Vision Task Force

MSUM Future Visioning Process


Context and Rationale

MSUM is a strong institution with a proud history. Today, it faces a number of challenges relating to the state's economy and demographic trends in the region. However, it is clear that the institution can claim an even prouder future if we work together to create a shared vision of a desired future and to focus our energies toward that vision.


Process

To get to that shared vision, we will implement the following steps.

  1. Create a small visioning task force to work with cabinet to steer the process. This task force will include cabinet and union representatives as well as one college dean and three student leaders.
  2. Working with the task force, continue revisions of the MSUM identity statement to reach broad consensus by the end of December.
  3. Hold three town meetings during the Fall semester to explore contextual information helpful for visioning. Potential topics include:
  • A panel with the Minnesota and North Dakota state demographers and a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities representative to discuss demographic trends and their impact on higher education.
  • A panel with representatives from the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation and the Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce to discuss the future of the region's economy and the potential roles MSUM can play in that future.
  • A panel discussion led by task force members to explore budget and demographic trends of this university and other universities in the region.
  1. During the Spring semester, the task force will lead a series of town meetings focused on the following questions:
  • What future regional and national trends are likely to impact MSUM?
  • Given the agreed on identity statement, what is and can be MSUM's market niche in the immediate region and the larger region?
  • Given potential future trends, what should MSUM strive to be in five years and in 10 years?
  1. Late in the Spring semester, a draft vision statement will be developed and widely circulated with internal and external stakeholders and refined accordingly leading to adoption by appropriate campus and related bodies.


Product

The product of this effort will be a concise, one to two page, vision statement describing the MSUM of five and 10 yers from now and beyond along with a rationale for that vision. The task force will aslo review the university's mission statement and fefine it as necessary according to the vision statement.


Next Steps

The vision statement will lay the ground work for the strategic planning process that will take place in 2010 and will develop the action steps to implement the vision.