Strategic Plan

portrait of emily had dadWelcome to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences strategic planning website.  Throughout the 2011-2012 academic year, the college engaged in a multistage, iterative strategic planning process under Dean Jeffrey Hecker.  The release of the university’s Blue Sky Plan in summer 2012 set the stage for intensive work over the fall semester.  Thanks to the efforts of the College’s faculty and department chairs, the plan was finalized for release in January 2013. Over the next four years, the College focused on implementation.

In fall 2016, I prepared a progress report. Our four broad goals to “Grow, Create, Engage, and Connect” continued to guide decision-making and resource allocation.

The university concluded the Blue Sky Plan in 2019, when the Strategic Vision and Values (SVV) was announced as the framework for the university’s future.

Since 2020, the strategic direction of the College has aligned with the SVV. In particular, we are committed to these seven SVV goals:

  • We will support timely progress to graduation. (1.1.1)
  • Our curricula will prepare undergraduate and graduate students for success by aligning tailored academic pathways with the skills needed to thrive in a range of career contexts. (1.1.2)
  • Authentic experience in research, scholarship and/or creative activity will be part of every undergraduate’s experience. (1.1.3)
  • We will mobilize our expertise and resources to create new knowledge and to solve pressing societal problems through research, development and engagement. (1.2.1)
  • We will produce graduates prepared to contribute to the knowledge, innovation and creative economy. (1.2.3)
  • We will align research and academic resources in cross-campus partnerships to expand opportunities for students and communities throughout Maine. (2.1.3)
  • We will sustain a culture in which supportive interactions between faculty/staff and students are the norm. (3.2.2)

Emily Haddad, Dean

CLAS Strategic Plan
Interactive CLAS Strategic Plan
CLAS Strategic Plan, Dean’s Fall 2016 Progress Report