Brandeis Magazine

At an early September faculty meeting, President Fred Lawrence outlined steps toward developing a strategic plan to guide the university’s direction and provide a decision-making framework for the next five years and beyond.

“This is an exciting time for all of us. It is a chance for us to build on the great strengths of this university and, working together, to envision a defining future for Brandeis and to reach for it. This process will be a model of broad engagement,” Lawrence said.

Under the leadership of Provost Steve A.N. Goldstein ’78, administrators, faculty, students, trustees, alumni and staff will participate in the planning process. To assist in the effort, Brandeis has retained Cambridge Concord Associates of Cambridge, a firm with a demonstrated track record in guiding universities through strategic plan development and execution.

“A strong plan will emerge if we will tap the collected wisdom and creative genius of our community,” Goldstein said. “We benefit from a faculty of leaders in their disciplines, a staff steeped in best practices, a vibrant student body, world-changing alums committed to the institution, and accomplished trustees and friends.”

The president said he expects the university will have an agreed-upon framework for a strategic plan by the end of the academic year, with a fully developed and approved plan in place by December 2012.