Strategic plan
Have your say in UM's newest Strategic Plan
The world has changed significantly since we created Taking Our Place more than seven years ago. Now is the time to ask ourselves how we will bring about the most needed change in this new era—how we will inspire and advance big ideas and solve the world’s pressing problems.
The University of Manitoba has sought the expertise of Alex Usher and his team at Higher Education Strategy Associates to support our work. They have helped us design the consultation process, provided a brief on trends in the sector, are providing ongoing support to our facilitators, and will help interpret the results of the consultation that will lead to our final plan.
Strategic Plan Town Hall
Thank you to everyone who attended the January 26 Strategic Plan Town Hall. Roughly 370 community members took part in-person and online to help shape how we inform the development of the next UM strategic plan.
If you were unable to join us for the discussion, you can view the event on YouTube or review the event presentation given by President and Vice-Chancellor Michael Benarroch, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Diane Hiebert-Murphy, and CEO of Higher Education Strategy Associates Alex Usher.
Watch the event on YouTube View the Strategic Plan Town Hall presentation (PDF)
Ongoing opportunities to engage
The first phase of the strategic planning consultation process begins on January 30 and continues into the first week of March. Please find below a schedule of consultation sessions in which you can participate. Sessions have been scheduled in such a way for people to have multiple ways to engage, including in-person and virtual options.
There are two types of sessions available to faculty, students, and staff:
The first type of sessions are coordinated at the unit, committee, or community-group level, in which members will receive a direct invite. If there is no date or time indicated for your unit, we are in the process of finalizing those details and you will receive an email from the unit with more information in the near future.
The second type of sessions are open sessions that span multiple units and groups. For these, we ask that individuals register by completing the online registration form. Following registration, and prior to the session, you will receive more details on the room location (if it is an in-person session) or zoom link (if it is a virtual session).
Not sure which Vice-President portfolio your unit falls under? Please check out the UM organizational chart.
You only need to plan to attend one session as discussion at each session will revolve around the same questions. These sessions are meant to be engaging and aspirational – what do we see as the university doing well, what are our strengths, and where would we like to see ourselves moving forward?
Unable to attend a session? Have additional thoughts following a session? Please provide your feedback using the online consultation form.
Preparing for your consultation session
You may wish to review the current strategic plan (PDF), strategic research plan (PDF) and the documents below in advance of your consultation session as background and context to the discussion. The UM reports highlight key recommendations and priorities identified by the university in recent years and the HESA Environmental Scan (PDF) provides a general overview of key issues and challenges in the broader post-secondary sector.
Consultation session schedule
Academic units and affiliated colleges
Asper School of Business, Faculty of Management
February 17, 2023, 11 a.m. - 12:3- p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources
February 2, 2023, 2 - 4 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
College of Nursing
February 21, 2023, 9:30 - 11 a.m.
College council
Standing Meeting
College of Pharmacy
February 15, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Staff meeting
Invite only
College of Rehabilitation Sciences
February 1, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Desautels Faculty of Music
February 27, 2023, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Division of Extended Education
February 15, 2023, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
Division council
Standing meeting
Gerald D. Niznick College of Dentistry
February 8, 2023, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
February 7, 2023, 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Faculty council
Standing meeting
Faculty of Architecture
February 14, 2023, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Faculty of Arts
February 7, 2023, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Faculty council
Standing meeting
Faculty of Education
February 21, 2023, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Faculty council
Standing meeting
Faculty of Graduate Studies
February 16, 2023, 1 - 3 p.m.
Faculty council
Standing meeting
Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
February 9, 2023, 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Staff meeting
Invite only
Faculty of Law
February 6, 2023, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Faculty of Science
March 3, 2023, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Faculty of Social Work
February 24, 2023, 1 - 3 p.m.
Faculty council
Standing meeting
Max Rady College of Medicine
February 1, 2023. 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
Price Faculty of Engineering
February 9, 2023, 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
School of Art
February 10, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Special meeting
Invite only
St. John's College
February 28, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Invite only
St. Paul's College
Date TBD
Invite only
Staff academic units option 1
February 22, 2023, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
In-person
Register for staff and academic units option 1
Staff academic units option 2
February 28, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Virtual
Register for staff and academic units option 2
Staff - All option 1
February 24, 2023, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Virtual
Register for staff - all option 1
Staff - All option 2
March 1, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Virtual
Register for staff - all option 2
Staff - Bannatyne campus
March 1, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
In-person
Register for staff - Bannatyne campus
Staff - Fort Garry campus option 1
February 2, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for staff - Fort Garry campus option 1
Staff - Fort Garry campus option 2
February 23, 2023, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
In-person
Administrative units
Libraries
February 28, 2023, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Virtual
Invite only
Staff and units under the president and provost option 1
February 13, 2023, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
In-person
Register for staff and units under the president and provost option 1
Staff and units under the president and provost option 2
February 23, 2023, 2:30 - 4 p.m.
Virtual
Register for staff and units under the president and provost option 2
Staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 1
February 8, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 1
Staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 2
February 22, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 2
Staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 3
March 2, 2023, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Virtual
Register for staff and units under the vice-president (administration) option 3
Staff and units under the vice-president (external)
March 3, 2023, 1 - 3 p.m.
Invite only
Staff and units under the vice-president (Indigenous)
TBA
Invite only
Staff and units under the vice-president (research and international)
March 3, 2023, 1 - 3 p.m.
