Podcasts about advancing equity

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed, Dr. Sonia Lewis, is the CEO of award-winning business The Student Loan Doctor LLC. She is considered the people's expert on all matters related to student loan debt repayment. She has over 14 years of practical higher education and financial aid experience.   Dr. Lewis is an expert speaker across all audiences, regardless of age. She has been invited to share her expertise in written work, conferences, or live media: CNN, The White House Briefing on Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color, Black Enterprise, SALON Magazine, RT America, Essence Magazine, KYW News Radio 1060 AM, Fox 29, The BET Network, Money Magazine, Forbes, Investfest (EYL) and a host of other notable platforms across the nation. Sonia is also a 3-time self-published author. Company Description *The Student Loan Doctor LLC has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. The City of Philadelphia has also awarded us two citations for our business's impact on the Philadelphia community. The company was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and provide assistance in making a tangible plan for repayment. The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. Talking Points/Questions *1.    Student Loan Forgiveness and the Election: How the current administration's policies are shaping forgiveness programs and what borrowers can expect from candidates in the upcoming election.2.    Financial Freedom and Student Loans: Why student loan debt is a major obstacle to financial milestones like homeownership and investing, and how to navigate debt to move towards true financial freedom.3.    Staying in Good Standing: Why keeping your loans in good standing is critical for personal and financial health, and actionable steps borrowers can take today to avoid penalties and default.4.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC, founded in 2016, has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. 5.    The City of Philadelphia has also given the business two citations for its impact on the Philadelphia community. 6.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and assist them in making a tangible repayment plan. 7.    The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. #STRAW #BEST #SHMS  Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed, Dr. Sonia Lewis, is the CEO of award-winning business The Student Loan Doctor LLC. She is considered the people's expert on all matters related to student loan debt repayment. She has over 14 years of practical higher education and financial aid experience.   Dr. Lewis is an expert speaker across all audiences, regardless of age. She has been invited to share her expertise in written work, conferences, or live media: CNN, The White House Briefing on Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color, Black Enterprise, SALON Magazine, RT America, Essence Magazine, KYW News Radio 1060 AM, Fox 29, The BET Network, Money Magazine, Forbes, Investfest (EYL) and a host of other notable platforms across the nation. Sonia is also a 3-time self-published author. Company Description *The Student Loan Doctor LLC has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. The City of Philadelphia has also awarded us two citations for our business's impact on the Philadelphia community. The company was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and provide assistance in making a tangible plan for repayment. The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. Talking Points/Questions *1.    Student Loan Forgiveness and the Election: How the current administration's policies are shaping forgiveness programs and what borrowers can expect from candidates in the upcoming election.2.    Financial Freedom and Student Loans: Why student loan debt is a major obstacle to financial milestones like homeownership and investing, and how to navigate debt to move towards true financial freedom.3.    Staying in Good Standing: Why keeping your loans in good standing is critical for personal and financial health, and actionable steps borrowers can take today to avoid penalties and default.4.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC, founded in 2016, has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. 5.    The City of Philadelphia has also given the business two citations for its impact on the Philadelphia community. 6.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and assist them in making a tangible repayment plan. 7.    The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. #STRAW #BEST #SHMS  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed, Dr. Sonia Lewis, is the CEO of award-winning business The Student Loan Doctor LLC. She is considered the people's expert on all matters related to student loan debt repayment. She has over 14 years of practical higher education and financial aid experience.   Dr. Lewis is an expert speaker across all audiences, regardless of age. She has been invited to share her expertise in written work, conferences, or live media: CNN, The White House Briefing on Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color, Black Enterprise, SALON Magazine, RT America, Essence Magazine, KYW News Radio 1060 AM, Fox 29, The BET Network, Money Magazine, Forbes, Investfest (EYL) and a host of other notable platforms across the nation. Sonia is also a 3-time self-published author. Company Description *The Student Loan Doctor LLC has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. The City of Philadelphia has also awarded us two citations for our business's impact on the Philadelphia community. The company was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and provide assistance in making a tangible plan for repayment. The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. Talking Points/Questions *1.    Student Loan Forgiveness and the Election: How the current administration's policies are shaping forgiveness programs and what borrowers can expect from candidates in the upcoming election.2.    Financial Freedom and Student Loans: Why student loan debt is a major obstacle to financial milestones like homeownership and investing, and how to navigate debt to move towards true financial freedom.3.    Staying in Good Standing: Why keeping your loans in good standing is critical for personal and financial health, and actionable steps borrowers can take today to avoid penalties and default.4.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC, founded in 2016, has been recognized as the first African American and woman-owned student loan repayment company in the country. 5.    The City of Philadelphia has also given the business two citations for its impact on the Philadelphia community. 6.    The Student Loan Doctor LLC was designed to educate others about their student loan debt and assist them in making a tangible repayment plan. 7.    The social impact goal of the business is to help a generation of borrowers become free of debt to promote social mobility and wealth building. #STRAW #BEST #SHMS  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the All4Ed Flash, where we are cutting through the noise to bring you the latest in education policy news. In this episode, we are discussing college and career pathways and a new report that All4Ed co-authored with Ed Trust titled ‘A Vision for Equitable Pathways: Enhancing Support and Innovation in College and Career Counseling.' All4Ed Website: https://all4ed.org Twitter: @All4Ed Instagram: @All4Ed Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/all4ed

Without proactively removing the structures and systems that have contributed to inequity, place-based collaboratives can not make a meaningful impact on the lives of those most excluded and underestimated in communities. However, given the increasing anti-DEI political and cultural headwinds unfolding in the US and several other countries, communities are facing increased challenges pursuing their equity work.To explore this topic, we share an audio recording from the Day 3 opening panel discussion at the 2024 Collective Impact Action Summit. The panel discusses the challenges collaboratives are facing in their work to advance equity and how collaboratives can navigate through this adversity to continue making progress towards their collective goals. This session was originally held on May 2, 2024.Featuring:Jennifer Splansky Juster, Executive Director, Collective Impact ForumMonique Miles, Managing Director, Aspen Institute Forum for Community SolutionsPaul Schmitz, Senior Advisor, Collective Impact ForumJunious Williams, Senior Advisor, Collective Impact ForumResources and FootnotesAspen Institute Forum for Community SolutionsLeading Inside OutJunious Williams Consulting, Inc.Targeted UniversalismCentering Equity in Collective ImpactRacial Equity ToolkitCIAS 2024 Keynote 2: Power Building, Trust, and Relationships: Supporting Movement Beyond Moments of Reckoning'More on Collective ImpactInfographic: What is Collective Impact?Resource List: Getting Started in Collective ImpactThe Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0.The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Across their roles in designing, engineering and maintaining towering skyscrapers and intricate infrastructure, women have long been key contributors to the built environment. Dr Michele Kruger, Chair of SJ's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Council, examines the intricate web of challenges that women face in the industry and explores strategies to dismantle them. This podcast is brought to you by SJ.

Stanfort J. Perry has more than 30 years of progressive leadership experience promoting the health, independence, and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Perry currently serves as CEO of AHRC Nassau, Brookville Center for Children's Services, and Citizens Options Unlimited – one of the largest disability services networks in the United States. Under Perry's leadership, AHRC Nassau and Citizens Options Unlimited have been recognized as two of four agencies with Compass designation from New York State. AHRC Nassau was also named by Forbes as one of “America's Best-in-State Employers.”    https://www.ahrc.org/ Don't forget to follow or subscribe to The Heart of Giving Podcast and leave a comment on iTunes. Follow us on Instagram @bbbwisegive and on X @wisegiving. 

MSU Strategic Plan 2030: Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity and Expanding Impact identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery; creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact; sustainable health; stewardship and sustainability; and diverse, equity, and inclusion. On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact theme of the plan.  Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Bill Beekman talks with Vice President for Research and Innovation Douglas Gage about progress on implementation of the theme. Conversation Highlights: (1:22) – Why is research important to MSU? (3:00) – What are some examples of MSU research that can and does impact citizens' lives? (10:05) – How are we measuring progress on our goal of achieving $1 billion in research expenditures by 2030? (12:25) – What is the Global Impact Initiative and how has it helped drive our research success? (16:23) – What is the process from newly minted PhD to funded researcher? (21:38) – You're a researcher yourself. How did plant biochemistry become your career passion? (26:46) – How do you spend your limited free time? Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

In this episode, EALA talks with Dr. Jacquie Horgan, the VP of Education at Full STEAM Forward, a non-profit organization that provides free, after-school STEAM programming to young girls of color from underserved communities. Listen in as they discuss how Full STEAM Forward is using UDL to reach all learners, and how they are advancing equity in education by inspiring girls to love science. To learn more, visit fullsteamforward.org  For the full transcript go to: bit.ly/5MinsWithFullSteamForward 

Last year, ADCES received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toward work aimed at advancing access to diabetes education and prevention resources for those in underserved communities. In anticipation of updates on progress made thus far at this year's upcoming annual meeting, we're resharing a previous episode of The Huddle in which Angela Forfia from ADCES and Sarah Ann Piper from Emory Centers explained how this will come to life over the next 5 years. Listen to more episodes of The Huddle at adces.org/perspectives/the-huddle-podcast.Learn more about ADCES and the many benefits of membership at adces.org/join.

