GOAL: To strengthen the University's
intellectual and community vitality.

Intellectual and cultural vitality are essential
and fundamental qualities of a great university. A vibrant intellectual life and community spirit drive and sustain every University activity and, in turn, must be supported and nourished. Therefore, to continue to invigorate the University community, we must actively promote a thriving intellectual environment, healthy organizational structures and processes, and excellent physical infrastructure. This will entail persistent attention to the health and welfare of faculty, staff, and students; strong and creative leadership; wise stewardship of existing resources and vigorous development of new resources; and a recognition that tenure and other guarantees of academic freedom—and the responsibilities that go with them—are essential to the vitality of both teaching and research.

Strategy: Build an exemplary University community by:

• Providing nationally competitive faculty salaries and establishing new faculty positions in critical areas;
• Maintaining competitive compensation for staff;
• Promoting the health, well-being, and professional growth of all members of the University community;
• Attaining and maintaining gender and racial equity in opportunities and compensation.

Strategy: Nurture creative leadership throughout the University by:

• Increasing opportunities and support for leadership development;
• Ensuring an organizational environment where responsibilities and accountabilities are clearly defined and fully aligned;
• Encouraging and rewarding innovation, flexibility, and collaboration.

Strategy: Make the best use of available resources by:

• Using the Regents’ reallocation process to direct resources to existing and emerging programs based on their centrality to the University’s mission and potential for sustained excellence;
• Collaborating with the Regents institutions to centralize business services, as envisioned in the Administrative Services Transformation plan;
• Developing a process for space utilization and acquisition that supports the University’s mission and includes ongoing assessment and evaluation;
• Ensuring complete and thorough implementation of performance management policies;
• Ensuring that all operating units, support services, and ancillary organizations monitor and maintain compliance with applicable and relevant laws and regulatory requirements.

Strategy: Secure new resources and financial support by:

• Working closely with the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and the other Regents institutions to increase legislative and gubernatorial support for higher education in the state;
• Forging mutually beneficial partnerships with the private sector;
• Broadening the base of philanthropic support for the University;
• Enhancing support for junior faculty and junior research staff in their efforts to secure external funding.

Indicators of Progress

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