More than 100 faculty, staff and student leaders gathered June 19 to help refine the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s “Bold Path Forward” strategic framework, marking a key step in a planning process shaped by thousands of contributions from faculty, staff, students and community members.
The summer leadership retreat, held at the Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management program’s academic space in The Scarlet Hotel, brought together university leaders to review feedback gathered throughout the spring, discuss refinements to strategic priorities and begin discussing how the framework can be implemented across colleges, departments and units.
The retreat builds on broad engagement following the introduction of Bold Path Forward during Charter Day activities in February. University leaders have hosted 85 roundtable discussions, collected 3,104 web-form submissions and engaged more than 3,700 faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members overall. Those efforts have generated more than 6,820 interactions that directly informed revisions to the framework.
Interim Chancellor Katherine S. Ankerson said the ongoing work and June 19 retreat reflect the intent to ensure those shaping the university’s future are also helping build it.
"When this framework moves from document to reality — and it will — it will be because of what you carry out of this room today and back to the people you lead,” Ankerson said. “So be prepared to push back. Be prepared to build. Be prepared to leave your fingerprints on this."
Jordan Gonzales, chief of staff to the chancellor, shared highlights from the spring engagement process and outlined how stakeholder feedback has influenced the evolving framework. He said stakeholders highlighted research excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation as key differentiators for the university, while calling for continued investment in infrastructure, graduate education and partnerships with industry and government.
Faculty and staff emphasized the importance culture, support and sustainability, investing in people through professional development, workload equity, transparent communication and workplace environments where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute.
For Gonzales, one comment from a spring engagement session captured the spirit of the planning process.
A faculty member acknowledged frustrations with the budget reductions of the past year but added, “I still care about this place. I care about its future, and so that’s why I’m here.”
“That’s something that has resonated with me and has stuck with me,” Gonzales said.
Engagement overview
Throughout the retreat, participants worked in 17 table groups organized around multiple strategic pillars spanning teaching and learning, research and creative activity, partnerships and engagement, culture and environment, stewardship and effectiveness and student experience.
Discussions followed a “react, recommend and connect” format. Participants first identified what resonated within the draft framework and where clarification or additional focus was needed. They then developed recommendations for implementation before concluding the day with a mapping exercise designed to identify connections among the framework’s priorities and opportunities for action across the university.
Feedback from the retreat will inform the next iteration of the framework as the university moves toward completion of the planning process. The finalized Bold Path Forward framework is scheduled for release later this summer and will include a report detailing how stakeholder input shaped the plan.
Learn more about the Our Bold Path Forward process.