For almost twenty years, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program has convened local and national academies that bring together senior leaders from across the workforce ecosystem to learn together about increasing economic opportunity for all. In this conversation facilitated by EOP Senior Fellow Dee Wallace, we hear from Clair Minson, the founder and principal consultant at Sandra Grace LLC, co-director of Workforce Matters, and a 2015 alumna of the Weinberg Sector Skills Academy in Baltimore. The interview delves into the critical intersections of workforce development and racial equity. Minson shares insights on systemic change, racial equity, and the evolution of leadership within the workforce development field. Through candid reflections, Minson offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities for advancing equity in the workforce. Visit our website for key lessons and takeaways from this discussion: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/workforce-leadership-profile-advancing-equity-through-workforce-development-with-clair-minson/ Or subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch the whole discussion there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95bPOtrNyRo

Join Lisa Brown Alexander as she chats with Sheri Chaney Jones, Founder & CEO of SureImpact, about attracting “rockstar talent,” fostering a mission-driven culture and CEO self-care. Delving further, they explore how to leverage AI for efficiency in a way that amplifies the role of the human element. This conversation illuminates the transformative power of data, empathy, and connection in shaping a more impactful and inclusive future for organizations and companies alike. In this episode, you'll hear: Why data is one of the most powerful tool for nonprofits to tell their story How AI will allow nonprofits to increase efficiencies for team members to focus more on human-oriented tasks The importance of the equity lens within SureImpact's product to uncover and address inequities with data Why the key to a diverse and inclusive workforce starts with the talent pipeline How “empathy” functions as one of the company's core values  About SureImpact SureImpact is the only technology solution specifically designed for all members of the social-good sector. Our proven collaborative infrastructure combines case management, impact measurement, and reporting to enhance your organization's delivery of mission-critical services, engage your communities, attract new sources of funding, and increase trust with existing funders. By demonstrating the degree to which you are changing the world, funders and other stakeholders will become more invested in your cause than ever before. Learn more about SureImpact.  About Sheri For more than 20 years, Sheri Chaney Jones has applied performance management, evaluation, and organization behavior best practices to non-profit organizations and government agencies to improve outcomes and efficiencies. An author, professor, and internationally recognized expert, Sheri believes in data, metrics, and accountability. Read Sheri's full bio. About Lisa Driven to serve the often-overlooked people management needs for the social impact sector, Lisa set out to build a market where one didn't exist. She founded Nonprofit HR, the leading talent management firm in the country that works exclusively with the nonprofit sector. Read Lisa's full bio. About Switch The Switch offers access to Nonprofit HR's talent management knowledge presented by our expert consultants, media partners, and guests from across the social impact sector. For over 20 years, Nonprofit HR has produced content that illuminates critical, timely and insightful knowledge for leaders of social impact organizations. Insights from this podcast shine light on the full talent management lifecycle, from employee attraction to organizational culture, engagement, performance management and retention.

Welcome to Talking to Grandma, a weekly podcast that elevates stories, science, and strategies to help you raise and teach multilingual and bilingual children. Hosted by Dr. Veronica Benavides, founder and CEO of Bilingual Generation, an organization that helps children with bilingualism in their bones stay connected to their heritage languages and cultures. In today's episode, we speak with the insightful, witty, and humble Conor P. Williams. In our conversation, he shares his research on expanding equitable and multilingual learning opportunities for young, linguistically diverse children in the United States.  Listen to hear us discuss the colonization of dual language programs and the importance of equity and access in these spaces.  Check out these articles: The Intrusion of White Families Into Bilingual Schools Ensuring Equitable Access to Dual-Language Immersion Programs: Supporting English Learners' Emerging Bilingualism

This week on MissionCTRL, Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire joined Ramon and the PD Flight Crew to share what she's been up to at Higher Heights since making the leap to being its full time Executive Director.. On Saturday, March 23, from 9:00 am to 11:30 am, Higher Heights will host an ⁠Educational Summit ⁠ at the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven.  In 2003, Dr. Felder-McEntire started Higher Heights as a social side hustle while working as a school counselor. The mission of Higher Heights Youth Empowerment Programs, Inc. is to change the lives of under-represented college-bound students by empowering, encouraging, and equipping them to obtain a post-secondary education. Chaka started her college career with ambitions of becoming an interior designer. However, after just a week, she realized it wasn't a good fit, so she recalibrated and charted a course more aligned with her purpose and passion. Dr. Felder-McEntire is a 20+ year educational administrator with expertise in leadership, diversity and equity, school counseling, and college & career readiness. Born and raised in Harlem, Chaka's dad was an NYC Police Officer, her mother was an NYC Public school teacher, and her grandmother was a social worker who worked with Percy Sutton and Shirley Chisholm.  Tune in to hear how Dr. Felder-McEntire turned her social side hustle, with an astounding 100% high school graduation rate and 95% college enrollment rate, into her main mission. Before launching into Chaka's story, Ramon and the PD Flight Crew cover UCONN Basketball, Caitlin Clark's history-making season, and the backlash over Wendy's surge pricing. . . . Find Mission CTRL on Anchor, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and our website. Mission CTRL aims to ignite the innovative spirit inside us all through providing budding and successful entrepreneurs and community leaders with a platform to share their stories and inspire others. Tune in every Wednesday and catch up with the team at Peralta Design as we unleash the origin stories behind some exceptional leaders, share marketing/branding insights, and navigate the ever-changing currents of pop culture. Subscribe for weekly branding and entrepreneurial content here!  To learn more about Peralta Design's work visit peraltadesign.com. #welaunchbrands #digitalagency #mbeagency #mbe #digital #branding #marketing #web #startups #creative #BrandU #w2 #fulltime #leadership #contentcreator #contentstrategy #marketingstrategy #entrepreneurs #business #launchyourbrand

White Men's Needs and Role in Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Join hosts Dr. Sheryl White and Dr. Undraye Howard as they explore some of the needs White Men may have and roles they could play to help advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. Special guests joining the conversation are Ronald (Ron) Clewer, Illinois Market President for Gorman & Company; Matt Fitzgerald, Senior Pastor, Saint Paul United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL; and John Everett Till, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Family Partnership in Minnesota. Tune in to Leadership Matters. Informing leaders. Inspiring Solutions!

White Men's Needs and Role in Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Join hosts Dr. Sheryl White and Dr. Undraye Howard as they explore some of the needs White Men may have and roles they could play to help advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. Special guests joining the conversation are Ronald (Ron) Clewer, Illinois Market President for Gorman & Company; Matt Fitzgerald, Senior Pastor, Saint Paul United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL; and John Everett Till, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Family Partnership in Minnesota. Tune in to Leadership Matters. Informing leaders. Inspiring Solutions!

California's Local Control Funding Formula or LCFF took a major step towards advancing equity.  But as LCFF was coming into existence 10 years ago, education and community leaders in the state's largest school district, Los Angeles Unified, recognized this new formula might not go far enough in helping to address deeply rooted inequities within its student population.  Through a unique partnership between the local community and school district, the groundbreaking Student Equity Need Index (SENI) was born. In 2024, the SENI turns ten. It's an example of a powerful partnership between students, parents, community advocates and school district leaders to drive resource equity. SENI is a research-based index that uses comprehensive academic and community-based indicators to rank schools from highest to lowest according to student need. With these rankings, LAUSD can more accurately understand the needs of its schools and equitably distribute funds to address them.  In many ways, the SENI is a more robust precursor to the state's new Equity Multiplier,  adopted in the 2023 Budget Act, which will target some additional funding directly to schools.In this episode, Pedro Salcido, Deputy Superintendent of Business Services and Operations for Los Angeles Unified School District, and Jessenia Reyes, Associate Director of K-12 Policy for the Equity Team at Catalyst California, take us deep inside the SENI.  They share with host Jason Willis how SENI was developed and how it evolved, the impact it has had to date, and how the district and community groups worked together and through some difficult tensions to build the system. While the SENI originated in California's largest school district, it's an exciting homegrown model that districts around the state can learn from and potentially customize to better address their communities' unique needs.About Our GuestsJessenia Reyes is the Associate Director of K-12 Policy at Catalyst California, a systems change nonprofit organization, and part of the Equity Alliance for L.A.'s Kids that includes Community Coalition in South LA, Inner-City Struggle in East LA, and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, which advocated for the SENI.Pedro Salcido is the Deputy Superintendent of Business Services and Operations for Los Angeles USD, the state's largest school district and the second-largest in the nation.  Prior to his current role, Pedro served as Chief of Staff managing all District academic and nonacademic operations, activities and  initiatives, as well as serving as the Superintendent's principal liaison to the Board of Education. Among many other roles and accomplishments, he served as the leading staff member who developed and implemented the District's SENI, an equity-based funding allocation that today has grown to distribute nearly $700 million to the neediest schools in the district..LinksCatalyst California SENI page LAUSD SENI pageBudgeting for Educational Equity podcast is presented by CASBO and WestEd. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for additional support. Our series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Music and editing  by Tommy Dunbar. Alyssa Perez and Hannah Jarmolowski at WestEd provide research and develop written briefs that go along with many episodes.

