Office of the President

Finally, we propose four goals that simultaneously outline how we will achieve the other goals and further strengthen our identity and success.

VI. Elevate the National Profile of Miami University

Miami University will raise its national reputation by communicating its mission and success to prospective students, the general public, alumni, employers, and state and federal leaders.

VII. Strengthen our Identity as the Employer of Choice for Faculty and Staff

Miami University faculty and staff are the heart and soul of the university. We advance as an institution by ensuring that our employees are given the opportunity to grow professionally and personally as they serve the university community.

VIII. Maximize the University's Resource Base

Sufficient resources—including financial, staffing, and service delivery and information processes—are necessary for Miami to effectively provide quality instruction, research, and service outcomes. The University must become proactive and more sophisticated in planning the prudent use of resources to maximize effectiveness.

IX. Create a Culture of Giving that Ensures Success for Miami's Next Century

The future success of Miami rests strongly on private giving. We will cultivate a culture of giving that will significantly increase the number of donors, especially alumni, who will assist in funding important university priorities.

Each of these nine major goals has several specific sub-goals that define what it will take to achieve success. There is not time to go into these in detail, so I would like to focus on the first goal, in order to demonstrate how explicit recognition of strategic goals and outcomes will invigorate our efforts to achieve the extraordinary.

Our goal to "Make the Miami Undergraduate Experience the Best in the Country" is a clear statement about our serious intention to set the standard for the engaged undergraduate experience. It is an ambitious goal, but it is a goal that is both central to the future of higher education and a goal that Miami is exceptionally well-positioned to achieve.

The Miami Graduate

At the heart of this goal is our commitment to the development of both intellect and character. By doing so, we provide our students with a foundation, and momentum, that will carry them through the rest of their lives. I am not only referring to those measures of success that already mark Miami, like our graduation rate and the placement of our students in the top graduate and professional schools, but also, and just as importantly, I am also referring to those core qualities that define the Miami graduate as a person, an entrepreneurial worker, and a citizen. As we think about our programmatic goals, I find it useful to reflect on those qualities as outcomes that these goals should lead us to.

I have spoken with many employers and alums, and there is remarkable consistency in what they see as the special qualities of a Miami graduate, qualities that are not only descriptive, but also aspirational. At our best, we produce graduates who are:

• Well-educated—A liberal arts education is the foundation for whatever specialty our students choose. Our graduates have the ability to think critically and creatively and to communicate effectively. They have a broad knowledge of the natural and social worlds and an appreciation of the aesthetic world. They have a deep and structuring knowledge of their specific fields of study. They are prepared to participate actively in our civic community.

Our students have:

• A great work ethic—They appreciate that immersing themselves in their work is part of their identity and a source of great personal satisfaction. People depend on our graduates to set an example in their work and in their lives, through their habits and their attitudes.

• Strong values—They understand and exercise the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. They are conscious of their own moral values and act on them. They have an unbending commitment to themselves, their friends and family, and the world around them.

• Initiative—When asked to go from A to B, our graduates usually don't need a road map or explicit instructions. In fact, they are often the first to imagine B! They know how to seize opportunities and are not afraid of failure as they pursue their dreams. They are entrepreneurial at heart.

Let me give an example of student action that reflects these goals. This summer, I was contacted by a rising senior, Kate Waller. Kate is majoring in environmental studies and is concerned that the campus is not doing enough to reduce our carbon footprint and encouraging environmentally sustainable choices. Kate has organized a group of fellow students to resurrect a dormant environmental organization and to seek an approach to making our first year students more aware of the environmental impact of the choices they make and to provide them with alternatives. This summer she convinced Phillips to donate 3500 cfl bulbs, arguing that if each of these bulbs replaced an incandescent bulb, the savings to the campus would be $48,000 through reductions in demand for energy. She is working with companies to provide refillable water bottles and coffee cups and finally, she convinced Kroger to donate cloth bags for grocery shopping. In other words, in just a few short weeks she organized students, conveyed key messages to those who could help, and took action, all of which is a testament to her education, her work ethic, her values, and her initiative.