Chancellor presenting highlights from third year of KU’s strategic plan to Board of Regents

LAWRENCE  — Chancellor Gray-Little will present the 2014 Annual Report for Bold Aspirations, the five-year strategic plan for the University of Kansas, to the Kansas Board of Regents today, noting major accomplishments that have been achieved through the engaged effort of the full university community.

The chancellor outlined major progress in all six Bold Aspirations goals, including undergraduate and graduate education, multidisciplinary research, engaged scholarship, building excellence in faculty and staff, and expanding resources.

“The tremendous progress on our strategic plan is a credit to our faculty, staff and students, who have taken up the challenge to transform our state’s flagship institution,” Gray-Little said. “Connected to each accomplishment are stories of teams across campus coming together and creating new ways to teach students, new methods to connect with prospective students, and new opportunities for research and discovery.”

The report details individual stories around KU’s commitment to course redesign, development of new ways to recruit, retain and fund doctoral students, research projects funded by internal grants, and the successful implementation of post-tenure review and a comprehensive classification and market study. A map outlining the recommendations of the 2014-2024 Campus Master Plan is also included.

Success stories tied to Changing for Excellence, KU’s initiative to work more efficiently and effectively, are included. Highlights include the elimination of 30 motor pool vehicles, innovative new technology for purchasing, budgeting and facilities staff, and sustainability initiatives that will capture rainwater in parking lots and plant more than 100 new trees on Jayhawk Boulevard.

Of the 22 strategies identified in Bold Aspirations, 12 have been identified as completed and being monitored. An additional 10 have seen major advances toward completion. The Implementation Steering Committee is chaired by Sara Rosen, senior vice provost for academic affairs.

The 2014 Bold Aspirations Annual Report is available online at the Bold Aspirations website. Copies of the report are available from the Office of the Provost.