Episode 3 of Season 11 features Grace Frances . With over 20 years at the frontlines of social change, Grace serves as the Director of Community Partnerships at End Violence Against Women International, where she has forged impactful programs like the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Virtual Practicum. Holding a Master's in Public Administration, she is a relentless advocate for rights, justice, and equity and a more sustainable world. Why You Should Tune In: Gain career wisdom from a seasoned advocate who has navigated the complex landscape of social justice and policy change. Learn actionable strategies for making a meaningful impact in your career, from entry-level roles to leadership positions. Discover how to build and sustain community partnerships that are the cornerstone of effective change. In This Episode, We'll Dive Into: 1. Career Wisdom in Advocacy: Grace will share her insights on building a fulfilling career in social justice and advocacy. 2. Innovative Programs for Change: Understand the behind-the-scenes work that goes into forgingpioneering initiatives like the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Virtual Practicum. 3. Navigating the Advocacy Ecosystem: Grace will discuss how to work effectively across sectors, including law enforcement and community organizations, to create a more equitable world. 4. Working on Complex Challenges and Driving Policy Change: Learn how to tackle intricate issues and influence policy to make a lasting impact. 5. Sustaining Work and Wellbeing: Grace will offer tips on how to maintain your passion and wellbeing in the often long, hard slog of changemaking. Don't miss this episode packed with career-focused insights and actionable tips to elevate your impact! PCDN.global News Check out previous Seasons & Episodes of our Award-Winning Social Change Career Podcast. Become a member of the PCDN Career Campus to get daily access (to job opportunities) community (network with other impact professionals); learning with sector-experts and exclusive workshops as well as weekly office hours. Basically a cup of coffee or two for a 24/7 career center for impact professionals.

With so many clinical innovations abound, it's easy to get excited about groundbreaking drugs, consumer technologies and even possible cures for rare diseases. However, the industry must recognize its own limitations in order to make these advancements accessible and equitable. At the end of August, hundreds of healthcare leaders gathered at Advisory Board's Clinical Innovation Summit in Minneapolis to learn about the implications of the transformation of patient care across the industry. The Radio Advisory team orchestrated a live podcast recording with thought leaders across the industry to talk about embedding equity in innovation. In this special live episode of Radio Advisory, host Rachel (Rae) Woods invites Maia Laing, SVP of Health Equity for UnitedHealth Group, and Michael Mejia, Advisory Board's director of life sciences research, to discuss how leaders can think about deploying, designing, and financing clinical innovations in an equitable way. Throughout the conversation, they discuss how payers and providers – not just life sciences – can rethink their practices to ensure advancements in innovation are shared equitably. Links: Dive into topics like AI and weight management drugs at Advisory Board's Virtual Clinical Innovation Summit, coming up on October 4-5. Learn more and register. 7 trends shaping life sciences strategies in 2023 Health Equity landing page Learn more about Advisory Board Summits Need a quick answer to a healthcare question? Ask Advisory! Whether it's about where the market is headed, or how to navigate our website our team of experts are just a call or email away. Visit ask.advisory.com or email ask@advisory.com to learn more. Advisory Board is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. All Advisory Board research, expert perspectives, and recommendations remain independent.

Episode Summary:Angela Forfia from ADCES and Sarah Ann Piper from Emory Centers joined us live at ADCES23 to talk about an exciting new partnership on a grant offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grant will focus on advancing access to diabetes education and prevention resources for those in underserved communities. Hear as Angela and Sarah explain how this will come to life over the next 5 years.Resources:Learn more about the MATCH grant and ADCES's role here: Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists to participate in $50 million cooperative agreement to expand diabetes prevention efforts. (diabeteseducator.org)Learn more about Emory Centers here: Home - Emory Centers for Public Health Training and Technical Assistance

Claudia Romo Edelman is the Founder of We Are All Human, a foundation that brings people together to rediscover our common humanity by advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. Claudia shares her personal story and life-long mission to increase visibility of the Hispanic community with host Anjelica Cazares. Claudia has over 25 years of experience as a social entrepreneur and marketer for social causes and has blazed new paths to advance equity for the Hispanic community in the US. Tune in to hear her inspiring story as we kick off Hispanic Heritage Month! To learn more, visit us at latinaleadershippodcast.com

NEVI is one of the first Justice40-covered programs to be implemented nationally, and we now have a chance to avoid repeating harmful transportation investments in underserved communities. Through conversations with stakeholders and a comprehensive review of initial state NEVI plans, we'll hear from EV equity advocates Rachel Patterson from Evergreen and Moe Khatib from Atlas Public Policy on how states can lead on equitable charging deployment centering disadvantaged communities.

White Men's Needs and Role in Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Join hosts Dr. Sheryl White and Dr. Undraye Howard as they explore some of the needs White Men may have and roles they could play to help advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. Special guests joining the conversation are Ronald (Ron) Clewer, Illinois Market President for Gorman & Company, and John Everett Till, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Family Partnership in Minnesota. Tune in to Leadership Matters. Informing leaders. Inspiring Solutions!

White Men's Needs and Role in Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Join hosts Dr. Sheryl White and Dr. Undraye Howard as they explore some of the needs White Men may have and roles they could play to help advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. Special guests joining the conversation are Ronald (Ron) Clewer, Illinois Market President for Gorman & Company, and John Everett Till, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Family Partnership in Minnesota. Tune in to Leadership Matters. Informing leaders. Inspiring Solutions!

Listen in as Sharon (President and CEO, Yakima Valley Community Foundation) and Brenda (CEO Headwaters Foundation of Montana) share how they've worked with their boards and staff to transform their organizational cultures and center racial equity amid rural, politically conservative environments.  Along the way, Brenda shares the complexities of doing this work as a Brown woman in a conservative state, Sharon normalizes emotion and heart in the workplace, and together they emphasize that it's not only okay to be completely human, but also necessary to move this work forward.

“The Race Cards” is an interactive resource kit and activity designed for small groups. Working to end racism so that everyone thrives requires some uncomfortable conversations to be facilitated, because too often discussions about race either stay at the surface level or happen only among audiences steeped in knowledge about sociology, history, systemic racism, and privilege. The Race Cards create a safe space for an honest, authentic discussion in a way that is accessible to everyone. Dr. Kimberly Allen is the inaugural CEO of 904WARD. Her organization evolved the Jacksonville 904 dialing code into a new nonprofit whose mission is to create racial healing and equity through deep conversations and learning, trusting relationships, and collective action. Episode host Sarah Hohman invites Dr. Kimberly Allen and 904 resident Sharon LaSure-Roy to reflect on the practical application of The Race Cards and report on their use in a workshop at the Movement is Life annual caucus. Link to 904WARD resource page: https://904ward.org/racecards/  Copyright © Movement is Life 2023. All opinions expressed are the participants own. 

CMS replaced the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model with the redesigned ACO Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH) Model in 2023. ACO REACH is the first accountable care model to directly address health equity and access to care, with a specific directive to meet the needs of patients from marginalized and underserved communities.    Whether you are participating in ACO REACH, the model provides vital insights into the future of value-based care and care collaboration. This panel will discuss the incentives and requirements laid out by the new ACO REACH model and how organizations can develop action plans to identify differences or disparities in their members' health status.   Panelists: Gary Jacobs, Executive Director, Center for Government Relations and Public Policy, VillageMD; Kate Casaday, MPH, Director of Market Operations, CareMount Health Solutions; Ashley Perry, MPH, Chief Solutions Officer, Socially Determined   Bios: https://www.sharedpurposeconnect.com/events/aco-reach-advancing-equity-and-optimizing-performance/   This episode is sponsored by Socially Determined Socially Determined is leading the transformation of healthcare delivery and payment through social risk analytics and solutions. Our SocialScapeⓇ SaaS platform, data and industry-leading expertise empower health systems, plans and other risk-bearing organizations to manage risk better, improve outcomes and advance equity at scale. Recently named by Fierce Healthcare as one of the 15 most promising healthcare companies, Socially Determined is headquartered in Washington, DC. Visit the website at www.sociallydetermined.com.

For the final episode of 2022, we continue our annual tradition of inviting guests to reflect on Mathematica's work with its partners in advancing equity, addressing the climate crisis, improving public well-being, and the role that evidence played in it. This year's guests are Nancy Murray, Jill Constantine, and Chris Trenholm, who oversee Mathematica's International, Human Services, and Health business units, respectively. On the episode, they discuss the following topics: • Where they see signs of progress in the use of evidence • The increasingly important role of evidence in understanding and addressing inequities • Reasons to be optimistic about the growing use of evidence in improving people's lives in 2023 A full transcript of the episode is available here: mathematica.org/blogs/advancing-equity-and-addressing-the-climate-crisis-in-2022-the-year-of-evidence-for-action

This episode features a conversation with Nate Mazzuca, Director of Training and Development for Career Path Services, as he provides an overview of the organization's REDI (Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) team. Discover the impetus behind the creation of the team and some of the feedback so far about the REDI team. Nate also shares his thoughts about the vision for the team moving forward.     

