Before formally launching the strategic planning process in fall of 2022, President Joseph Helble requested a study of the progress achieved as part of the 2009 plan to identify any lessons learned and inform our future efforts. Called Phase 0, this effort was conducted largely by members of Lehigh faculty and staff who were involved in the 2009 plan.
Four themes, identified with community input over the spring and summer of 2022, drove the fall ideation phase:
- Education With Purpose
- Lehigh User Experience (LUX)
- Research for Impact
- Smart Growth
Four working groups were charged with exploring a theme throughout the fall semester, including convening stakeholders, engaging the Lehigh community through various events and engagement opportunities, and providing updates to the Lehigh community.
Members:
Education With Purpose- Bill Gaudelli (Co-Captain), Himanshu Jain (Goalkeeper), Sabrina Jedlicka (Co-Captain), Mike Raposa, Gregory Skutches, Andrew Ward, Mark Wilson
Lehigh User Experience (LUX)- Scott Burden (Goalkeeper), Jackie Krasas, Carolina Hernandez, Deirdre Kwiatek, Kathy Iovine (Co-Captain), Greg Reihman (Co-Captain)
Research for Impact- George DuPaul, Michael Kramp, Anand Jagota (Co-Captain), Alberto Lamadrid, Terry-Ann Jones (Co-Captain), Dominic Packer (Goalkeeper), Cynthia Kane
Smart Growth- Beth Dolan (Co-Captain), Anne Meltzer, Leslie Gonnella (Goalkeeper), Nick Sawicki, Erin Kintzer (Co-Captain), Oliver Yao
Through-lines were values and initiatives that were identified as being already underway and that were required to inform the emerging ideas from the working groups.
Through-lines and champions:
- Diversity & Inclusion- Shannon Jaeger and Henry Odi
- (Environmental & Fiscal) Sustainability- Warren Loller and Audrey McSain
- Operational Excellence- Mark Ironside and Ilena Key
- Place- Joe Klocek and Joe Sterrett
- Global- Cheryl Matherly and Dan Warner
Through-line champions served as advocates in ensuring those values were infused in the emerging key initiatives.
Members of the Lehigh senior leadership were joined by the theme co-captains and goalkeepers as well as the through-line champions every other week throughout the fall semester to hear the progress and provide feedback on the emerging ideas. The Advisory Council made recommendations regarding priorities and strategic initiatives for implementation.