UI forms Strategic Plan Development Group to lead the creation of next strategic plan
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Written by: Office of the Provost

The University of Iowa announced the members of the Strategic Plan Development Group (SPDG) that will lead the development of the UI Strategic Plan 2021–2026. 

The group is charged with integrating the initiatives and strategies identified in collegiate and central unit plans—which are now under development—into a coherent university-wide plan that focuses on distinguishing the UI as a top public research university. The new plan will emphasize areas of distinction in student success; engagement; research and discovery; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and collaboration. In addition, as the SPDG develops this plan during the COVID-19 pandemic and its after-effects, the plan will emphasize flexibility and innovation and will seek to reflect lessons learned during the current crisis.

“The development of a strategic plan is our opportunity to collectively chart a course toward the future we aspire to,” says Montserrat Fuentes, executive vice president and provost and co-chair of the SPDG. “It is our chance to assess the current environment and create a responsive plan of action that will lead to a more distinctive UI.  We have gathered a wonderful group of dedicated university citizens to help lead this effort, and I look forward to working with them and with the whole university community during this process.”

The members of the SPDG are:

  • Montserrat Fuentes, executive vice president and provost, co-chair
  • J. Martin Scholtz, vice president for research, co-chair
  • Mirra Anson, director of strategic initiatives, Office of the Provost; director, Academic Support and Retention
  • Nick Benson, executive director, Outreach and Engagement
  • Dan Clay, dean, College of Education
  • Sandra Daack-Hirsch, president, Faculty Senate; associate professor and director, PhD program, College of Nursing
  • Bill Doucette, Deborah Veale Professor in Healthcare Policy, College of Pharmacy
  • Dexter Golinghorst, president, Graduate and Professional Student Government
  • Sarah Hansen, vice president for student life
  • Rebekah Kowal, associate professor and DEO, Department of Dance, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)
  • Steve Levy, Wright-Bush-Shreves Endowed Professor of Research, Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry
  • Erik Lie, professor and Amelia Tippie Chair in Finance, Tippie College of Business
  • Bria Marcelo, director, Diversity Resources, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Noel Mills, president, UI Student Government
  • Alec Scranton, dean, College of Engineering
  • Diane Slusarski, professor and DEO, Department of Biology, CLAS
  • Liz Tovar, associate athletics director, Department of Athletics
  • Tanya Uden-Holman, associate provost for undergraduate education; dean, University College
  • Shaun Vecera, professor and Herman J. and Eileen S. Schmidt Chair, Psychological and Brain Sciences, CLAS
  • Mike Weaver, president, Staff Council; administrative services manager, Office of the Vice President for Research

First drafts of college and unit strategic plans were due to the provost and president in February 2020. This spring, the SPDG will identify themes from those plans and solicit feedback from the university community about themes, issues, and opportunities for distinction for the university as a whole. The SPDG will solicit further feedback about draft goals, strategies, and metrics through spring 2021, and will submit a final plan to the provost and president on May 1, 2021. The final plan is due to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, on June 1, 2021.

In order to engage as much of the UI community as possible in the plan’s development, the SPDG will provide multiple opportunities for involvement and input, including town hall meetings, open forums, small-group meetings, and interaction via social media, among others. 

“The strategic planning process is crucial for the university’s future, but this upcoming process will be particularly important as we seek to emerge from the ongoing coronavirus crisis with a strong vision for the future,” says Marty Scholtz, vice president for research and SPDG co-chair.  “We are grateful to the faculty, staff, and students who have agreed to serve on the SPDG, and we urge every member of the university community to find a way to be engaged in this vital