Strategic Planning Update and Next Steps

Dear UMBC Community,

Today, I am very pleased to share the Strategic Plan Steering Committee's significant progress this semester towards completion of the UMBC strategic plan.

As a reminder, the strategic plan will be built on five pillars: cultivating organizational innovation and vitality; redefining excellence in research and creative achievement; strengthening Maryland and its communities; advancing student opportunity and success; and transforming teaching and learning. 

Earlier this academic year, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee formed five subgroups, each dedicated to creating a plan for a pillar. The subgroups included committee members and additional campus community members who have experience and expertise in the areas that each pillar is designed to address. Each of the five subgroups has now drafted a plan for its respective pillar. These drafts incorporate your valuable and insightful feedback gathered through:

• engagements with stakeholder groups this semester;

• the spring campus-wide Strategic Plan survey;

• the 2025 Campus Climate survey;

• website feedback forms;

• the 2024 Core Values survey;

• the fall 2023 Shared Governance survey; and

• the Bold Conversations held in early 2023.

President Sheares Ashby and I, and the steering committee, thank every community member who generously contributed their ideas in group sessions and conversations, and through the extended pillar subgroups. We also are grateful to those who took time to complete the surveys and shared feedback via the website form. This is the UMBC community's strategic plan. Your participation in the engagements and surveys supports all of our community members seeing themselves in the final strategic plan.

President Sheares Ashby and I also extend our gratitude to the dedicated, hard-working members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. Their time and talent over the past year have been vital in reaching this pivotal moment. Please join us in thanking this committee, who so beautifully represented our UMBC campus community.

With the pillar plans finished, we are now drafting the full strategic plan for a September 2026 launch around the same time that we celebrate the 60th anniversary of UMBC opening its doors. Details on plan rollout activities and resources will follow early next academic year.

Thank you, everyone, for your commitment to UMBC’s future.

Sincerely,

Charissa S. L. Cheah
Professor, Psychology and Asian Studies Affiliate Faculty
Chair, Strategic Plan Steering Committee