Planning For Our Future

October 16, 2006

To the Northeastern University community:

We are about to embark on an important journey, one that will lead us to an academic plan for the future. This is the ideal time to explore new possibilities and to reassess existing assumptions and practices. The exercise will prompt important questions. . . What role should universities play in society? How can Northeastern excel in our role? Where shall we focus our attention? How should we measure the results?

These are complex questions that reach to the very foundation of the university. I expect they will spark great debate among the members of our campus community, and appropriately so. Our answers will shape the university’s mission and establish academic themes to drive the plan.

Institutions of higher learning use education and research as a means of addressing global and societal needs. Based on this premise, we are in good standing among our peers. Cooperative education prepares students well to compete for the best jobs over multiple careers. The integrated research we conduct focuses on areas that have profound societal impact. This is our opportunity to explore additional points of excellence and distinctiveness for Northeastern.

For example, globalization is a driving force that holds great promise for enhancing experiential education. Similarly, urban communities seek our engagement in ways that are mutually beneficial for the city and the university. This is the time to explore the many ways that global and urban initiatives can maximize experiential education for our students.

We live in the midst of a knowledge explosion. Yet, knowledge alone cannot address societal needs. Applied knowledge can. Our relationships amid industry and research institutes position us well to conduct and apply high-impact research in science, engineering and emerging fields. This is our opportunity to explore areas of innovation with our key partners to accelerate the translation of research to application.

Our academic plan will be driven by the mission we develop collectively and it will come to life through themes like those described above. I am eager to consider others that touch upon the creative, aesthetic and ethical dimensions of Northeastern we’ve yet to fully embrace. Once identified, these themes will be integrated into every aspect of the university; undergraduate and graduate education, research, student life, diversity and external partnerships.

The stakes are high. The academic plan will be a roadmap to guide master planning, fundraising, accreditation and other key initiatives. It is imperative to do this collaboratively, building on our synergies. We must reach beyond campus to our partners in the corporate and political arenas and our friends in the community. Their perspective is invaluable.

The process will be led by Provost Ahmed Abdelal and Chief Planning Officer Mark Putnam in coordination with the Long Range Planning Committee led by Trustee Mike Cronin. They will seek input from faculty, staff, students and alumni. Ultimately, the academic plan will require the approval of the Trustees, who are entrusted with the university’s future.

This is an important and exciting undertaking for Northeastern. I look forward to working with all of you as we chart our course for the future.

I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please send them to president@neu.edu.