President Frances Bronet has launched the next phase of Pratt Institute’s strategic planning process. Provost Kirk Pillow and Vice-President for Finance and Administration Cathleen Kenny will co-chair a new strategic planning steering committee, which will include Senate President Chris Sula. The Academic Senate has been has been asked to nominate faculty and chair representatives to several subcommittees:

• Academic Excellence: …enhance the quality of academic programs, the faculty profile, support for faculty research, technological innovation, and the reputation of the Institute.
• Student Success: …improve completion rates and the quality of the student experience overall.
• Global Education: …enhance the international scope of a Pratt education, including international research projects, university and industry partnerships, curricular offerings that internationalize Pratt’s programs, and enhancements to the Pratt experience for our international students.
• Civic Engagement: …expand Pratt’s efforts to make a difference for the better in our Brooklyn, city, national and international communities.
• A fifth pillar, commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, has already been prepared in the Institute’s completed Diversity Strategic Plan, which will comprise one part of the overall strategic plan.

These charges are tentative and will be refined and expanded by each subcommittee during the Spring and Fall 2018 semesters. Committees will include faculty/chairs, students, and staff, and each subcommittee will be co-chaired by a faculty/chair and staff. Stipends will be available to part-time faculty who serve on subcommittees.

The Senate is seeking nominations for faculty and chairs to serve as members (2 seats) or co-chairs (1 seat) of each of the four subcommittees. All Senate constituents (full-time faculty, part-time faculty, chairs and assistant chairs, and staff who teach) are eligible to nominate faculty and chairs by Friday, February 16, 2018 at 11:59pm. All nominations should be sent to nominations@prattsenate.org and will be confirmed in writing. Candidates will be asked to provide a short statement (max. 250 words) describing their interests and qualifications for the committee, and may wish to attend the Senate meeting on Feb 20 to discuss their candidacy. The Senate will elect a slate of nominees for each subcommittee at its Feb 20 meeting, from which the committee co-chairs will be selected by the administration.