Dr. Deborah H.C. Gin invites us to explore how we, as women leaders, can use data to our advantage to shed light in unknown places. She names specific challenges women of color in leadership positions face, names the -isms women are subject to, and lists practical strategies to address them.ResourcesATS Research & Data: https://www.ats.edu/ATS-Research-Staff-Deborah-H-C-GinArticle from AAWOL, written by Dr. Gin: When Self-Denial is Beautiful--Host: ISAAC // @isaacfellowship // www.isaacweb.orgCo-host / Sound Producer: Joana ChoiMusic: Paul ChoiDisclaimer: The views, actions, and affiliations of guests invited to this podcast do not always reflect ISAAC'S official stances; they belong to the guests. This podcast is a platform for voices to be shared and perspectives to be discussed.

With professional training as an engineer and in organizational behavior, Dr. Greer Jordan shares how she has navigated approaching equity, inclusion and belonging work from a systems approach, always seeking to understand how people best function together.  Dr. Jordan also explains why we must remember that we are mutually dependent upon one another – and that we may not always agree, but it's critical to work together to create a more inclusive world for all.  Highlights:  04:56 For some reason, I was a person who observed: What's the impact of the environment on people's behavior? We have our individual locus of control, of course, but we also have our context.  07:22 I was never an advocate for making diversity training mandatory because it's a developmental thing people need to do.  11:58 If you don't have that psychological well-being, if you don't feel safe in your environment, it's kind of hard to extend yourself to other people, frankly. You're in survival mode. 15:39 I know it sounds simple, but you need to talk with people and get to a certain point in a relationship with people where they are really telling you and really talking about what the actual need is, not what people's wants are. 22:32 If we don't agree that we need to coexist or that we're mutually dependent, it's hard even to get into the conversation in the first place.  Connect with Tammy Belton-Davis https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammybeltondavis/ (LinkedIn) Connect with Dr. Greer Jordan  https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-greer-jordan-ph-d-mba-5709625/ (LinkedIn) https://www.mcw.edu/departments/office-of-diversity-and-inclusion/people/c-greer-jordan-mba-phd (website)

