UMKC 2006: Our Emerging Future

This document is about our future; but our future is shaped by our past and our present, our location and events of our time, and is bounded by the mission of higher education. Over the past two years we have engaged in a campuswide process that created our vision, values and goals. They are presented in the following pages, but the story of their development unfolds through the context of the external and internal environments in which we find ourselves today, through the process that redefined our culture, and through the emergence of early accomplishments and those that are yet to emerge. We present this plan as a documentation of our transformation and as a commitment to our future. The introduction sets the stage for five chapters. The first two chapters on context provide an overview of our current external and internal realities. Chapter 3 summarizes the key characteristics of our transformation process, a process aimed at shifting the culture and accomplishment levels of our institution. Chapter 4 provides examples of transformation in action and one accomplishment as a story of change. Finally, Chapter 5 delineates our goals through 2006, their measures, and the actions we have planned. Our plan for the future is the result of the collective wisdom of the UMKC community. The intention is that those who work at UMKC, who are enrolled at UMKC, and who interact with UMKC will find their connection to our emerging future. That connection offers participation in our community of learners, a community in which you are a part. So this is your plan for the future, as well. Engage in the future with us, and join in our commitment to make the world a better place. Acknowledgements Nearly 2,000 people participated in the development of the vision, values, and goals descr..