Trinity Building on Cornerstones

President Jones has announced the implementation of a comprehensive planning model for the College, known as the Cornerstone Project, that will help to establish an ongoing process for annual planning in a wide range of areas. The process, which is already under way, is designed to encourage all campus constituencies to consider new ways to address future planning issues while at the same time taking advantage of the positive aspects of previous planning strategies. Vice President for Institutional Planning and Administration Sharon Herzberger and Director of Institutional Research and Planning Kent Smith are coordinating the project.

“As we move forward, it’s important to make clear that what we are doing is very different from anything we have done in the past,” explains Herzberger. “We are creating an ongoing process that will be repeated year after year and will utilize information from all the constituencies associated with Trinity to inform the decision-making process. We want everyone’s input.”

The first planning cycle is focusing on seven general themes that the president has deemed central to the College’s mission. They are, in alphabetical order: capital improvements, diversity, experiential education, global initiatives, information technology, teaching and research, and urban initiatives.

Cornerstone Advisory Committees (CACs), made up of a broad mixture of faculty, staff, and students, have been formed to study and make recommendations concerning each area of interest. The CACs are being chaired by Vernon K. Krieble Professor of Chemistry Henry DePhillips, capital improvements; Dean of Multicultural Affairs Karla Spurlock-Evans, diversity; Dean of Students Fred Alford, experiential learning; Associate Professor of History Dario Euraque, global initiatives; Professor of Psychology Karl Haberlandt, information technology; Interim Dean of Faculty Frank Kirkpatrick, teaching and research; and Associate Professor of History Susan Pennybacker, urban initiatives.

Recommendations from the CACs will be forwarded to the President’s Cornerstone Planning Group, where they will serve as a framework around which decisions can be made. In addition, an Advisory Committee on the Planning Process has been established to organize, guide, and evaluate the process, as well as to keep the College community informed of planning news and events.

Among the first steps in the Cornerstone Project will be the collection of suggestions and ideas from as many members of the campus community as possible. This will be done through a series of small-group and departmental meetings during which everyone on campus—faculty, staff, and students—will be asked to complete a survey about Trinity’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the possible influence of external threats and opportunities. This information, gathered from as many people as possible, will help inform the planning process.

“Trinity has a rich history as a national leader in liberal arts education and a dependable neighbor in the city of Hartford,” notes Jones. “As we look to build on that tradition, to plan for the future, it is imperative that we marshal our considerable resources in ways that will put us in the best position to accomplish our goals. The Cornerstone Project, by including as many voices as possible in an ongoing and adaptable planning process, will allow us to do that.”

For further information on the Cornerstone Project, including a detailed description and committee members, please go to http://cornerstones.trincoll.edu/.

 

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