Rodin sets five-year plan for U.

Outlines nine specific goals University President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow have released a five-year strategic plan for the University to community members for comment. The draft, entitled "Agenda for Excellence," seeks to position the University as one of the premier institutions of higher education by achieving nine specific goals, Rodin said. Much of the plan incorporates programs the administration has already started, such as the 21st Century Project on Undergraduate Education and administrative restructuring. It also includes proposals Rodin mentioned in her "State of the University" address to University Council earlier this month. Rodin said any good strategic plan builds on initiatives already in existence. The entire plan includes an emphasis on raising funds that would allow the University to continue its existing programs and to support its future initiatives. One of the goals calls for the University to "identify and secure" necessary financial resources. The plan begins with a statement of the mission of the University that provides a general focus for the rest of the draft. Each goal is intended to help the University achieve this mission. "Penn inspires, demands and thrives on excellence, and will measure itself against the best in every field of endeavor in which it participates," the statement reads. Rodin and Chodorow said they worked with the deans of the University's 12 schools and with the Academic Planning and Budget Committee to develop the draft. In the spring, the administration will ask the schools to devise strategic plans that use "Agenda for Excellence" as their underlying model. Chodorow said this method will strengthen the University because each school's plans will complement the University's overall goals. "Penn has much greater strength than the mere aggregate of its parts," he said. "This plan calls for action. It's not intended to be inspirational only." The plan's first goal calls for the University to be ranked among the top 10 undergraduate universities in the nation. This will require implementing the report of the Provost's Council on Undergraduate Education, Rodin said. Other goals seek to improve the University's research programs, examine its programs of continuing education, increase use of technology at the University and pursue ways of internationalizing the University's focus. In order to further these goals, the plan calls for new ways of raising revenues at the University, including seeking government funds from non-federal sources and streamlining the administration to cut costs. It also calls for a strategy to communicate the University's strengths to the public. Rodin said a search for a director of University communications is underway, but that no candidates have been interviewed yet. Specifically, Rodin's and Chodorow's nine goals are: ·The University will solidify and advance its position as one of the premier research and teaching universities in the nation and in the world. ·The University will aggressively seek greater research opportunities. ·The University will manage its human, financial and physical resources effectively and efficiently to achieve its strategic goals. ·The University will support strategic investments in master's programs and other programs of continuing education in the arts and sciences and in the professions. ·The University will plan, direct and integrate its government and community relations to enhance its missions of teaching, research and service. ·The University will vigorously pursue efforts to increase significantly the University's role as an international institution of higher education and research. ·The University will creatively deploy new technologies. ·The University will effectively communicate to its various constituencies the ways in which it contributes to the advancement of society. ·The University will identify and secure the funds required to support its strategic goals. School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Gregory Farrington said he cannot imagine that any school would write a plan that conflicts with the "Agenda for Excellence." "The values of the University's strategic plan are good values for Penn and good values for our schools," he said. "They call for excellence in education and leadership in all aspects of the University. How could anyone be against that?"

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