20021-26 University Strategic Plan: Transformational Growth Part 2 of an Occasional Series of all persuasions are responding. Heartily. Finally. In the middle of a pandemic.
20021-26 University Strategic Plan: Transformational Growth Part 2 of an Occasional Series of all persuasions are responding. Heartily. Finally. In the middle of a pandemic.
Admittedly, the University is setting lofty goals with the new medical school and the plan to train professionals committed to eradicating health care disparities. But people like Michael Bloomberg, LA Care’ s John Baakes, and July Belk of California Wellness don’ t support institutions with underperforming programs for long.
Barriers? The historic circumstances associated with the backdrop of discrimination and economic disparity. Solution? Steadfast belief that injustice will be halted by courageous, talented professionals who press on. The quest to eradicate health disparities is building a transcendent unanimity that transforms CDU in its wake.
The first CDU Strategic Plan was executed just prior to the 2016-2021 implementation period. The 2021-26 Plan is therefore the second Plan ever developed. Given the complexity of an institution such as a university, and CDU’ s 55-years of operations, the consideration that CDU did not operate according to some kind of a guiding blueprint with action items and a timeline developed by a cross-section of its stakeholders, explains some of the imposing challenges that President David Carlisle initially tackled upon assuming office.
That said, the accelerated pace by which Dr. Carlisle’ s administration has addressed CDU’ s transformation continues to be on display in the 2021-26 Plan, focused on transformational growth. With a reflective eye on the ambitious goals set with the first Plan, the current document confidently weighs in on the continuous growth trajectory to be expanded relative to programs, enrollment, and the physical campus.
The main theme highlights growth both in the internal campus and the surrounding community, a relationship that CDU will expand significantly going forward. The ongoing dialogue regarding the CDU Advantage and the watchword that CDU is a“ community-founded” institution comes across very effectively in the shaping of the Plan and the staging of University systems.
The Plan’ s strategic vision of“ a world without health disparities” is more than a series of catchwords. The outside world has set its eyes on CDU and wants to know more about the remarkable accomplishments occurring over the past decade. What is next? What’ s in the future, and how can they buy in and be part of the momentum? CDU is in the limelight and caring people
The University’ s willingness to continue to grow and develop also sets up a unique ability to transform the whole community, personified in the efforts of the many graduates who return to the milieu to provide muchneeded care. Attached to that vision is the mission of training the diverse array of professionals to accomplish the goal of achieving social justice and health equity for underserved populations through outstanding clinical services and community engagement. The plan outlines how to build a dedicated future healthcare workforce largely in the image of the clients being served.
The current Plan also builds on the 2016-21 Plan by systematically evaluating what has worked, and utilizing the CDU Advantage to accelerate the transformation while seeking the financial resources that facilitate the growth and strengthens the institutional climate.
Here is an analysis of the takeaways embodied in the 2021-26 Plan’ s five interconnected Strategic Themes.
Strategic Theme 1 calls for the acceleration of CDU into a comprehensive, midsize, residential, undergraduate-graduate research intensive health professions and science university.
• CDU will attract the resources necessary to take its place nationally as a financially stable institution with the ability to react to existing and future healthcare challenges in an effective, nimble manner.
• The University will have a freer hand to innovate and develop leaders who understand that the demand for the University’ s brand of training ought to be a central consideration in health policy development.
• Transforming from a commuter-based school to more of a residential one offers students greater opportunity for close contact on shared research issues and consistent access to faculty and facilities.
• Living in close proximity to campus will normalize students’ interactions with the client community.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 6