12/06/13

Dear colleagues and friends,

We are now fully engaged in the implementation process of the 2011-2016 strategic plan of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). What began three years ago as a concept is now reality as the goals, themes, and tactics of the strategic plan become part of the fabric of UMB, enhancing campus life for faculty, staff, and students at all levels. These collaborative efforts are moving us forward as Seven Schools | One University.

An increased security presence, improved building signage and green spaces, enhanced communication vehicles such as The Elm and the mobile app, and the creation of several new centers are just a few achievements of the strategic plan’s implementation process.

And this is just the start. Consider the potential impact of the Center for Interprofessional Education and how it will assist the future health sciences professional, who will now be armed with not just the expertise learned in his or her discipline, but with an awareness of the knowledge of complementary professions as well. The Center for Community Engagement is forming collaborative partnerships with our neighboring communities, which could result in a more competent workforce, increased economic security for residents, and improved educational outcomes for children.

Operational enhancements such as a single sign-on to simplify access to email are another result of the strategic plan, which is making it easier for those at UMB to fulfill its mission. See more strategic plan “success stories” in my monthly newsletter.

A second round of strategic plan funding recently was approved by the Executive Implementation Committee (EIC), a group that includes the school deans and University vice presidents as well as leaders from various campus administrative units. This resulted in $500,000 in one-time funds and $600,000 in recurring funds being allotted for Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014): read the breakdown of funding. When this $1.1 million is added to the $1 million in recurring funds that were part of the FY13 first round of funding, a total of $2.1 million is being invested into strategic plan initiatives this year.

The strategic plan includes 134 tactics — measurable steps meant to put the plan into action. In FY13, 61 tactics were selected to go forward, 15 of which received funding. In FY14, 19 new tactics were selected by the EIC to move forward. Of those, 12 required no funding. Read more in our Strategic Plan fall update.

Please do not think that the tactics that did not require funding are not important. As you can see from the list of approved neutral tactics, they too are essential to the strategic plan making the University “greater than the sum of our parts.”

Under the ongoing leadership of Peter N. Gilbert, MSF, UMB’s chief operating officer and senior vice president, the EIC, and other committed leaders among our University community, we are becoming a model to other institutions that are paying attention to not only our goals and outcomes but the comprehensive and inclusive approach we are using to move us forward.

Thank you all for the role you have played — and will continue to play — in the strategic plan. The formative and early implementation parts of the strategic plan would not have been possible without you. And there is a lot more to accomplish with this over-arching document that will shape our University for the next decade. I anticipate that we will face challenges, but I am equally confident that we are equipped to handle them — together.‌‌‌‌

Jay A. Perman, MD
President, University of Maryland, Baltimore