CDU 2021-26 Strategic Plan Conversation with Provost Steve O. Michael
Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Steve Michael is well-known as a man of many talents. Besides his expertise as a program planner and implementer, Dr. Michael has developed more subtle skills such as active listening, deep insight of university operations, and empathy at a very high level. That wisdom has assisted in greatly advancing the work of the University.
Strategic planning is a forte of Dr. Michael that has also served the University well. Prior to coming to CDU, he spent many years teaching the nuances of strategic planning at a graduate level as well as serving as a strategic planning consultant to several organizations. As a provost and chief academic officer, he has led strategic planning initiatives at several institutions, and he brings a unique perspective to this process.“ Strategic planning, well executed, provides a critical opportunity for enhancing institutional capacity for transformation,” he said.“ A campus that plans together, grows together,” he adds.
Upon arrival at CDU in 2015, Dr. Michael was appointed by President David Carlisle to lead the CDU Strategic Planning initiative. Dr. Michael observed that“ a good strategic planning exercise has several features in common: buy-in by the Board, leadership of the President, competent strategic planning leaders, representative and willing committee members, stakeholders involvement, good imagination and creative thinking, and realistic goals and objectives, to mention but a few.” These features characterize the CDU strategic planning and resulted in concrete progress for the University.“ The appointment of Dr. Mohsen Bazargan, then President of the Senate, as a co-leader of the planning effort was a clever way to ensure inclusion and faculty buy-in,” he noted. The intent of the plan was not only to survive as an institution but to thrive and outgrow its challenges.
The current 2021-2026 Strategic Plan builds on the 2015-2020 Plan. While the first strategic plan focused on growth, the current strategic plan’ s focus is on transformational growth. As explained by Dr. Michael,“ This is growth that fundamentally changes the nature and operations of an institution and positions it as an up-and-coming university of excellence. Big is not always better, but rightsized institution of excellence that is more responsive to its community needs and aspirations will always draw recognition and attention.”
One way CDU is being transformed is the introduction and expansion of undergraduate programming, which President Carlisle declared as“ imperative if we are to stay true to the CDU mission.” Another way that CDU is changing is transformation from a commuter campus to a residential campus with a massive student housing project in the offing.“ Just imagine what a concentration of 600 to 1000 students living on campus will do to the neighborhood businesses and community services,” Dr. Michael stated. The completion of the student housing and affordable
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