A meeting meant to draw feedback on a draft of the University’s new academic plan from undergraduate student leaders evolved into a more nuanced discussion on academic culture and policy Thursday evening.
The meeting — one of many that the academic plan steering committee has held with campus stakeholders for input on the plan’s development — was especially important to the committee, said Sue Estroff, the committee’s co-chairwoman.
“Of all of the people we’ve met with, I consider you to be the most important group,” Estroff told the collection of more than 20 campus leaders, including student body president Hogan Medlin and at least two potential candidate’s in this year’s election.
“This plan is really about you,” she said.
The academic plan will set the tone for the University’s next decade of financial and academic policy decisions.
The last plan, completed in 2003, played a highly influential role in the development of such popular initiatives as the first-year seminar program and the construction of the FedEx Global Education Center, among other changes.
The first draft of the new plan was released in November.
A revised draft was released Wednesday. Estroff will present the final version of the plan at the Board of Trustees meeting later this month with Bill Andrews, associate dean of the college of arts and sciences and the other committee co-chairman.
“This is our long range plan to guide the University’s academic programs and priorities,” said administrative assistant David Bevevino.