A study by Northeastern University found that the majority of Americans are simultaneously satisfied with U.S. colleges and deeply concerned about the direction in which they are heading, rooted in rising tuition prices and decreased accessibility. Brandeis is no exception-proud of its accomplishments, while concerned about its future. Brandeis has chosen to steer its future path with a Strategic Plan. What do you think of the administration's strategic planning process so far? What do you hope future stages of the plan will include?

Todd Kirkland '13

So far, I think the strategic planning process is going well. The overall trajectory of the plan has been, on par. I think there was a lot of confusion and concern with the initial preliminary plan, primarily driven by the lack of detail. It was great to see the release of the task force reports so members of the community could have a better sense of potential tactical decisions to achieve some of their strategic goals. I hope that as the process winds down that it continues to be an inclusive one. The proposed plan for the rest of the process appears to achieve that goal effectively and  I am excited to see the final product.

Todd Kirkland '13 is president of the Student Union and is on the Strategic Plan Steering committee.
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Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC)

Nationally, students, parents and faculty should demand serious cuts in military spending, higher taxes on the very rich and ending tax loopholes. The vast monies saved should support education and more. Sharp youth will shun schools that ignore climate change. Brandeis should promote it as a core focus of our work. The strategic plan framework say little about the quality of teaching at Brandeis. Liberal arts education is about confronting history and culture, science, social science, humanities, the arts and the other and the self. The University is there to pique curiosity, encourage questioning and growth and hone critical analytic skills, all in relationships of faculty and students. How might we become better at all this? Brandeis students tend often to live with excessive stresses and strains. A proper strategic plan would address mental health of our students in college and beyond. In this vein, more could be done to build community effectively. Brandeis makes much of social justice. If we put our money where our mouth is, we need to examine where and how social justice appears in the curriculum, the mission and the realities of institutional practices and everyday life at Brandeis.

Gordon Fellman is a professor of Sociology.

Alex Thomson '15

The strategic plan offers a pragmatic way forward for Brandeis. It is imperfect, as any framework would be, but it clearly lays out the priorities for the University's future. I found the administration's outreach to be wide in scope and allowed a very diverse array of opinions to be considered. Going forward, I hope the plan is implemented with the same level of enthusiasm in which it was debated and drafted. I would like to see social justice remain the bedrock of the plan and allow that to be the lens in which the University makes its key decisions. This plan should showcase Brandeis to the greater community in a way that exhibits all of the components that make our University so unique.

Alex Thomson '15 is co-president of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Elly Kalfus '13

Having served on the Student Task Force of the Strategic Planning Committee last semester, I was initially encouraged by the University's openness to hearing student input as to the school's trajectory. However, I have not seen much come from this. From the Strategic Planning documents I have read, the plan seems to have been condensed into a list of overarching themes applicable to any university, rather than Brandeis-specific. While students are forming groups of their own volition to address campus issues such as gender-inclusive facilities, divestment from fossil fuels and a lack of transportation, I have not heard about the administration addressing these issues or including them in their longer-term plans for the school's future. Meanwhile, the task force I was a part of was mysteriously put out of commission and the majority of students I talk to do not feel they have a voice in the strategic planning process.

Elly Kalfus '13 is a Finance Board representative, member of the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance Steering Committee and a member of the Strategic Planning Student Task Force.


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