Focus Group Descriptions for CUR-Wide Breakout Sessions

Focus Group Descriptions for CUR-Wide Breakout Sessions

June 24, 2016

11:00 am -12:00 pm

The attached excerpts are from CUR’s Strategic Plan, 2016-2019, adopted in January 2016. These excerpts describe the rationale for each of the three main foci of the Strategic Plan, and are intended to help you focus your discussion. Each breakout group will focus on only one of the three areas of the strategic plan.

Organization

Each Councilor will be assigned a focus group table. Please join your assigned groups. This will ensure groups with a size of approximately 8and cross-disciplinary representation. Each breakout group will focus on only one of the three areas of the strategic plan, and will be provided with a summary of recently initiated strategies and tactics associated with the strategic plan. Each table will need to assign a scribe.

Goals for the Session

Your group will discuss one area of CUR’s Strategic Plan. Please address the following questions, which will be used to inform strategic priorities over the next 3 years. You will want to refer to the summary of recently initiated strategies and tactics for your discussion. Bear in mind that this summary includes only new items that have been initiated in the last year; existing or on-going programs are not listed. Strategies are areas of related activities intended to support the broader strategic objectives; tactics are specific, single programs, services, activities, or products that serve a strategy. In this discussion, you are encouraged to think about CUR-wide, rather than disciplinary initiatives.

1. What strategies or tactics are missing from the current initiatives(described on your summary sheet) that represent opportunities for CUR to advance its objectives in the next three years.
2. Which part of CUR would likely be best positioned to take the lead for advancing proposed strategies/tactics? (e.g., National Office, standing or ad hoc committee, task or implementation group, etc.)
3. What resources are required for proposed strategies/tactics?
4. What would be the product of proposed tactics, or how would progress/success be measured?
5. How would you prioritize all (current and proposed) tactics? List your top 3-5 tactics.

The results of these discussions will be shared with the Executive Board and used to further refine and prioritize the strategic plan. Additional ideas or thoughts stimulated by this discussion can be shared with your Division Chair and/or Executive Board Representative at any time. Specific strategic and tactics are expected to evolve over the next three years as tasks are completed and opportunities arise.

CUR Strategic Plan Excerpts

Raising the Profile of CUR.By 2019, CUR will achieve significant growth in membership, revenue, resources, and recognition, to carry out its mission and advance the strategic pillars.

Rationale.For CUR to be a broadly recognized international voice and resource for undergraduate research, it must continue to grow in numbers and influence. Resources (both people and dollars) are essential to achieve this goal. All strategic pillars are addressed through this action domain, particularly diversity and inclusion, and internationalization of undergraduate research.

Objectives

• Establish new partnerships with non-CUR entities that help advance CUR’s mission
• Increase CUR’s public relations, advocacy, and marketing activity
• Increase and diversify CUR’s revenue resources
• Create processes to evaluate the effectiveness of CUR’s governance and activities
• Increase the quality and reach of CUR’s publications

Enhancing engagement of membership. By 2019, CUR will achieve significant growth in membership engagement, with specific attention to serving the needs of a changing and rapidly growing membership demographic. CUR will also pursue more extensively new membership opportunities, including students.

Rationale. For CUR to continue to thrive, it must invest in identification and empowerment of the next generation of UR/CUR leaders, including current undergraduate and graduate students. CUR must also continue to strive for greater percentages of engagement of all of its members, starting with its Executive Board and General Council. All strategic pillars addressed, particularly diversity and inclusion.

Objectives

• Establish services and programs to specifically engage institutional members as well as individual members
• Develop, enhance, or expand services and programs for new membership cohorts, including students, postdoctoral fellows, and community college faculty
• Expand technology-based membership engagement

Assessment of Undergraduate Research. By 2019, CUR will provide the undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity community with programs, services, and information resources that support higher education's assessment of the impact of undergraduate research.

Rationale. CUR has an opportunity to support its mission of "high quality" undergraduate research by providing more information to interested parties concerning national (and/or international) metrics to measure the impact of undergraduate research, including longitudinal measurements, of the impact of undergraduate research. All strategic pillars are addressed, with the primary one being assessment.

Objectives

• Develop, enhance, or expand services and programs to help institutions measure participation in and impact of undergraduate research, including longitudinal impacts

Tactic

• Hire Assessment Research Coordinator
• Showcase work of AURA institutions

Strategic Plan Breakout Session Summary

CUR Annual Business Meeting

June 25, 2016

Group # ______Scribe:______

Focus Area: Raising our Profile – Membership Engagement – Assessment of UR (circle one)

Which Strategies/Tactics (current or proposed) stand out as highest priority for CUR? (Which of these might also serve one or more of CUR’s strategic pillars?Integrating and Building UR into the Curriculum — Assessment of the Impact of UR — Diversity & Inclusion in UR — Innovation and Collaboration in UR — Internationalization and UR)