Global Health Nexus, Millennium Issue

Strategic Planning Initiative Update

The NYU Dentistry community came together last July to review and discuss eight strategic issues and various planning models that had emerged from a process begun in October 1998, when Dean Alfano appointed a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) to prepare the framework and timetables for strategic planning for the College.

Led by Associate Dean Frederick G. More, the SPC used focus groups and a survey to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and perceived threats among faculty, students, staff, and alumni, and ultimately to identify eight high-priority strategic issues, as follows: redirecting the financial base of the College from tuition to more diversified resources; diversity as a major strength; the need for major reforms in the curriculum; global impact; faculty and staff development; the size of the student population; academic integrity and professionalism; and quality as a central theme and focus. Once the issues were identified, modeling groups met to create several models for each issue.

During the full-day community conference, small break-out groups were asked to discuss and assess underlying principles related to NYU Dentistry's mission and values and to review and rate strategic issues and models. Their comments were integrated into the draft document, which is nearing completion. Excerpts from the Strategic Plan will appear in a future issue of Global Health NEXUS.