President Morton Schapiro released Northwestern’s Strategic Plan earlier this week, although it seemed more like a vague collection of ideas than a specific plan. The 17-page document, which repeatedly features the oh-so-catchy phrase “We Will,” divides the plan into four key sections: “Discover Creative Solutions,” “Integrate Learning and Experience,” “Connect our Community,” and “Engage with the World.” Throughout the plan, Morty lists positive things happening in the NU community, like Dance Marathon, the Qatar campus and the increase of special programs, such as the Kellogg undergrad certificates. But when it comes time to talk about ways to better Northwestern, the plan offers few specifics aside from creating more “Third Spaces” like The Great Room or making the increasingly popular global health program a larger priority. The rest of the plan is vague with broad statements about increasing the number of students who study abroad or fostering students’ connections to Chicago, with no mention of how this would actually happen. For instance, increasing diversity is specifically named as a goal, but nothing else is explained about this besides that one bullet point. Morty does tout March Through the Arch as a way to build community among freshmen, but apparently he doesn’t realize that a slow and somewhat miserable walk in the sun won’t do much besides make everyone cranky. The big winner for most meaningless statement, though, has to be the goal to “increase the breadth and depth of options offered” to students. Really, Morty? Could you get any less specific than that? Oh wait, we forgot this entire plan was just a bunch of PR vagueness.
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Morty spends two years on Strategic Plan full of vague statements
Couldnt agree more. This strategic Plan offers nothing in regards to a bold plan for the future or something to rally around. It’s a joke. Just like the author. The only thing Shapiro has done is destabilize Northwestern. I hear he and Linzer don’t get along…but then again no one in Crown is getting along these days. There are also some rumblings on the board of trustees too. Morty isn’t a visionary…its just all about him. I I I me me me.
It’s a Strategic Plan. Not a tactical plan. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with what’s called “the capital campaign,” the soon-to-come drive to raise $3 billion, devoted to some of the overarching themes in the plan. This plan is Morty’s way of defining the conversation; later, we’ll have discussions on how to interpret the plan. Sure, there’s a lot of fluff. But if you look closely, some of the We Will statements have a lot of meaning.