Invite only
Staff - All option 1
February 24, 2023, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Virtual
Register for Staff - All option 1
Staff - All option 2
March 1, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Virtual
Register for Staff - All option 2
Staff - Bannatyne campus
March 1, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
In-person
Register for Staff - Bannatyne campus
Staff - Fort Garry campus option 1
February 2, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for Staff - Fort Garry campus option 1
Staff - Fort Garry campus option 2
February 23, 2023, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
In-person
University committees and other groups
Associate Deans Research
TBA
Invite only
Associate Deans Undergraduate
February 6, 2023, 9 - 10:15 a.m.
Standing meeting
Board of Governors (special meeting)
March 2, 2023, 4 - 7 p.m.
Invite only
Deans and directors
February 14, 2023, 2:30 - 4 p.m.
Standing meeting
Indigenous Connect
February 10, 2023, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Invite only
Ongomiizwin - Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing
TBA
Senate (special meeting)
February 9, 2023, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Invite only
Senate (special meeting)
February 17, 2023, 9 - 11 a.m.
Invite only
Senate Planning and Priorities Committee
February 27, 2023, 2 - 2:30 p.m.
Standing meeting
University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA)
February 10, 2023, 2:30 - 4 p.m.
Invite only
Students
GSA - Executive and council
TBA
Invite only
Students - Bannatyne campus
February 27, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for students - Bannatyne campus
Students - Fort Garry campus
February 15, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
In-person
Register for students - Fort Garry campus
Students - Graduate
February 16, 2023, 3 - 4 p.m.
Virtual
Register for students - Graduate
Students - Indigenous student groups
February 6, 2023, 2:30 - 4 p.m.
Virtual
Register for students - Indigenous student groups
Students - Undergraduate
February 3, 2023, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Virtual
Register for students - Undergraduate
UMSU Board
February 9, 2023, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Standing meeting
External partners
Alumni/community at large
February 27, 2023, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
SMARTPark Innovation Hub, MPR Room, 100 Innovation Drive
Alumni Council
February 13, 2023, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Borger Board Room – E1-270 EITC
Invite only
President's Advisory Council
TBA
Invite only
Strategic Plan Committee 2023 - Membership
Co-chairs
Michael Benarroch
President and Vice-Chancellor
Diane Hiebert-Murphy
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
From senate
Stephan Pflugmacher Lima
Dean, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources
Susan Prentice
Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology, Faculty of Arts
John Sorensen
Associate Head Undergraduate (Courses and Programs); Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
From Board of Governors
Lynette Magnus
Vice-Chair, Board of Governors
From Deans/Directors and senior administrative leaders
Tina Chen
Executive Lead (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion), and Distinguished Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Arts
Peter Nickerson
Vice-Provost (Health Sciences) and Dean, Rady Faculty of Health Science; Dean, Max Rady College of Medicine
From faculty
Shawn Bailey
Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture
Namita Bhatnagar
Professor and F. Ross Johnson Fellow, Department of Marketing, I.H. Asper School of Business, Faculty of Management
Afra Bolefski
Head, Library Social Sciences, Libraries
Katherine Boyer
Assistant Professor, School of Art
Robert Mizzi
Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Educational Administration, Foundations & Psychology
Kim Ominski
Professor and Head, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Leisha Strachan
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies and Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
From staff
Jeff Adams
Registrar and Executive Director of Enrolment Services
Carla Loewen
Director, Indigenous Student Centre
From students
Uche Nwankwo
Senator, UMGSA
Jaron Rykiss
President, UMSU
From senior executive team
Naomi Andrew
Vice-President (Administration)
Catherine Cook
Vice-President (Indigenous)
Mario Pinto
Vice-President (Research and International)
Vanessa Koldingnes
Vice-President (External)
Resources
Cassandra Davidson
Academic Program Specialist, Office of the Provost
Jay Gamey
Improvement Specialist, Change Management and Project Services
Randy Roller
Executive Director, Office of Institutional Analysis
Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA):
- Alex Usher
- Maica Murphy
- Janelle Curry
Other resources as needed
Building on our Strategic Plan
In imagining the path to set forward for our University, we remain committed to academic and research excellence, an accessible, inclusive and supportive environment on our campuses, and engagement and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities. We continue in our commitment to consulting with our entire UM community for strategic direction.
The University’s mission, vision, values and the current Strategic Plan Taking Our Place 2015-2020 will continue to guide us.
Our work will build on the pillars in Taking Our Place 2015-2020:
- Inspiring Minds through innovative and quality teaching
- Driving Discovery and insight through excellence in research, scholarly work and other creative activities
- Creating Pathways to Indigenous achievement
- Building Community that creates an outstanding learning and working environment
- Forging Connections to foster high impact community engagement
Our success also continues to be supported by, and build on, the success of the Front and Centre campaign and enhanced by big, bold ideas to inspire the highest levels of philanthropic support for our academic, research, and engagement mission.
The online consultation process will solicit input from our academics, students, staff, administrators, retirees, and alumni, the Board of Governors, and from the wider community on several areas of focus across the pillars of Taking Our Place.
These focus areas will bridge to a robust strategic planning process with broad community engagement, leading to the introduction of a new plan in 2023.
Taking Our Place: University of Manitoba Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020
This final report on Taking Our Place: University of Manitoba Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020 summarizes the progress made on achieving the goals and priorities set out in the original plan. It provides a broad overview of the major highlights and insights into the many ways in which UM as a whole has worked together to advance our collective priorities.
This report was prepared in the spring of 2020: COVID-19 has changed our circumstances significantly. The content in this report focuses on the period prior to the onset of the pandemic.