I. The Strategic Planning Symposium
On September 24, 2011, University of the Pacific is staging a Strategic Planning Symposium in the Ballroom of the DeRosa University Center. The morning session is open to faculty, staff and students from all three campuses - Stockton, Sacramento, and San Francisco. It will feature a variety of speakers and conversations:
- President Pam Eibeck will describe the challenges and opportunities confronting the University and the goals and elements of the new strategic planning process;
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Anya Kamenetz, author-provocateur and the voice of Millennial Learners, will describe how the needs, funding constraints and aspirations of Millennial Learners are fueling the emergence of new approaches to self-directed, DIY (Do-It-Yourself) learning, acquisition of know-how, and certification;
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Dr. Donald Norris, expert planning practitioner and author, will describe "21st Century Learning," "Planning from the Future, Backwards" and the context provided by "The Future of Learning, Work and Professional Practice;"
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The three speakers will form a panel to engage the audience in question and answer conversations about planning for the future of the University of the Pacific.
The speakers and conversations will be carried on a live webcast for those wishing to view from home, and the video will be available for viewing afterwards on Pacific's website.
In the afternoon, the faculty will begin to explore a variety of topics relevant to Pacific's future. They will be organized into a collection of Strategic Working Groups that launch a two-month long process of critical divergent thinking. These groups will be catalyzed by the discussion at the Symposium, ideas expressed in this White Paper and by their own research. The Strategic Working Groups will submit their brief reports by the end of November 2011 and these will become part of the Convergent Planning Phase of the strategic planning process.