November 2019 – June 2020 / 8 Monthly meetings 

The 12 member Steering Committee, representing students, staff, faculty, and alumni from across the college’s three divisions, met monthly with the charge of helping to guide the strategic planning process by:

• Providing feedback on the stakeholder engagement approach;
  
  
• Serving as a sounding board for emerging themes and concepts including the vision, mission, values, and key strategic initiatives; and
  
  
• Championing the process and ultimate outcomes
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

December 2019 – May 2020

33 faculty, staff, students, alumni and others submitted feedback via an online form which prompted respondents to share:

• What makes U-M LSA special; and 

• If you could change something about LSA that would make it a better place for everyone, what would that be?

December 2, 2019 / 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. / Weiser Hall

~ 50 faculty attended this meeting, which included a strategic planning discussion designed to:

• Generate energy and enthusiasm for the strategic planning process;
  
  
• Gather ideas, concepts, and language to inform vision, mission, and values statements;
  
  
• Communicate the desired role of the faculty as advisors in the process.
  
  

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

January 30, 2020 / 8:30 – 9:45 a.m. / 411 West Hall

~ 40 chief administrators (CAs) attended this meeting designed to:

• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic plan;
  
  
• Enlist CAs’ help in drumming up attendance at the Community Conversations; and
  
  
• Get advice on how to be sure staff perspectives are represented in the strategic plan.
  
  

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

February 3, 2020 / 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. / Haven Hall

49 individuals, primarily students, participated in this pop-up event designed to:

• Collect perspectives, stories, concepts, and potential language to inform the vision, mission, and—especially—values statements;
  
  
• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic plan; and
  
  
• Encourage attendance at the upcoming Community Conversations.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

February 5 (10:00 – 11:30 a.m.), Feb 6 (2:00  – 3:30 p.m.), Feb 7, 2020 (1:30  – 3:00 p.m.) / MI Union  

~ 350 individuals attended these special LSA-wide Community Conversations, hosted by Dean Anne Curzan, designed to:

• Begin coalescing around a set of core LSA values;

• Collect perspectives, stories, and concepts to inform the College’s future vision;

• Foster a sense of belonging and community among participants; and

• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic planning process.

April 6, 2020 / 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. / Web conference

Over 90 faculty members attended this meeting, which included a discussion designed to:

• Bring faculty up-to-date on the strategic planning process and engagement to date;
  
  
• Transmit a sense of the purpose and importance of a shared vision, mission, and values, particularly in light of COVID-19-related challenges; and
  
  
• Gather feedback and input on the draft vision, mission, and values statements.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

May 21, 2020 and June 11, 2020 / Web conference

The Dean’s Cabinet met to:

• Refine a long list of potential strategic initiatives; 
  
  
• Confirm the four strategic priorities that emerged as a result of the previous conversation; and 
  
  
• Identify potential early actions.

December 3, 2019 – January 14, 2020

15 experts, scholars, and thought leaders (incl. LSA deans) were interviewed individually to:

• Gather early perspectives on the definition and value of a liberal arts education; 

• Define the contours of the current landscape; and

• Discover critical readings, stakeholders, and early strategic questions.

November 21, 2019 / 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. / Weiser Hall

~ 100 department chairs, directors, and chief administrators attended this event designed to:

• Generate energy and enthusiasm for the strategic planning process;
  
  
• Inform the stakeholder engagement approach; and
  
  
• Foster a sense of belonging and community among participants.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

January 29, 2020 / 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. / Mason Hall 1427

~ 35 members of the LSA student government attended this meeting designed to:

• Establish connectivity between the Dean and LSA students;
  
  
• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic plan;
  
  
• Enlist students’ help in generating participation in Community Conversations; and
  
  
• Identify early insights into LSA’s core values and potential improvement opportunities.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

January 31, 2020 / 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. / LSA 4154

16 Kessler Scholars attended this meeting designed to:

• Collect perspectives, stories, important concepts, and potential language to inform the vision, mission, and—especially—values statements; and
  
  
• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic plan and—specifically—the upcoming Community Conversations.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

February 3, 2020 / 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. / Weiser Hall

16 faculty attended this meeting, which included a strategic planning discussion designed to:

• Expand on key differentiators of LSA, in contrast with other liberal arts institutions; and 
  
  
• Gather concepts, language to more clearly articulate the purpose of liberal arts research.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

February 28, 2020 / Web conference

12 members of the Dean’s Advisory Council joined this focus group-style web conference designed to:

• Gather feedback on a draft set of core LSA values;
  
  
• Collect perspectives, stories, and concepts to inform the College’s future vision; and 
  
  
• Generate energy and enthusiasm around the strategic planning process.
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)

April 16, 2020 / 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. / Web conference

7 students and 1 recent graduate, representing a range of student organizations and affinity groups, participated in this feedback session designed to:

• Transmit optimism about the opportunities that could emerge from the current COVID-19 situation; 
  
  
• Gather feedback and input on the draft vision, mission, and values statements; and 
  
  
• Preview student-focused initiatives that are in the works or likely to happen. 
   

Link to archived discussion notes (PDF)