Virginia Tech enters new phase of the continuous planning process
The next phase of continuous planning to achieve Virginia Tech’s Beyond Boundaries vision has begun. In alignment with universitywide efforts to achieve priorities detailed in the university strategic plan, The Virginia Tech Difference: Advancing Beyond Boundaries, units (including colleges, offices, and institutes, among others) have begun implementation planning and executing steps highlighted in their own strategic plans.
As noted by Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity Menah Pratt-Clarke during progress updates provided to the Board of Visitors in November 2020, implementation planning kicked off this fall following the university’s achievement of 100 percent completion of tracked unit-level strategic plans. Departments also began developing their respective plans in alignment with college-level strategic plans and in collaboration with the Office for Strategic Affairs.
“Through the development of their respective unit-level strategic plans, colleges, institutes, offices, and units have highlighted how they will contribute directly to the achievement of university strategic plan priorities, goals, and milestones,” said Erin McCann, director for strategic planning.
In alignment with the university strategic plan, units developed their strategic plans based on individual strategic planning processes and informed by their respective constituents’ feedback.
To inform development of its strategic plan, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) engaged a variety of stakeholders, including faculty and staff, residents and fellows, medical and graduate students, Roanoke community members, alumni, and leadership.
“From the beginning of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s strategic planning process, collaboration and input from the VTCSOM community; our health system partner, Carilion Clinic; our parent university, Virginia Tech; and our community stakeholders has helped to inform our understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face as a medical school to look ahead and plan for a vibrant future,” said Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Dean Lee Learman.
Completed plans visioning the next approximately five years consistently highlight areas of focus that align with Virginia Tech’s four strategic priorities: Advance Regional, National, and Global Impact; Elevate the Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) Difference; Be a Destination for Talent; and Ensure Institutional Excellence.
One such example is the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine strategic plan. The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine completed its strategic planning process in October 2020 and has since initiated action steps to achieve milestones in their plan. As an example, in alignment with its commitment to sustain and grow a thriving, diverse, and inclusive College of Veterinary Medicine community, the college recently created its first endowed scholarship for students of an underrepresented population with demonstrated financial need: The Hoban, Lee, and Dance Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is named in honor of the college's first female and male Black graduates: Lynne Hoban ’86, Margie Lee ’86, and Mario Dance ’90.
“Our finalized college strategic plan charts a course for continued improvement and sustained impact for the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and supports advancement of Virginia Tech’s overarching strategic priorities," said Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dan Givens. "We appreciated the focus and flexibility the continuous planning process offered the college as we gathered input and developed our strategic plan to meet the needs of our students, staff, faculty, alumni, referring veterinarians, patients, clients, and college partners.”
