President's Letter

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I am pleased to announce the formation of the steering committee that will guide the creation of LMU’s next strategic plan. As we celebrate the 100-year history of Loyola Marymount University, it is the perfect time to imagine our future and find ways to grow, become stronger, and enhance and clarify the Jesuit and Marymount traditions that make us so special. A roster of the steering committee accompanies this letter.

The final plan, which will be completed in Spring 2012, will become the blueprint for moving the University forward. It will affirm and clarify the University's long-term vision, strategies and goals, and provide a multi-year direction and focus that will build upon current academic planning in the six schools and colleges, inform all annual operating plans, become the framework for acquiring and distributing financial resources, and build and strengthen our University community.

A strategic planning process is an important way for the community to come together to face new challenges and spur innovation. Thus, we intend for this to be an inclusive and transparent process, in which the steering committee actively solicits input from all stakeholders. The planning process will involve several stages:

It will begin with a survey of faculty, staff and students, to gather perceptions of LMU’s strengths and areas for improvement, as well as ideas about new directions.
The steering committee will then reflect on the responses, along with other reports and analyses, and develop a draft of strategic themes.
Several working groups will be formed, consisting of both faculty and staff, to flesh out each of the themes and propose possible initiatives that would have an impact in each strategic area.
Based on the work of these groups, the steering committee will then develop a draft of the strategic plan.
This draft will then be shared with the campus community in a variety of venues to solicit feedback from all constituencies.
Based on that feedback the steering committee will revise the plan and submit it to me for my consideration in Spring 2012.
Once the Board of Trustees has approved the plan, each school and college, as well as each division, will begin developing unit-level plans that align with the University plan.
Unit-level plans will be created in an inclusive and transparent manner with input being solicited from the various stakeholders.

In addition to all of the opportunities for participation noted above, there will be a strategic planning website where individuals can track the progress of the plan and submit their ideas and feedback.

We will not only welcome your input, we will depend on it. I am confident that we have selected the best approach for this significant project, and I encourage everyone to participate enthusiastically and thoughtfully in helping shape LMU’s compelling future.

Steering Committee Roster:

Joseph Hellige, Sr. Vice President and Chief Academic Officer (Chair)
Lane Bove, Sr. Vice President for Student Affairs
David Choi, Associate Professor of Management
Franca Dell’Olio, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Dennis Draper, Dean, College of Business Administration
Joseph LaBrie, S.J., Special Assistant to the President
Ron Marasco, Professor of Theatre Arts
Jose Garcia Moreno, Associate Professor of Animation
Jennifer Pate, Assistant Professor of Economics
Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Vice President for Intercultural Affairs
David Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Theological Studies
Lynne Scarboro, Sr. Vice President for Administration
Eric Strauss, Presidential Professor of Biology
Paul Zeleza, Dean, Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Margaret Kasimatis, Vice President for Academic Planning and Effectiveness (Ex Officio)
Student Representative - TBA

Sincerely,
David W. Burcham
President