Dr. Cardinale Smith, of the Mt. Sinai Health System, and Dr. Stephanie Wheeler, of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, discuss key research featured at the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium, including practical solutions to advance equity, new trends in cancer care delivery, and novel approaches in palliative and supportive care.   TRANSCRIPT Dr. Cardinale Smith: Welcome to the ASCO Daily News podcast. I'm Dr. Cardinale Smith, a professor in the division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and the chair-elect of the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. I'm your guest host today and delighted to welcome the chair of the Symposium, Dr. Stephanie Wheeler. Dr. Wheeler is a professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management and associate director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the University of North Carolina Leinberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. We'll be discussing practical solutions and key research to advance equity and quality in cancer care, new trends in cancer care in the home and local community, novel approaches in palliative and supportive care, and other key takeaways from the meeting. Our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode, and disclosures relating to all episodes of the ASCO Daily News podcast are available on our transcripts at: asco.org/podcasts. Dr. Wheeler, it's great to be speaking with you today. Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Thank you, Dr. Smith. I'm excited to be here. Dr. Cardinale Smith: Well, I'm super excited that I just got to see you, and it was fantastic that we had a hybrid event that really allowed our participants to meet in person and allowed folks who couldn't be in person to participate virtually. Cancer health equity was a major theme this year with sessions that explored how to incorporate equity into our work. Can you highlight a few takeaways for us? Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Absolutely. And yes, it was such a delight to see you in person. And I'll just note that at this 10th anniversary of the Quality Care Symposium, we had record attendance - over 700 participants. So, I was really excited to have that level of engagement in this meeting. So, you know that as a planning committee, we really prioritized centering equity in our content this year, and I think it was reflected in every session at the meeting. Our very first educational session featured Drs. Chanita Hughes Halbert, Meera Vimala Ragavan, Victoria Blinder, and Sam Cykert, as well as community advocate, Terrence Muhammad, from the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative. Together, they provided important foundational and conceptual context to really set the stage for the rest of the meeting. Most importantly, they discussed specific evidence-based interventions designed to improve racial, socioeconomic, and rural health equity. These included the Accure Realtime Health Alerts Intervention with Navigation and Bias Training and Financial Hardship screening. Later in the meeting, we heard from Dr. Joannie Ivory presenting Abstract 68, who shared that we really need to take our trials where minoritized and historically disadvantaged populations live. In that study, geographic areas with greater numbers of black residents did a better job recruiting black participants to clinical trials, and the trial itself built in structural factors designed to ensure that at least 30% black participants were accrued. I also want to shine a light on the wonderful abstracts that were presented by Drs. Qasim Hussaini and Qinjin Fan, Abstract 69 and 3, which focused on association between historical housing discrimination and modern-day mortgage discrimination in colon and lung cancer treatments and outcomes respectively. I think this work just further underscores that racism is structural and societal and that we need to be paying attention to not only how we deliver oncology care, but policy in the banking world, the housing world, education, transportation infrastructure, and so much more, if we're serious about undoing disparities in cancer. Dr. Cardinale Smith: Yeah, and I'm probably biased since I had a role in planning this meeting. I definitely appreciate the focus on not just calling out these issues, but really thinking about how we start implementing interventions to really overcome them. Thank you for that really wonderful summary. The symposium also featured many trends in quality care, such as patient-reported outcomes measurement to monitor quality and patients' experiences. What are the sessions and abstracts that you think will give our listeners new ideas about how to integrate patient-reported outcomes into real-world settings? Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Well, as you know, this continues to be an ongoing theme of the ASCO Quality Symposium. And I was really particularly encouraged this year that the focus was on implementation of PRO monitoring in real-world settings. So, just to highlight a few of the sessions that stood out to me were, dual abstracts 243 and 242 that were presented by Drs. Sandra Wong and Jessica Bian, showing symptom-reporting implementation in the medical oncology space, as well as the surgical oncology space, participating in the eSyM study at multiple cancer centers. In addition, we had an educational session that followed in which Drs. William Dale, Manali Patel and Sarah Hawley, presented work describing their efforts to implement geriatric assessment, multimodal symptom-control monitoring interventions in racially diverse populations, and a prostate cancer symptom-focused self-management intervention respectively. Then towards the end of the meeting, we also heard from Mike Hassett, presenting Abstract 241, who talked about differences in web versus mobile devices for ePRO reporting, and how those can really elicit different types of symptoms that are reported by different types of patients. We know that the digital divide is real in America, and so as we think about how to get patients to report their symptoms in meaningful, actionable ways in real-time, we have to be mindful of the modalities in which we're eliciting those symptoms. So, it's clear to me that the discussion has really moved beyond why we need to monitor patient-reported outcomes. I think Ethan Basch's work and others has really demonstrated that clearly to how best we can optimize it for patients' benefits while working within the constraints of existing EHRs and workflows, and of course, the constraints of our Wi-Fi connectivity in rural communities. Let me ask you a question. How about that? So, the palliative care abstract track was a new feature this year, and I was really excited about it. And I'd really love to know from your perspective as a specialist in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, how do new approaches that are going to be important in oncology best meet the needs of our patients? And how did this year's session content advance that field directly? Dr. Cardinale Smith: In addition to the implementation of patient-reported outcomes, which you spoke about, which I think is really incredibly critical, especially because we know that the data suggests that that's also associated with not only improvement of quality of life, but also survival. I was really excited to help moderate a session along with Dr. Shanthi Sivendran on the panel focused around advanced care planning, and really thinking about, "Is it time for a change?" And so, on that panel with us, were experts leading advanced care planning, Drs. Alcorn, Hickman, Montgomery, Paladino, and Rhodes. And really the topic of the conversation centered on changing the frame of thinking away from focusing just on documentation, but more about the conversation itself, and the focus on goal-concordant care, and how do we align goals and values with the cares received, and how do we talk about that? We also talked about how we align that with measurement. So, as we move towards value-based care in Oncology, how do we have better outcome measurements to capture impact? Like recently approved measures in the palliative care space of being seen and heard that was discussed. And shifting gears a little bit, we heard in an oral abstract presentation number 300 by Dr. Riaz, talking about outcomes of hospitalized patients with solid cancers receiving immunotherapy. We know that that is a group who are often receiving treatment closer to the end of their life in the hospital setting, and we don't have lots of data about how successful those treatments are. And what that data demonstrated among 159 patients over four academic medical centers, is that about approximately 30% of them who received inpatient immunotherapy actually died in the hospital. And so, I think that has really important implications as we think about the quality of life for these patients, as we also think about those quality metrics that we have to be adherent to. Continuing to think about how that impacts financial stressors for patients. You know, financial toxicity is a recurring theme at many of our ASCO meetings, and at this Quality meeting, we had a session that featured a multi-layered approach to financial toxicity solutions. Can you tell us about some of the key features of this approach? Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Of course. Yeah. This was a wonderful session. I just have to note that the session on advanced care planning, one of the things that I really loved about that, before I talk about financial toxicity, was that the roundtable focus of that session, that particular modality, I think, just lent itself so well to the type of discussion that we were having, and it just felt very interactive. We had lots of great input from the audience, and I've continued to hear, since the meeting, that people really appreciated that. And I have to attribute your leadership there to thinking carefully about how to do that session. So, we should think about that more in the future as well. Turning to financial toxicity, this, like equity, I think, was a recurring theme of this meeting. And in particular, I think the poster sessions also covered a lot of content in the financial hardship space. So, you mentioned the educational session focused on multi-layered approaches to solutions here. And this session featured new work from folks like Dr. Maria Pisu, Samilia Obeng-Gyasi, and Emeline Aviki, and they were all talking about interventions in their cancer centers that were focused on timely identification of financial hardship, and different ways in which it can be screened for and that it can be actionably responded to. And then, Dr. Aviki described approaches that their center has used to really develop a multidisciplinary financial working group to address concerns. And I thought that was really creative and showed that all of the right stakeholders were at the table at Memorial Sloan Kettering. And then that session finished with remarks by Joanna Morales about the legal parameters of financial hardship, which I think are increasingly being understood as a really important determinant of poor outcomes. And we all know the legal system is incredibly difficult to navigate for people who don't have a legal background, and I love that she described some of the actionable ways in which people can do things like: better understand their employment protections, better advocate for themselves to be sure that their workplace accommodations are being responded to, and also thinking about their ability to advocate more for themselves when it comes to things like social security, disability insurance applications, and the legal parameters there. She also talked about policy options, and so I think this is a must-listen-to session for anybody who's interested in thinking about screening for and developing institution-wide efforts to address financial hardship through identification, and through legal approaches and levers that can mitigate and hopefully prevent it. By next year, I think it's important that we know that there are at least five NCI-funded clinical trials underway that are testing additional navigation and insurance literacy interventions in multi-sites across the country. And so, I think it'll be really important to see what happens with those studies as they move forward. And there is an NCI-supported financial hardship session and workshop that is happening later this week that Dr. Janet De Moor invited all ASCO Quality attendees to come to. So, more on this, I think in the future, but I don't see this as a topic that will be left off the agenda for the ASCO Quality Symposium for many years to come. Dr. Cardinale Smith: Yeah, and hopefully we'll be able to have some of that data presented at the next meeting next year. And just following up on that theme of financial burdens for our patients, I really would like to encourage anyone who didn't get a chance to hear this year's keynote lecture from Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel of The University of Pennsylvania, to really take some time and go take a listen to it. Dr. Emanuel focused on payment structure and models and had several key takeaways that I thought were really important. His main conclusions were that we need to think through new policies related to drug pricing and accelerated approval, as these have really important implications for the cost of cancer care. He also talked about how oncologists and those of us in the cancer care space and cancer care delivery space, have an increasing role to sort of nudge the NIH to think about their role in the research and development process for drugs, and to boost clinical trial enrollment. Specifically thinking about the enrollment of minoritized populations. And then lastly, and probably most provocative, which is one of the reasons why we really wanted him to come and to speak at this meeting, is that we know financial toxicity is significant and needs to be addressed. And he proposed that once a person is diagnosed with cancer, insurance companies, Medicare, should eliminate any deductibles, co-payments, or co-insurance, and other types of cost-sharing for our cancer patients, which I think is an interesting viewpoint. Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And as a health policy scholar, I was sort of jumping in my seat with excitement over some of the bold and innovative solutions that he put forward. I think another compelling speaker, and I know you'll agree with me, is Dr. Otis Brawley. He's the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology and Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, and he was honored with the Joseph Simone Quality Care Award, which of course, is focused on, really, lifetime achievements in the areas of quality care delivery in cancer. He's been such a champion of cancer care equity, and really has devoted his whole career to advancing cancer prevention, screening, and treatment strategies, to end the racial, socioeconomic, and rural disparities that we see in prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. One of the things that he really emphasized that I appreciated is that we have to be more thoughtful about the ways in which we think about cancer health disparities, recognizing that more treatment is not always good treatment, and the more money that we spend on futile treatments and unnecessary treatments, and unnecessary care, that actually wastes resources that we could have otherwise distributed more fairly to our marginalized and minoritized populations. And so, he made a very direct argument between overspending, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment in cancer, and how that actually contributes to disparities in care, and disparities in outcomes. And I think that that really motivates us to not only look at the national movements in health policy reforms as important to do from an efficiency perspective and from a cost-control perspective because we know that healthcare costs in America are wildly out of sync with the rest of the world and unsustainable, but also because they're a key contributor to differences and outcomes that we see, and that we have a moral imperative to address. So, I was just really inspired by his talk. He covered so much territory in a small amount of time, and I think his talk in particular, combined with Dr. Emanuel's talk, really set the stage for us to think about the integration of policy, and equity, and care delivery together as we move forward in this field. Dr. Cardinale Smith: Yeah, I am definitely a fan, and I think to highlight both of them, there are tangible things that we can all walk away in our everyday lives and start putting into practice, which I think is key for us to move the needle on any of these things. Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Yes. And I might say just in response to that, that towards the end of the session, we had that great oral abstract session that Melissa Simon and Blase Polite were the discussants for, and they really continued this theme of not just really unpacking these deeply-rooted social and historical root determinants of differences in outcomes, differences in quality, and problematic equity issues in cancer care delivery. But I think that they also gave us a number of things, as you said, that each of us can do in a more meaningful way on a daily basis. You know, being more aware, promoting others, sponsoring others from different backgrounds, really standing aside and allowing others to shine, and that has been a theme of this meeting. It's something that we wrote about last year, that this meeting is a place where junior scholars and trainees can come and connect and can really find not only a place here but can find a stage here. And so, I think some of the comments that they encouraged us to think about were specifically related to professional development and lifting up others, and paying it forward, and it resonated with me, in addition to the many other things they suggested around just how our healthcare systems are designed, and how we need to break down barriers. Dr. Cardinale Smith: Well said. I could not have said it any better. Thank you, Dr. Wheeler, for coming on the podcast to give us these highlights from the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. Our listeners can find the links to the abstracts we've discussed on the transcript of this episode. Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Thank you, Dr. Smith. It's my pleasure to be here with you today and to have co-hosted this planning committee and this meeting with you, and I am so thrilled for your leadership next year as you take the gavel, take the stage, and lead us forward. Dr. Cardinale Smith: I can't wait to get started. And to you, our listeners, thank you for your time today. If you value the insights that you hear on the ASCO Daily News podcast, please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy, should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Follow today's speakers: Dr. Cardinale Smith @cardismith  Dr. Stephanie Wheeler @StephWheelerUNC Want more related content? Listen to our podcasts on interventions to address financial toxicity. A Novel Approach to Address Financial Toxicity Dr. Derek Raghavan Has a Remedy to Mitigate Financial Toxicity in Cancer Treatment Follow ASCO on social media: @ASCO on Twitter ASCO on Facebook ASCO on LinkedIn Disclosures: Dr. Stephanie Wheeler: Research Funding (institution): Pfizer Foundation Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Pfizer Dr. Cardinale Smith: None to disclose

CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Dr. Maxine Roberts, Executive Director of Strong Start to Finish, to speak about the great work that Strong Start to Finish has been doing in the advancement of equity through developmental education reform.

Jackie Rantanen, co-head of impact investments at Hamilton Lane, a private markets asset management firm, and Garrett Wilson, head of Institutional Solutions at Hirtle Callaghan, an outsourced investment office, discuss their involvement with Steppingstone Scholars, an educational social mobility organization, with Sean Vereen, its president.

