Charting Our Future Course

An illustration showing an abstract roadmap with illustrations of artists, performers and students
College of Fine Arts Five-Year Strategic Plan

Process

Following the launch of the University’s Change Starts Here strategic plan, the College of Fine Arts launched its own strategic planning process in fall 2022. In November 2022, the dean appointed a steering committee with members from across the college’s faculty and staff, and members of the steering committee facilitated a series of sessions open to faculty, students and staff in the college to identify core values. In March 2022, the steering committee worked with the dean to identify the four strategic pillars of the plan, based on the listening sessions conducted: research, education, community engagement and organizational culture. The dean then appointed four subcommittees, one for each pillar, and tasked the subcommittees with creating a statement of direction and goals for each pillar. The subcommittees worked throughout the spring, summer and fall of 2023 to draft and refine these goals, and in the spring of 2024, the steering committee created a draft of the plan to share with college stakeholders. In spring, the dean held a series of town halls for each pillar of the plan and presented the core values, as well the strategic direction and goals for each pillar of the plan.

Faculty, staff and students were invited to share feedback, and the plan was further refined over the spring and summer of 2024. The college’s strategic plan will launch publicly in October 2024.
 

Illustration showing a dialog and ideation concept

Statement of Direction

The College of Fine Arts will become a leader for arts and design research, creative practice, and pedagogy. We will advance knowledge of creativity that is expansive in its definition, interdisciplinary in its approach, and intentional about its broader impact. We embrace the spirit of community and collaboration as we move towards these goals. 

Core Values

  • Expansive in our definitions of arts, design and creativity.
  • Creative and Innovative in our methodologies and technologies.
  • Interdisciplinary.
  • Collaborative in our identity and approach.
  • Community-engaged and public serving.
  • Focused on the public good and sustainable models for the arts and design.
  • Locally embedded and Global in our outlook. 
  • Accessible. 
  • Committed to the wellbeing of our faculty, staff and students.

RESEARCH AND CREATIVE PRACTICE

  • Innovation: Be a leader in innovation in the arts and design research and creative practice.
  • Sustainable Operations/Infrastructure: Create a sustainable infrastructure that enables our research and creative practices to flourish.
  • Impact: Transform the wider world for the better through our research and creative practice.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE

  • Resourcing and Recognition: Promote and engage in intentional community work through strategic resourcing, training, and recognition.
  • Community Partnerships: Establish and nurture wide-reaching community relationships that are culturally responsive, accessible, and reciprocal.
  • Research: Become a national leader in creating community-engaged work in the arts and design while also contributing to scholarship on the subject.
  • Public Service: Contribute to the continual flourishing of arts on campus, in Austin, throughout Central Texas, across the State, nationally, and globally.

EDUCATION

  • Evolving Curricula and Methods: Offer degree programs, minors, and certificates that prepare students to lead, contribute to, and engage broadly with the fields of the arts and design in the 21st century.
  • Collaborative Innovation: As a learning community, continually innovate and renew teaching methods in response to changes in the field and society.
  • Prioritize Access: Continue to increase access to impactful arts and design training. 
  • Careers & Opportunities: Offer programming, professional networking, and practical course content to help students and alumni successfully transition into the workforce.
  • Local to Global Impact: Prepare our students to change the world through their expansive arts and design practice, research, teaching, and advocacy.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

  • Collaborative Culture: Integrate the practice of collaboration throughout our work, creating a culture where our whole is greater than the sum of our parts.
  • Well-being: Nourish a culture of employee wellbeing.
  • Employee Journey: Lead the way for the University in investing in the full employee journey.