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Strategic Plan Implementation: May Update

Dear Macalester Community: 

We write today with an update on the implementation of our Imagine, Macalester strategic plan following this Board of Trustees presentation that we shared in February. 

This spring, seven groups began work on specific pieces of the plan and six of these groups will continue working during the summer months and share their work products with the Senior Leadership Team in August. This graphic overview will help you visualize the work that’s happening. In all, these groups are made up of over 90 members of the Macalester community, including staff, faculty, alumni, and students. Our thanks to each of them for their time and dedication to helping us all shape Macalester’s future.

  • Comprehensive Campus Plan Steering Committee completed its work this spring. Earlier this month, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to endorse the Comprehensive Campus Plan. 
  • Educational Policy and Governance (EPAG) ad hoc Curricular Committee is collecting ideas and developing an approach to revise the curriculum to better align with the strategic plan.
  • Student Learning Committee is examining the current Statement of Student Learning to provide guidance on revisions. 
  • Task Force on Budget is rolling out a zero-based budgeting process.
  • Creating a Student-ready Campus working group is focused on creating a student-centered first-year experience, strengthening the student experience across the four years, student well-being, student sense of belonging, and ensuring students have access to experiences that prepare them for life after Macalester. 
  • Fostering Employee Well-being working group is focused on reviewing current well-being resources, and prioritizing recommendations of policies, procedures, or systems to further support belonging, connection and well-being.
  • Immersing Alumni in the Intellectual Life of the College working group is focused on identifying ways in which connections among Macalester alumni and between alumni and students can create opportunities for intergenerational learning to be enriched.

On May 18, more than 200 staff and faculty members gathered for a day-long retreat to talk about aligning learning outcomes with college-wide learning goals, and creating a holistic education experience at Mac.

Alumni and parents who would like to learn more about the implementation of our strategic plan are invited to join us on July 18 at 7 pm CT for a conversation with strategic plan implementation co-chairs Paul Overvoorde and Jeff Allen. Please register here. Alumni attending Reunion will have the opportunity to hear from the co-chairs while they’re on campus.

One comment we’ve heard from some members of our community is that “the path to accomplish the goals in the plan is not clear.” To that, we’ve responded “we agree.” Having the path dictated by a small group might appear clearer, but we think that a more inclusive and participatory process better demonstrates Macalester’s values. We benefit from the many perspectives represented in our broader community and believe that Macalester is stronger when we consider many voices rather than the few. We are still in the beginning stages of implementation, and we trust that pathways forward will unfold. As always, we welcome your input. If you have questions or comments for the strategic plan implementation committee, please share them at [email protected].

Thank you for helping to chart our path!

Jeff Allen and Paul Overvoorde

Co-chairs, Strategic Planning Implementation Committee