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September 28, 2009
Framing principles sharpen focus

To support the plan’s overall goals more effectively, four framing principles — strategic collaborations, internationalization, societal impact and creativity: art and innovation — will be incorporated by all themes, initiatives, schools and units in implementing their individual strategic plans.

“These framing principles go to the heart of Emory’s vision statement — to work collaboratively for positive transformation in the world, within an inquiry-driven, ethically-engaged and diverse community,” says Earl Lewis, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

How each principle has been clarified for greater authority in guiding the work of Emory’s strategic plan is outlined below:

Societal Impact
When faculty focus groups laid the groundwork for the strategic plan in 2004–05, one of the imperatives arising from those discussions was that Emory should continue its legacy of bringing scholarship to bear on society — in the words of the Emory vision, “to work for positive transformation in the world.” Initially that imperative took shape as a proposed Institute for Advanced Policy Solutions that would cut across all schools and disciplines. Rather than create a new office or institute, however, it has seemed wiser to emphasize simply that all of Emory’s initiatives must consider policy matters; must generate published and widely-cited scholarly work; and must demonstrate what Emory’s vision statement calls “leadership in... social action.”

Internationalization
Under the former rubric of “Internationalization Plan and Initiatives,” this principle suggested less of an umbrella for all of the strategic plan and more of a distinct, separate initiative. In fact, Emory’s strategic plan pushes every part of the University toward that vision statement of being “internationally recognized,” and therefore the international dimensions of Emory’s community should be manifested in every new initiative. This principle thus guides community members to ask the question, “In what way does my proposed initiative bring the world to Emory or take Emory into the world more emphatically?”

Creativity: Art & Innovation
The word “poetry” derives from the Greek word that means “making.” The human being is a “making” animal, a “poetic” animal. Thus, human inventiveness, ingenuity and “poetry,” or “making,” can be viewed as ranging across many more endeavors than those typically thought of as “the arts.” The framing principle formerly referred to as “Creativity and the Arts” therefore has been recast in order to suggest the reality of Emory’s creative university community, where innovation occurs in archival research, in laboratory techniques, in classroom teaching, and in other activities that enhance Emory’s culture as it is broadly defined. The strategic plan asks the Emory community to consider how its initiatives manifest creativity or innovation, whether in the arts, the sciences, the humanities, administration or service.

Strategic Collaborations
As a community “working collaboratively” in countless ways, Emory faculty, staff, students and alumni accomplish their goals through partnerships both internal and external. For decades, important discovery and learning have been nurtured within the Emory community through interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching. Beyond campus, key linkages both locally and internationally have guided and empowered Emory’s work. Moving forward, Emory will measure its progress in various initiatives by the degree to which they engage in and are informed by such collaborations.