Project REACH Update
March 23, 2022
To all Faculty, Staff and Students,
As we emerge from the pandemic and celebrate being named a flagship institution of the SUNY system, Stony Brook University has exciting developments on the horizon. This year, we are building on our momentum by beginning our institution-wide strategic planning process. We will begin with a process to frame our vision for the future. This will take place between March and October and will result in a strategic framework for our strategic planning efforts that will follow in late 2022 and 2023.
We have engaged The Nebo Company to help us in this process. For almost two decades, Nebo has helped institutions
to envision the future, taking into account history and current realities. Founder
and lead facilitator Kate Ebner and her team will work with Stony Brook through Project Reach to guide us as we learn from our history, assess our current state, and plan for
the future.
Project REACH is designed to engage our community. The 20 community members, including faculty, staff and students who are serving on the Vision Committee, will lead this work. During March and April,
they will identify historical themes and lessons learned, take stock of Stony Brook
today, and draft a narrative about our aspirations for the future. This draft narrative
will be shared in a series of workshops in early May, with the purpose of gathering
input and feedback from our community. Once this feedback is collected, the Project
Reach Vision Committee will incorporate it into the final draft, which will be refined
and approved by late summer. This material will guide us as we then identify the strategic
priorities that will be vital to achieving our aspirations.
While many organizations view defining our aspirations as a top-down process, I have
chosen this approach in order to include a variety of voices and perspectives. The
decade ahead of us requires a shared understanding of our opportunities and challenges.
Achieving our vision will ask us to work together in innovative, collaborative new
ways.
To ensure transparency with this process, Rose Martinelli, Vice President for Strategic
Initiatives, will provide regular communication about this work. She will be glad
to respond to any questions or ideas you may have as this process is underway. To
reach Rose and Project Reach, please contact rosemaria.martinelli@stonybrook.edu.
By October 2022, we will be ready to share our shared aspirations and strategic framework
with the community. From there, we will begin the strategic planning phase. This is
an important undertaking aimed at establishing a clear direction for Stony Brook University.
I thank you in advance for your interest and input along the way.
Best wishes,
Maurie McInnis
President