Academic Plan

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost

To:  Vice Chancellors, Deans, Directors, Department Chairs, Faculty and Administrative Officers
 

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite you to review and comment on a draft of an academic plan for UCLA.  You can find it at http://www.evc.ucla.edu.

This plan sets forth a framework for the next decade, to 2019, when UCLA marks its 100th anniversary, and beyond.  Its fundamental aim is to chart a course for a second century of greatness and to establish UCLA’s leadership in defining the American public research university for the 21st century.

This is an important time to undertake a planning process of this magnitude.  The Board of Regents and the Office of the President have asked each campus to undertake long-range academic planning.  In addition, the academic plan is an essential starting point for UCLA’s Long-Range Development Plan, which is in the early stages of development.  Additionally, the plan will help to ensure that fundraising is informed by and directed toward our highest academic priorities.

The current economic reversals challenge us not only in the short-term, but they also threaten our long-term success.  It would be a mistake to focus on the immediate at the expense of the long-term, and planning for a more stable future will help us weather this time of budget cuts.  Our guiding principle is to maintain UCLA’s identity as an energetic, high-quality academic institution.

To encourage a campus dialogue about the plan, I invite you to submit your comments via a blog on my Web site.  If you prefer, you can also e-mail me at evc@conet.ucla.edu.

The plan reflects input from UCLA’s deans, vice chancellors and dozens of faculty members.  The Academic Senate leadership has provided preliminary comments and continues to review it.  I will revise the plan in response to your comments, and I will also invite students, alumni and community members to respond.

Thank you for providing your feedback; we must work together to secure a strong future for UCLA.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost