Office of the Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academics

Academic Master Plan - Accelerating Excellence

  • The Academic Master Plan Steering committee is completing work on the Academic Master Plan. We expect the plan to be published early this fall.
  • The Engagement Roadmap committee's final report is available online.
  • The Teaching-Learning Roadmap committee's final report is available online.
  • The Research Roadmap committee's final report is available online.

Howdy!

We are very proud to launch the process to create Texas A&M's Academic Master Plan—Accelerating Excellence. The Academic Master Plan will be the strategic plan for achieving key aspects of Vision 2020, which set out a transformative vision to create a Culture of Excellence at this University and put it in the top-ten best public universities by the year 2020. Much has been accomplished since Vision 2020 was created: ambitious faculty hiring plans are nearly completed; important programs and resources to strengthen graduate programs have been implemented; the Murano Report's recommendations and six "Big Ideas" on how to enrich the undergraduate educational experience have become part of the culture in the University community; over $800 million in current new construction. These and more are tremendous achievements to be proud of. Yet, there is still much to be done, which is why this is the right time to start the process to create the Academic Master Plan.

Developing the Academic Master Plan will be an exciting campus-wide effort. Success will depend on broad participation and grassroots efforts that fully engage faculty, staff, students, former students, and key partners, such as corporate partners and the members of The Texas A&M University System.

Texas A&M, like all great land-grant institutions, is founded upon three fundamental pillars: teaching, research, and engagement. Accordingly, our Academic Master Plan will be composed of three roadmaps:

  1. a teaching-learning roadmap for excellence in education that will take a fresh look at the core curriculum and address the recommendations of the Murano Report;
  2. a research roadmap to develop "landmark" areas of excellence where Texas A&M will command worldwide distinction in the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and to develop strategies and mechanisms for success in landmark and other research initiatives;
  3. an engagement roadmap to lay out A&M's role in impacting society through developing pathways to higher education, community and government engagement, and entrepreneurship and commercialization.

Common to all three roadmaps will be overarching enablers of success, including

  • Developing human potential and diversity at Texas A&M
    • Recruiting and mentoring for excellence
    • Enhancing support systems (campus-wide research centers or institutes, interdisciplinary programs, learning communities, technology mediated instruction, etc.)
    • Quality of life
  • Engaging and integrating international programs and globalization endeavors
  • Enhancing facilities and infrastructure
  • Marshalling financial resources
  • Providing comprehensive offerings in service of the state and beyond

To oversee the overall process of the Academic Master Plan, we have formed a steering committee with membership from across the University. The steering committee will develop a "complete charge" for the roadmaps to guide the process.

Academia is an exciting place to be, because it is a world of ever-evolving ideas. Having the freedom to develop and explore ideas is probably an important reason why many of us were drawn to academia. I am confident that you will find this Academic Master Planning process to be one that helps energize the campus in a discourse about a bold and exciting future of our own creation. I look forward to your comments and involvement.

Gig 'Em!

Jeffrey S. Vitter
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics
Texas A&M University