Commitments

U-M will lead the way in this transformative endeavor to deliver a holistic approach to supporting intellectual growth and well-being while also preparing learners for careers and diverse experiential opportunities that are valuable and meaningful.

Our vision will inspire and shape transformative educational spaces that foster learning and ignite experiences that align with our academic mission.

We know learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom. A key step in expanding the dynamic and engaging U-M student experience requires continuing to leverage the breadth of our extracurricular offerings, including the arts, recreational sports, athletics, clubs, advocacy groups, and more.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to our students and community with the pledge to foster an accessible and collaborative environment, fulfill the objectives outlined in our DEI 2.0 plan, and offer a secure and supportive sanctuary for all.

As the delivery of education evolves — and the needs of students change — U-M remains committed to supporting the continual growth and development of the individuals who deliver instruction. We are determined to cultivate a thriving ecosystem that promotes comprehensive growth and community vitality. In the process, U-M stands ready to positively disrupt the educational sphere with an expanse of offerings and experiences that balance personal growth with professional success.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Create dynamic and inclusive learning environments tailored to our educational goals that provide space where engagement thrives, and every member of our community feels empowered to excel.
• Break new ground in academic excellence by implementing cutting-edge policies that elevate student success, promote interdisciplinary learning, and foster critical thinking.
• Enrich the educational journey with a robust array of extracurricular activities in a secure and supportive atmosphere, enabling students to explore, innovate, and develop beyond traditional academic settings.

U-M’s ambitious journey is built on bold research endeavors, rendering us a catalyst for transformation in areas from drug discovery and driverless vehicle technologies to artificial intelligence advancements and climate change remedies. We champion a research outlook that is anchored in support of our workforce and community, coupled with a patient-centered approach, and relentlessly aimed at addressing global issues in close collaboration with our valued partners.

We place enormous value on ensuring robust support structures for our faculty, staff, and students. This includes promoting safety and compliance while also fostering a deep understanding of the intricacies of research methodologies and challenges. We envision a landscape where teams from diverse backgrounds converge, fostering a collaborative environment of mutual growth and exploration. We will devote resources to bolstering the research community’s needs and facilitating accessibility to research opportunities.

U-M aspires to elevate its reputation as an international destination renowned for its exceptional facilities that are designed to encourage vibrant research collaborations.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Advance university-wide research goals by increasing U-M’s capacity for large-scale, cross-unit interdisciplinary research and managing a dynamic portfolio of frontier-defining research institutes that will lead the world in defined areas of inquiry.
• Implement strategic approaches to recruiting, retaining, and mentoring talent across the research community to expand institutional research capacity and develop strong external relationships to expand U-M’s leadership in emerging areas of study.
• Expand the development and deployment of artificial intelligence and data science by investing in supercomputing infrastructure, state-of-the-art high-speed storage, and specialized generative AI tools that will expand university-wide capabilities.
• Foster a vibrant culture of creative expression and discovery that serves to advance research, scholarship, and creative practice by blending traditional academic rigor with innovative approaches to unlock potential within the areas of human experience and understanding.

We will focus our efforts on providing access to state-of-the-art facilities, technologies, and equipment that give our community members opportunities to improve their health and support their well-being. Building on the excellence of our athletics programs, we will continue to support the expansion of recreational facilities, programs, and initiatives that not only attract outstanding student-athletes but continue to serve our entire community.

U-M schools and colleges focusing on health and well-being will continue to expand educational programming that supports our community and ensures that the future providers we teach today have a multidisciplinary approach to providing care throughout their careers.

We will embrace the value of interprofessional education, allowing for greater collaboration in delivering care. We will continue to provide experiential learning for students who will enter healthcare fields providing clinical care and services to our community.

Across the state of Michigan, we will continue to expand access to healthcare by building on the excellence of our world-renowned health system. Our approach will cover the full continuum of care, serving communities holistically and focusing on prevention efforts for patients who seek our services.

U-M will lead in higher education by putting the health and well-being of our community front and center, providing best-in-class care with a keen focus on overall prevention.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Broaden efforts for improved access to health and prevention services for our community by continuing to evaluate and implement strategic alliances that provide more individuals access to the full continuum of clinical care.
• Enhance the health support and prevention infrastructure across all U-M campuses through improved quality and access to facilities and technologies ensuring a broad range of opportunities for community members to participate in activities that promote physical and mental health, as well as overall well-being.
• Cultivate greater interdisciplinarity within healthcare education by continuing to strengthen collaborative programming and increasing intersectionality for those schools and colleges directly involved in delivering health and well-being care.

Recognizing the vital role the arts play in our lives — from illuminating the human experience and solving problems with creativity and innovation to fostering well-being and building a more just and equitable world — we commit not only to elevating artistic creation but also to nurturing the environments that allow for the sharing and freedom of creative expression.

By reframing the role of the arts within the university, we deepen our mission. We aim to build an academy where the arts are integral and serve as a catalyst for research and scholarship, innovation and learning, wellness, and community. Further, we will work to establish the university as a leading institution for the arts through our celebration of their power to inspire collaboration, bolster economic activity, and foster individual and collective growth.

U-M commits to supporting the creation of art and cutting-edge spaces essential to artistic innovation and rich public engagement. We will cultivate both humanistic exploration and creative practice across disciplines and a curriculum that integrates more opportunities for personal exploration through creative expression. Knowing the power of the arts to drive inclusivity, equity, and social justice, we will center these values within arts-related endeavors. Across the breadth of our campuses, we will support arts-centered inquiry in the research and scholarship that propels our university’s mission forward.

