Process for Developing the Plan
From Fall 2019 to Spring 2022, preliminary input for the Strategic Plan for RSCA was gathered as part of the University Strategic Plan and Bridge Strategic Plan drafting processes—through conversations with the University Research Council (URC), as well as in-person meetings and Zoom town halls with faculty, staff and students along with responses to surveys. Subsequent feedback from the URC and a core working group (composed of faculty from across campus) produced the first draft of the Strategic Plan for RSCA in Fall 2022. Since that time, the working group received direct feedback on the first draft from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee along with Deans, Associate Deans, Chairs and Institute/Center Directors. At the end of March 2023, external consultants from the nonprofit National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) met with faculty, staff and administrators on campus to facilitate discussions on the strategic plan as well as provide their initial feedback. The core working group incorporated this feedback to produce the second draft of the plan, which was shared with the campus community on this website for feedback.
Feedback channels
The campus community was invited to provide feedback on the second draft of the plan through several channels:
- Three in-person meetings (two on main campus and one at the Beaver College of Health Sciences) and three Zoom meetings were held for faculty and staff (including one for graduate program directors).
- Three Zoom meetings were held for students (including one with graduate ambassadors and another with the Honors College, since all students in the Honors college have to complete a thesis project).
- The steering committee fielded an anonymous online survey about the strategic plan for one month, open to all employees and students.
- The steering committee also offered to meet with campus stakeholders in small groups.
Additionally, the external consultants from NORDP provided recommendations for the development and implementation of the strategic plan. The working group and the steering committee incorporated feedback from campus engagements and the external consultants to produce the final Strategic Plan for RSCA, which has been approved by Chancellor Sheri Everts.
Steering committee
1. Ece Karatan (Professor of Biology)
2. Gabe Casale (Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Office of Research Faculty Fellow)
3. Karen Fletcher (Director, Grants Resources and Services, Office of Research)
Core working group members
1. Becki Battista (Department of Public Health and Exercise Science, Beaver College of Health Sciences and Director, Office of Student Research)
2. Doris Bazzani (Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences)
3. Gennard Lombardozzi (Hayes School of Music)
4. Sherone Price (Department of Theater and Dance, College of Fine and Applied Arts)
5. Lori Medders (Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance, Walker College of Business)
6. Catherine Fountain (Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, College of Arts and Sciences)
7. Vachel Miller (Department of Leadership and Educational Studies, Reich College of Education)