Reporter
Students, staff, faculty members and the community joined CSU Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny on Tuesday, Oct. 9 for an open forum discussion for ideas and feedback on the university’s new strategic plan.
The current plan has not been updated in several years and Zelezny is looking to update the plan as the needs of students and faculty have changed.
“We are very eager to work as a collective,” said Zelezny. “As a new president here, I was charged with building a collective vision for CSUB and that means to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas.”
Zelezny would like to keep within the three key themes of the CSUB seal; excellence, partnerships and community. She explains that these themes are “drivers of who we are and who we are aspiring to be.”
So why is the strategic plan important?
“It’s important because the strategic plan for an organization like ours, which represents many stakeholders, must be the framework for the work that we do in terms of allocating resources,” said Zelezny. “A strategic plan is going to build the framework of how we move forward with our first comprehensive capital campaign and where the resources will be allocated. So, it’s important because the strategic plan will be aligned with resources. Both human resources and financial resources. It’s also important because it will help us to think about the future of our master plan which is under the umbrella of our strategic plan.”
The process of collecting ideas and input and organizing it all will be the most difficult part of the process. Once all of the feedback has been put into themes and priorities, it will go to the university’s senate committee for strategic planning and budgeting.
“So that will be the first committee that will see the raw qualitative data of ideas that we’ve shared,” said Zelezny.
Her hope is that by the end of the semester, when faculty returns in January, that the committee will be able to decide how they want to analyze that data. Once the committee reviews that information and narrows it down according to theme and priority, it will be presented again to the campus community for their input to see what revisions need to be made.
Of the students that spoke at the forum, many feel that they are most proud of CSUB because it feels like home and that there is a sense of community on campus.
Associated Students Inc. President Ashley Schmidt said she is proud that our campus is “family-oriented” and that we are given the opportunity to voice our opinions about what goes on here on campus.
Ulyses Rodriguez, from the ASI judicial council said he was happy with the forum. However, he did request more support and resources for the veteran community here on campus.
Rodriguez is not alone in his desire for more resources.
Yoselina Aguilar spoke up at the forum requesting a resource center for students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. “All students should feel welcome and safe here at CSUB,” said Aguilar.
The new strategic plan will cover a five-year period and Zelezny explained she expects to have three to five priorities to address through this process. The open forum is one of several ways that students, staff, faculty and the surrounding community can voice their ideas and suggestions to implement into the strategic plan.
Two more forums are currently scheduled, one on Nov. 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Icardo Center and Nov. 28 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Student Union multi-purpose room.
Those unable to attend can leave feedback online at www.csub.edu/feedback. Zelezny also hosts Runner Walk and Talk for a smaller, more intimate opportunity to share ideas. The next one is scheduled for Oct. 23 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. She is eager to hear what students, staff and faculty envision for this campus and the future of CSUB.