We believe that the arts are critical for a dynamic, engaged, and productive society. Looking ahead, we intend to spur community involvement — nurturing the fusion of arts with STEM, the social sciences, and the humanities — and build bridges between different academic partners and communities. This will transform our culture, helping us fulfill our mission of education, research, and public service that meets societal needs now and in the future. Most of all, we endeavor to create a vibrant arts culture at Michigan that reflects, engages, and inspires the diverse and dynamic world around us.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Establish the university as a leading institution for the arts — studying, practicing, promoting, and supporting the arts — by allocating resources and expanding initiatives that provide more opportunities for experiences and participation.
• Encourage greater participation in the arts by cultivating programming that is inclusive and promotes the breadth of experience and interests of our community.
• Inspire art-focused research and curriculum creation that supports the university’s mission and continually assess programming to maximize engagement and meet community needs.
• Develop the service mission of the arts to foster a more vibrant, just, and joyful state of Michigan and the world.

U-M’s commitment to the success of an ever more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environment is deeply rooted. In the next decade, our efforts will be dedicated to fostering a community that reflects our vision, enriches our programs, policies, and practices, and fundamentally improves the experiences of all who interact with our institution. Our course of action will be implemented through our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 2.0 Plan, the Culture Journey, and successive iterations of both — positioning U-M as an exemplar of evidence-based approaches for advancing positive cultural transformation in higher education.

Creating a more inclusive community extends beyond just tolerance. In this spirit, U-M embraces the principles of accessibility, belonging, free expression, and justice to ensure every individual, regardless of their background, feels recognized, valued, and empowered to use their voice. Bridging disparities — whether financial, informational, or others — requires that we continue to expand opportunities for all, ensuring that talented, qualified individuals from all walks of life have equitable opportunities for access, success, and thriving at our university.

Continuing education and dialogues on these topics will reflect our values and demonstrate our commitment to fostering an environment that embraces individual self-expression and rigorous engagement of diverse viewpoints. These dynamics are critical for cultivating mutual respect and an acceptance of differences and encouraging our solidarity as a university community.

We aspire for our U-M community to be more representative of historically underrepresented and underserved populations, from our student body to our faculty and staff. We will promote how this essential work demonstrates the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion for all communities as we lead the way.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Infuse value-driven and evidence-based decision-making into our university’s units, functions, and practices to drive positive change and strengthen our culture and climate.
• Advance campus-wide action items from the Ann Arbor DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan by working closely with university leaders and units.
• Expand efforts to enhance college affordability, including addressing financial disparities among our student body that serve as barriers to success and thriving.
• Ensure our university’s DEI principles and efforts are aligned to support free speech and academic freedom through collaboration with leaders and units in curricular, co-curricular, workplace, and other community activities, programs, and practices.

To build on this excellence, we commit ourselves to cultivating a culture that’s rooted in trust, respect, care, and shared values. That involves investing in the wellbeing and engagement of the very people who are the backbone of our institution.

In the next decade, U-M will promote systems and structures that improve accountability and adaptability, fostering a sustainable environment that stands the test of time. We will strengthen relationships within and across teams while fostering a tangible sense of community. This will be accomplished by strategically investing in — and planning for — professional growth at every stage of career trajectory for our faculty and staff.

We will simplify processes and procedures to support a working environment that supports the needs of our faculty and staff. In recognizing and acting swiftly to address concerns about dependent care, or the draw of higher-paying jobs elsewhere, we aim to foster trust and cultivate a sense of belonging for those who commit so much to our university.

By nurturing an ecosystem that encourages academic growth and personal well-being, U-M team members can perform at their best. Our future depends on a faculty and staff community that feels valued, engaged, and truly a part of our Michigan family.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Develop plans that support our faculty and staff through the employment cycle, from successful recruitment to active retention and support of professional growth and development to eventual retirement or departure.
• Infuse the Culture Journey values into our campus ethos by creating clear expectations to foster a supportive community where all feel safe and will thrive.
• Create further consistency in the faculty and staff experience by investing in systems, structures, and processes, such as access to professional development resources and accountability for creating supportive work environments.

Rooted in our public commitment, U-M fuels economic vitality across the state of Michigan. We aim to discover and nurture our community’s talents, collaborate on solving common issues, and seize opportunities to invigorate our community and society. Through strategic partnerships that strengthen the bridge between academia, government, and industries, we aim to generate a pulse of innovation and growth that reverberates across the state.

Through the ideation and development of an innovation district, we will foster private sector involvement and governmental support to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit, generate job opportunities, and spur local investments — all while creating experiential learning opportunities for our community. By implementing “smart growth” strategies and a standardized framework that emphasizes financial returns and social benefits, we aim to ensure that U-M efficiently uses our land for sustainable development. This model will address societal needs, such as affordable housing, community partnerships, and other impactful programs within our community.

Our vision, however, is not confined to regional boundaries. U-M aims to broaden the university’s footprint globally. We plan to pursue partnerships with national laboratories, forge international research alliances, expand exchange programs, and build additional collaborations with diverse commercial, educational, and governmental entities. As we grow our vibrant research setting, we are positioned more than ever to make transformative discoveries that will enrich the quality of life for Michigan residents and people around the world.

IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE WILL:

• Develop an innovation district that will expand partnerships for new ventures, experiential learning, job opportunities, and local investments.
• Build stronger community partnerships throughout our state — including Dearborn, Flint, Detroit, and other cities — to emphasize local impact and fulfill our role as a public university.
• Expand our vibrant research enterprise to encourage risk-taking, spark transformative discoveries, and communicate our impact locally, nationally, and globally.
• Enhance partnerships with national laboratories to create jobs and position Michigan at the forefront of breakthroughs in science and technology.