Dear Graduate Students of LMU,
There is something special about Loyola Marymount University. We are a community that is committed to excellence; we value scholarship and education; and as scholars, educators and mentors, we encourage the collaboration of diverse perspectives and experiences for the betterment of society. It is our collective responsibility to model and promote openness, thoughtful and intellectually grounded conversations about the type of community we aspire to be.
In October 2019, a steering committee composed of administrative, faculty, staff, student and trustee members began a yearlong process of institutional self-examination culminating in a new strategic plan for 2021-2026. Recently, this committee released a preliminary report, which includes a draft of LMU’s revised mission and vision statement and identifies a set of strategic issues that the university should focus on in the years to come.
What is the purpose of a strategic plan? It will define LMU’s core values; identify LMU’s goals for the future; pinpoint critical issues that LMU plans to address head-on; and guide the university to ensure all students thrive and succeed as well-prepared leaders who will go on to make significant and positive changes in the world. This strategic plan provides institutional clarity about who we are and who we intend to become.
We are calling upon graduate students and members of our community to read the preliminary report and reflect on the next phase of LMU’s institutional development and its ambitions for the future ahead. Our ask is for collective contemplation:
What kind of future do we envision? How can LMU best pursue its goals in the coming years?
Institutions of higher education, including LMU, have traditionally failed to provide equitable access and transparency to people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic classes. Legacies of structural racism and oppression in our society undermine institutional goals of being diverse and inclusive communities. Institutions of higher education must confront this reality and commit to transforming the very structures and practices that have contributed to the exclusion of members of our community.
We invite all graduate students to join us on Oct. 1, 2020 at 5 p.m. PDT via Zoom to engage in meaningful discussion about the future of LMU with Dean of Students, Dr. Terri Mangione. This dialogue will help identify a common ground and uniting goals that may be the pillars of LMU’s new strategic plan. LMU’s success depends on the combined contributions of every member of our community. Please RSVP here to join this important conversation!
Sincerely,
GSLMU Executive Board 2020-21
Gabrielle Szlachta-McGinn, President
Taina Rodriguez-Berardi, Vice President
Kristen Lester, Chief Communications Officer
