latin/X, Native-American.
  • Feasibility: Senior Vice Chancellor, Cecil Hicks, Doug Ewald, Dan Shipp, Sara Woods, Makayla McMorris

Progress on the proposal process should be reported to and feedback sought from:

  • Academic Deans
  • Faculty Senate
  • Staff Advisory Committee
  • CEC Advisory Committee
  • Student Government
  • Strategic Planning Steering Committee
  • UNO Strategic Planning Forum
  • UNO VCs and Chancellor 

Next Steps

For each initiative selected within the themes, we will

  • Incorporate as one or more strategic initiatives in the 2021 and 2022 UNO UNEPlan
  • Form community- and campus-based standing accountability committee
  • Create an evaluation process/templates to
    ○ Review progress annually, provide guidance for subsequent years
    ○ Prepare annual progress report and campus communications
  • Declare success or discontinuation after 1-5 years (project lengths may vary)
  • Create a sustainability plan within colleges’/campus units budgets
  • Incorporate projects into UNO/NU Philanthropic Campaign

The Timeline

  • October 20: Announcement through UNO Announce
  • October 28: Chancellor’s State of the University Address
  • Oct 20 – March 1: Assess current UNO activities and develop 2.5 page “concept papers" 
  • March 1: Proposals are due by email to strategic.planning@unomaha.edu. All proposals will be posted to the UNO Strategic Planning website for review. 
  • March 1-15: Proposals will be read and commented upon by three separate groups during this period. These groups will include the academic deans; the UNO Faculty DEAI Committee; and the leaders of the Chancellor's Councils on the African American, Native American, Latin/x, and LGBTQ+ Communities.
  • March 9 from 3-5 p.m.: We will host a UNO Campus Forum on the Strategic Investment
    ○ One representative of the proposal will provide a brief, 5-minute, description of the proposed project and its potential impact. The time limit will be strictly enforced. 
    ○ Each presentation should be supported with one PowerPoint slide due in advance of the forum. No additional slides are permitted. 
    ○ The Forum will include short breaks between groups of presenters.   
    ○ All members of the UNO community are welcome to attend and learn about these proposals. 
    ○ A rubric will be available on the UNO Strategic Planning website for faculty, staff, and students to offer feedback on each proposal that was presented.
  • March 15 – April 1: An ad hoc committee of faculty, staff, and students will review the proposals and feedback on the questionnaire/rubric mentioned and make recommendations to the Chancellor for funding.
  • April 1: Announcement of funded project(s)