Dr. Jhanelle Gray, of the Moffitt Cancer Center and chair of the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting Education Program, highlights must-see sessions that explore strategies to advance equity, innovation, and impact across the global cancer community.  Transcript: ASCO Daily News: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Daily News Podcast. I'm Geraldine Carroll, a reporter for ASCO Daily News. Today I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Jhanelle Gray. She is the department chair of thoracic oncology and co-leader of the Molecular Medicine Program at the Moffitt Cancer Center. She's also a professor at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and chair of the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting Education Program. Dr. Gray will tell us about the hot topics and must-see educational sessions at this year's [ASCO] Annual Meeting. Dr. Gray's full disclosures are available in the show notes and disclosures of all guests on the podcast can be found on our transcripts at asco.org/podcasts. Dr. Gray, it's great to have you on the podcast today. Dr. Jhanelle Gray: Thank you for having me. I am excited to be here with you today and for the opportunity to chat with you about the upcoming 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting and the educational sessions. ASCO Daily News: Well, the theme of the Annual Meeting is advancing equitable cancer care through innovation. Can you tell us how equity and innovation are reflected in the Education Program? And what would you say are the must-see sessions in this year's program? Dr. Jhanelle Gray: I am excited about sharing and hearing the latest advances in our field so we can move toward impact innovation and equity across our global cancer care community. [In] many of the sessions that we have, the attendees will join us either online or in person, and really will help us come together with a common goal of reducing the cancer burden. The presidential theme from Dr. Everett Vokes has really helped us to formulate what these sessions are. A few of them that I think really align with where we want to go for this 2022 ASCO [Annual] Meeting are things such as looking at strategies to advance cancer equity in our cancer clinical trials. We also have sessions such as “Artificial Intelligence in Oncology: The Current Field and Where It Is Headed,” and this touches on our innovation piece. We also have some really great keynote speakers such as a session—our ASCO Town Hall, moderated by Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, a past ASCO president and she'll be talking to us about the future of the conduct of clinical trials after COVID-19. I hope this gives you a sense of the exciting topics we have as we work to identify and address the challenges in this global cancer care field. ASCO Daily News: Thanks. Well, a couple of other sessions that are really trying to address these challenges are 2 joint sessions. So, I'd like to ask you about those. The first one involves ASCO and the American Association for Cancer Research, or AACR. And the second one features ASCO and the European Cancer Organization (ECO). Can you tell us about the topics of these sessions and why you think it's important for participants to see these particular sessions? Dr. Jhanelle Gray: Thank you. That's a great question. And thank you to AACR and ECO for their engagement and collaboration in planning and designing these sessions. We work to ensure that both organization's priorities and expertise are truly represented. The ASCO-AACR joint session is titled, “ASCO/American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Joint Session: The Promise of DNA Damage Response and Repair in Cancer,” and the ASCO-ECO joint session is on HPV vaccination prevention and treatment. These sessions include hot topics in oncology and were planned intentionally with a common approach that is across DNA damage repair and HPV vaccines. I really want the audience to hear: What is the existent data from which we can learn? How do we work to expand upon these gains across various tumor types? What are those key opportunities to expand platforms, and they should include diagnostics and therapeutics across global populations? Overall, I think both of these sessions will help the audience to understand not only what present-day data is, but also learn where these fields are heading in the future. ASCO Daily News: Thank you. Well, the ASCO Voices session is a favorite of the ASCO Annual Meeting. The speakers this year from Nigeria, Ireland, Germany, and the United States will share personal stories focused on equity, global health, and innovation. I've had a chance to interview the speakers and their stories really capture the human spirit and convey a true desire to find innovative ways to improve the lives of patients and survivors. Is this session 1 of your favorites at the [ASCO] Annual Meeting? Dr. Jhanelle Gray: Absolutely. The ASCO Voices is truly a compelling session. It helps to highlight where we should focus in what can seem like a very busy meeting. It helps all of us, including health care professionals, industry partners, caregivers, to take that breath and recenter. Our focus is ultimately the patient, and these personal stories help to crosscut that oncology continuum. We have, of course, chosen those that helped to showcase and support the importance of the presidential theme. And you'll see that many of those have topics focused on issues that are most relevant to global health, innovation, and/or cancer equity. So, congratulations, and looking forward to all of the speakers in this session [and] hearing their talks. ASCO Daily News: Thank you, Dr. Gray. Is there anything else you'd like to add? Before we wrap up the podcast? Do you want to mention maybe some of the sessions that are on top of your list to attend? Dr. Jhanelle Gray: Absolutely. We have also, in addition to the educational session, you'll hear from others throughout these podcasts on the scientific sessions, also obviously looking very much forward to the plenary, looking forward to the award ceremony also. It's just been an absolute pleasure to be working with Dr. Sonali on scientific sessions, as well as obviously Dr. Everett Vokes, our current president. ASCO Daily News: Well, thank you very much, Dr. Gray, for being on the podcast today. And thank you for your work as chair of the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting Education Program. Dr. Jhanelle Gray: It's been an absolute pleasure to spend time with you today. If I can also take a moment to thank the ASCO staff, just what a phenomenal team and so those that are listening, I look forward to seeing you hopefully some of you at least in person at the meeting. ASCO Daily News: Wonderful! Thanks to our listeners for your time today. If you're enjoying the content on the podcast, please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Disclosure: Dr. Jhanelle Gray: Honoraria: Merck Sharp & Dohme, Axiom HC Strategies, Inivata Consulting or Advisory Role: Novartis, AstraZeneca, Blueprint Medicines, Bristol Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Lilly, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Janssen Scientific Affairs, AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Loxo, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Research Funding (Institution): Array BioPharma, Merck, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech/Roche, G1 Therapeutics, Novartis, Pfizer, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Merck Sharp & Dohme, Inivata, Merck, EMD Serono, Novartis Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.  

In this edition of HPS Insights, HPS Partner Tony Fratto and Senior Director Stephanie Dodge host Fanta Traore, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Sadie Collective, and Young-Chan Lim and Doug Ortiz, members of the working group for the Cross-Policy School White Paper on Anti-Racism, for a conversation on racial equity in graduate public policy programs. Fanta, Young-Chan, and Doug discuss the Sadie Collective's upcoming white paper, which draws on input from students across the country to offer recommendations for making graduate public policy programs more inclusive. The group also discusses how using a racial equity & inclusion (REI) lens over a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens can lead to better outcomes, both for students of color at public policy programs and policymaking itself.Read more about the Sadie Collective here. Read more about Fanta Traore, Executive Director of the Sadie Collective, here.

This episode focuses on women and education globally and how creating opportunities for girls and women and ensuring equal access is directly linked to positive outcomes for societies. However, despite the significant progress for women over the past several decades, we find ourselves at an unfortunate point in time where women's fundamental rights are under threat, and where huge gender gaps continue to exist. It is also apparent that for many women their daily experience is based on the intersection of factors such as their gender, their skin color, their accent and their economic status. This episode's guest is Gloria L. Blackwell, the President and CEO of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and is someone who embodies what it means to be a champion for women's rights, especially through the vehicle of education. Gloria is also AAUW's main representative to the UN and has been the driving force behind AAUW's signature programs, including its salary negotiation trainings. Most notably, she has significantly expanded AAUW's outreach to girls and women of color. Among her many accomplishments is her 15-year management of AAUW's highly esteemed fellowships and grants program—awarding more than $70 million in funding to women scholars and programs in the U.S. and overseas. Since its founding, AAUW has supported the work of scientists like Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and astronaut, Judith Resnick, the second woman to travel in space. Episode Themes: Gloria's leadership of AAUW as only the second woman of color in the organization's 144-year history to do so, and what this means for diversity and inclusion Gloria's educational and professional journey and how early exposure to a foreign language sparked a lifelong commitment to women's issues globally, taking her from a Peace Corps experience in Africa, to a degree in international affairs, to working in the international education nonprofit sector Since 1888, AAUW has provided over $115 million in fellowships, grants and awards to 13,000 women from 150 countries. Gloria discusses why scholarships remain such an important intervention for equality for women and how AAUW supports women globally Barriers that women continue to face in higher education and the workforce and how AAUW contributes to the solution through its advocacy, education, and research. How Gloria motivates and inspires the girls and women in her life, and her top three pieces of advice and guidance The women that inspire Gloria each day. Resources from this episode Follow Gloria on LinkedIn and Twitter Report: Women's power gap in higher education Other Resources: My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari Twitter: @rajikabhandari

In this episode of JFF's Horizons podcast, host Tameshia Bridges Mansfield shares insights from U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Appearing together for the first time in a Horizons 2021 session titled “Advancing Equity and Opportunity at Scale,” the three members of President Joe Biden's cabinet discussed strategies for developing education, training, and workforce development initiatives that lead to well-paid jobs and economic opportunity for all Americans. “Cabinet Secretaries Commit to Scaling Equity and Opportunity” includes the following speakers:Secretary of Education Miguel CardonaSecretary of Labor Marty WalshSecretary of Commerce Gina RaimondoLearn more at https://horizons.jff.org/podcast.

Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP), is committed to social justice, advancing equity in Michigan, and promoting the well-being of our communities. She has dedicated much of her career to public advocacy and improving the lives and circumstances of those facing tremendous barriers. With inequities increasing due to COVID-19, Monique's work is more important than ever.

MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success; staff and faculty success; discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact; sustainable health; stewardship and sustainability; and diversity, equity and inclusion. On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the diversity, equity and inclusion theme of the plan with its executive sponsor, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jabbar Bennett. “I'm really pleased you'll be talking with our very distinguished CDO Jabbar Bennett today about DEI and its role in the strategic plan,” says Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. “Even though we have a separate plan for diversity, equity and inclusion, everybody who was involved in this process felt it was important that it be in included as a pillar in the strategic plan as well. It cuts across so many aspects of our campus and it's so important to us going forward. I've talked many times about the need to have a place where people feel welcome and where people feel that they're a part of this university and are welcomed at this university. And that's what DEI is about. It's providing opportunity, it's providing support and it's providing ways in which we can continue to help people reach their full potential.”How does MSU Strategic Plan 2030 define diversity, equity and inclusion?“It's important for all of us to recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion are three different things with their own definitions and application that work together and complement each other,” says Bennett. “And all three are foundational principles and practices that we must embrace as Spartans if we really want to get where it is we say we want to go.“Diversity represents our very collective and individual identities and differences, and we recognize that diversity is a central component of inclusive excellence in research, teaching, service and outreach and engagement. We are committed to engaging, understanding, promoting and fostering a variety of perspectives and affirm our similarities and value our differences. “Equity is the ability to, or actions taken, to ensure access to resources that promote success and address past and present educational and professional disparities. Equity goes beyond fair treatment, opportunity and access to information and resources for all. Equity can only be achieved in an environment built on respect and dignity that acknowledges historic and contemporary injustices.“Inclusion is the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded. Inclusion actively invites all to contribute and participate. We strive to create balance. Every person's voice is valuable and no one person is expected to represent an entire community. Here at MSU, we're committed to an open environment and campus where students, faculty, staff, alumni and community voices are equally respected and contribute to the overall institutional mission.”And one of the boldest and clearest desired outcomes stated in the strategic plan is the complete elimination of race and ethnicity opportunity gaps across all subgroups of students by 2030. Bennett talks about how MSU will get there.“A goal mentioned in the strategic plan calls for ensuring equity and eliminating disparities on our campus and beyond. MSU has long been invested in student success and that is evident. For the sixth straight year, MSU saw a record high graduation rate of 82 percent for first-time, full-time undergraduate students. Graduation rates for students who identify as American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander and Hispanic or Latinx, all increased as well. However, Black and African American undergraduate students continue to have slightly lower graduation rates of around 65 percent. MSU 2030 has a goal of guaranteeing an 86 percent graduation rate for the entering 2024 class that will require persistence enabled by the student success initiative, which aims to support the success of all Spartans.“Equity, inclusion, diversity and global competency are integrated into every aspect of the undergraduate experience. Utilizing a lens of racial equity in teaching and educational outcomes is central to understanding, naming and working to proactively tackle those issues to further eliminate educational opportunity gaps. Closing opportunity gaps requires a focus on ensuring our faculty and staff are also able to succeed.”MSU has a whole plan dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bennett describes how that plan relates to and complements the DEI theme in the strategic plan and how they fit together. And he talks about how MSU will look different by 2030 and what we will have achieved if we're successful in implementing the plan.“I'd like to underscore that the plan was developed by members of this community: students, faculty, staff and alumni. It'll take every member of this community to recognize their role and the work that they and we must do to make this work successful. We all have a responsibility, and there are ways that we can contribute to advancing these efforts within our local circles and communities as well as collectively when we work with groups and partner with colleagues in different units.”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the diversity, equity and inclusion theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030: Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity, Expanding Impact with the executive sponsor of the theme, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Jabbar Bennett. Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 5 a.m. on WKAR News/Talk and Sundays at 8 p.m. on 760 WJR. Find “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

In this episode, Rianka and Katie tackle how individuals can understand their own roles in advance equity in the workplace.   https://www.2050trailblazers.com/episode/s06e02

MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success; staff and faculty success; discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact; sustainable health; stewardship and sustainability; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the sustainable health theme of the plan with its executive sponsor, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Norman J. Beauchamp Jr.  “Sustainable health is a particularly important component of the strategic plan,” says Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. “Some of the things we've done recently like our partnership with Henry Ford Health impact the state of health across the state of Michigan. We need to end health disparities in urban and rural areas in Michigan. Michigan State University can play a critical role in helping to do that.” How does the plan define sustainable health? “It's about hope, health, and healing for all people,” says Beauchamp. “It's consistent with our land grant mission. All people deserve the opportunity to improve their health and wellness.” Conversation Highlights: “To be sustainable we must train the next generation of individuals who are going to bring health, hope, and healing to all,” continues Beauchamp. “An ethos of health and wellness must permeate the entire campus. It's about how we enable those who want to improve the health and wellness of others and then how we accomplish that in a sustainable way, day after day for generations to come.” Innovations that make MSU a leader in sustainable health include the College of Human Medicine's competency-based education, the College of Osteopathic Medicine's Street Care program, and the College of Nursing's simulation training.  Beauchamp explains how the county one is born in can dramatically impact a person's health and wellness. And he describes curricular pathways into health for students to serve all of Michigan's communities. “MSU is unique in its breadth of these opportunities.”    He elaborates on MSU's collaborative ethos “to seek first to understand and bring value.” He cites MSU's work in Flint and the Flint Registry as an example. “What are the challenges the community is working with us to solve? It's an asset-based community approach. The strength of addressing any challenge exists in the community. Our job is to learn from the community about the ways they believe we can be helpful to them.” Advancing equity is a critical focus of the strategic plan. Beauchamp paraphrases Martin Luther King Jr. who said, ‘Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman.'  “The color of your skin should not determine your likelihood of survival from cancer and negatively affect health outcomes or the length of your life for up to a decade,” Beauchamp says. “That's inhuman and unacceptable. Those who can address that challenge must accept that challenge as an imperative.” Partly through MSU's presence in every one of Michigan's counties through MSU Extension, Beauchamp says “MSU is uniquely poised to reach out to rural and urban Michigan, offer advice, have it accepted, and then evaluate if it's working.” He also comments on the deficiencies in access people of color have to clinical trials for cancer and their impacts.  Beauchamp says the secret sauce that can lead to more funding for sustainable health initiatives is “our ability to collaborate internally, to partner with institutions that have similar values of improving health and the ability to find win-wins with those partners, and it's absolutely being focused on the needs of the community in a way that resonates with them.” He weighs in on the significance of the year 2030 in the title of the plan. “For things that matter, there must be a sense of urgency.”          On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the sustainable health theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030, Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity, and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsor of the theme, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Norman J. Beauchamp Jr.Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday evenings at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

Dr.  Anita Ravi is a board-certified family medicine physician and public health scientist, who specializes in the areas of gender-based violence and trauma-informed care. Dr. Ravi is the CEO and co-founder of PurpLE Health Foundation (PHF), a non-profit organization that invests in the physical, mental and financial health of women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. She is also the owner of PurpLE Family Health, a PHF-affiliated medical practice that provides comprehensive healthcare and employment opportunities for survivors. Dr. Ravi has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and illustrated articles in the areas of trauma-informed care, human trafficking, and healthcare delivery in under-resourced settings, and serves on several national committees to advance health equity, including the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance's Advancing Equity and Inclusion Technical Working Group.  She was recognized as a 2021 "40 Under 40" Leader in Minority Health by the National Minority Quality Forum and was selected as a 2022 Presidential Leadership Scholar.  Dr. Ravi regularly writes, draws, and speaks at events across the country about how the healthcare system must radically change to meet the needs of people who have been systematically marginalized.  She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, received her Medical Degree from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, her Masters in Public Health from Yale University, her Masters in Health Policy research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and is a graduate of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Veterans Affairs Clinical Scholars Fellowship Program.*Email: anita@purplehealthfoundation.org*Twitter: @anitaDRawing*PurpLE website: https://purplehealthfoundation.org/ **Post Episode Survey: https://surveyking.com/a/f0fqjsu *This project was completed with support from the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation through its Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute program.

MSU's Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery; creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact; sustainable health; stewardship and sustainability; and diverse, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the stewardship and sustainability theme of the plan with its executive sponsors: Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Information Officer Melissa Woo and Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Lisa Frace. Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. says Spartans care deeply about Planet Earth and about MSU's financial sustainability.“Stewardship and Sustainability is the fifth pillar of the strategic plan and one of the most important,” says Stanley. “Our students, faculty, and staff care deeply about the planet and climate change. This is incredibly important to them, and the concept of sustainability and being stewards of our environment and our financial situation here at MSU is important to everyone on the campus. We're a leader in this area. We're among the top-ranked college campuses in what we're doing, and the goal of the strategic plan is to continue that leadership and put us in the forefront of people who are making a difference in this area. “We've already been making changes in our financial stewardship. Our financial situation has improved significantly over the past couple years. Despite COVID, we've been able to improve our balance sheets, and we're going to continue to work to make sure that our budget is aligned with our strategic goals to make sure that we're using the dollars we have at MSU in a way that furthers the strategic goals and the strategic plan and makes a difference.”Michigan State is working toward climate neutrality by mid-century. Why is it critical MSU take this step, and what are some of our key action plans?“It's just one of the pieces of a total holistic institutional sustainability and climate action plan, which is going to be based on a four-pillar framework focused on four C's: campus, curriculum, community, and culture,” says Woo.“As we continue to move forward in meeting energy goals and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we'll also be looking at taking systemic, sustainable actions and adopting a culture that enables the institution to reach those goals. Some of the other things that we're working on will be to foster resource stewardship through application of leadership and environmental design. We're organically managing land and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing sustainable source purchases, increasing campus-grown and locally sourced food, and reducing the transportation carbon footprint.“Another place we're really focusing on is expanding sustainability teaching and learning opportunities through formal courses and co-curricular activities. And of course, we can't forget research. We also want to expand sustainability research and innovation through inter- and intra-institutional partnerships to address climate solutions. And finally, because we also can't forget outreach, we want to make sure we enhance sustainability outreach and engagement by expanding volunteer opportunities for our faculty, staff, and students in support of local, state, regional, national, and global partnerships.”“Sustainability also refers to a sustainable model for financial and other types of resources. We are looking at transforming the university's budgeting process as part of that,” adds Frace.Are there some other plans for us to be a greener campus?“We want to achieve platinum ranking in what's known as the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System, STARS for short, by 2030 if we can,” continues Woo. “We also really want to achieve the Top 100 Times Higher Education global impact ranking by 2030.“Another thing we're looking at is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from our 2010 baseline. And ultimately, we want to ensure that faculty, staff, and students can live, work, and learn in buildings and spaces that promote health and wellness, have access to proximal green space, and enjoy pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly design.”Sustainability also refers to sustainability of financial and other types of resources. MSU will be adapting a new long-term, comprehensive financial model and budget process to align with and support strategic priorities. Can you talk about this model and the process to develop it and the timeline?“When we talk about the university budget process, the first thing we'll start to do is to develop an all-funds budget approach to provide a holistic financial management framework that will allow us to better address strategic priorities,” Frace says. “We're laying the groundwork this year through developing budget and forecasting systems so that we have the tools and processes in place to be able to support a change in budget model and allow all units to be successful when we get to that.“Once we have developed those tools, we will engage the campus in a comprehensive redesign, but that won't likely be for at least another 18 months because we really do need to develop the systems, tools, processes, and reports to enable that success. And it's going to be critically important that we take the time to get it right so that we understand and can address any unintended consequences before we launch into a new model.“We have proposed and sold century bonds that are repayable in 100 years. And those proceeds from those bonds will help us to create a revolving fund that will allow us to invest in perpetuity in projects that support the strategic plan, and that's critically important. It creates a stewardship tool for not only this generation but for generations to come.”The university master plan is referenced in this section of the strategic plan. I understand that planning work has begun and that it has an emphasis on embedding priorities like diversity, equity, and inclusion; faculty, staff, and student success; and sustainable health in the physical and space planning. Talk about how that's done and how it will strengthen outcomes at MSU. What's the goal of the plan?“This is really exciting,” Woo says. “In the past, this has been known as the Land Use Master Plan, which only focused on the East Lansing campus. However, we have so many activities all over the state. We have great things happening in Flint and Detroit and Grand Rapids and a presence in every county in the state because of MSU Extension. How this plan differs from the old land use master plans is it really looks at all 26,000 acres of land that we hold and the facilities on them. The way we're going through this is that we're really looking at a comprehensive and strategic framework for guiding future decisions regarding land use, which is why we want to be all inclusive. It should support the institution's three mutually reinforcing strategic plans and the academic strategic plan implementation.“Our goal is to complete this plan by the end of 2022, and we are going to be incorporating multiple perspectives into the planning process, including consideration of the history of the land MSU occupies, tribal consultation around archeological sites, and environmental impact reviews. We want to have a very broad group of stakeholders, including our surrounding communities, to make sure that we are truly inclusive of people's concerns and their thoughts and brainstorm around how we can best utilize our land, our buildings, and our facilities.“What we're really hoping to do is to incorporate campus district plans to encourage collaboration and innovation. We're also planning for construction and renovation of high priority facilities that support MSU-articulated priorities and values. So for example, I think you've heard about the Multicultural Center. We're also improving our recreational sports facilities, and we have goals for improving our greenhouses and an engineering facility.“We also want to make sure we ensure wayfinding is accessible for all users. And what's exciting is that we want to enhance public art on the campus and ensure it includes multiple modalities and diverse perspectives.”Let's talk about the reference to developing a sustainable information technology strategic plan to power the academic enterprise. What will be some of the key things that plan addresses, and what are some of the challenges and opportunities?“We have four key things that the plan addresses,” Woo continues. “The first is to improve and enhance IT services and infrastructure to improve access and reliability and enable greater avenues for innovation in teaching, research, and scholarly activity.“Another key thing that the plan will address is to expand access to technology such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality to enhance learning, research, community engagement, and MSU's reach throughout our communities. Another key thing is to provide operational excellence by leveraging technology to provide informed decision-making, reduce operating costs, and optimize the capabilities of our teams. And finally, another key thing that the plan will address is to ensure faculty, staff, and students have the tools and network connectivity needed to succeed in remote, virtual, and hybrid modalities.“As far as challenges and opportunities go, this is an excellent opportunity to ensure that technology services are delivered in alignment with supporting MSU's research, education, and outreach mission. Technology should support and enable people's excellent work in support of our mission.“In being able to truly understand stakeholder goals and needs in order to deliver technologies that support their work in alignment with MSU's mission, we're really going to be looking across the board for a lot of stakeholder input.”“I agree with Melissa's evaluation that this is really going to be transformative, but I also think that in terms of the operational savings that she mentioned, it's not only about operational savings,” Frace says. “It's about providing better data for better decision-making so that we can continue to innovate not only on the academic and research side but really on the operational side of the house, too.”Engaged alumni, donors, and friends are vital to MSU's long-term sustainability. MSU is fortunate. We have more than 1 million alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, and organizations connected with the institution. How does their engagement play a role in the success of achievement of key initiatives within this theme, and how can they best engage?“Their engagement is vital to staying at the forefront of excellence, and it's really crucial in advancing Michigan State University's reputation for excellence and innovation,” Frace continues. “There are a few ways that we can think about engaging with them. Public-private partnerships is one. And the role of a private-public partnership is that there are opportunities for corporations, foundations, and others to engage with MSU to bring certain sorts of financial structures to the table. That might be building buildings for us or doing a ground lease or working with them on research innovation.“What it allows us to do is to attract other types of activity to the campus. Think about Grand Rapids, where we have the medical innovation happening. Think of the Apple Academy. Those are good examples of activities we've already undertaken. And there are other good examples of institutions that have gone down this path. The University of Illinois has a good tech innovation campus. Georgia Tech has a well-known one. Arizona State has a well-known set of P3 activities. All of those are good exemplars for us to be able then to choose the best and build our own design.“We also look to establish reciprocal opportunities for partnering with businesses and community organizations, like the work we've done with McLaren on the hospital that's been built adjacent to our campus. They work very collaboratively with our colleges of medicine in terms of providing residencies and other opportunities for learning.“We also have the TechSmith project being built on our campus, a fundamental project that the MSU Foundation has brought forward. Melissa's the president of the MSU Foundation, and it has really been a critical set of work that she's done.”“The MSU Foundation exists to support MSU,” says Woo. “Something that's fantastic about the foundation is the foundation board has incredible talent. It includes alumni and friends of MSU, and this is a pool of talent that we absolutely need to engage. We have so many talented alumni with great business acumen and talents and knowledge and connections that MSU should and can focus on and engage with. Alumni are so important to us.”“As executive sponsors of this theme of the plan, Melissa and I work very closely together,” Frace says. “We will engage with one another, our teams, and with the campus community to really allow this to move forward and evolve. And as those things evolve, we'll develop ways to consistently communicate the progress with the campus community and to update the whole strategic plan implementation.”“The way I look at stewardship is that we have to be good stewards of university resources,” Woo says. “This doesn't necessarily mean we have to be cheap. We do need to look at value versus cost of resources because what we really want to do is to make sure we provide sufficient value to the university. And sometimes, being the most efficient is not the best or high value way to do that. So, what we really want to look at is effectiveness and weigh that value versus cost. That is part of being a good steward of university resources.”“I agree with that,” concludes Frace. “The way I would characterize it is we need to take all of the information that we have available to us and bring that all together to make the best decisions that support the long-term viability of the institution from an academic, research, and operational standpoint so that as students come to MSU and ultimately graduate, they see that the value of the degree that they've earned continues to increase.”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the stewardship and sustainability theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030: Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity, and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsors of the theme: Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Information Officer Melissa Woo and Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Lisa Frace. Read and learn more about MSU's Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu.MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday nights at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows. Please share this conversation if you're so inclined.

MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact theme of the plan with its executive sponsors: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., and Vice President for Research and Innovation Douglas Gage. “MSU has extraordinary people and an extraordinary capacity to really make a difference, and our job is to help them succeed and find ways to reach their full potential in their research work and have the full impact it should,” says Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. “That involves reducing the barriers for them to submit grants and making it easier for them to work within their grants and facilitate the valuable work they're doing. “That involves exciting new facilities like FRIB and collaboration with scientists around the world. It's about having impact. Extension helps us to be good at applied research. We have an ambitious goal of $1 billion in research expenditures. That will take a lot of work, but I'm excited about the pathway to get there. This is an area where we really change people's lives and make a difference, not just on our campus and in our state and the country, but in the world. MSU is doing that every day, and this is an opportunity to do it on an even larger scale and have greater impact.” At Michigan State, we pursue excellence in service to the common good, generating new knowledge and applying it to address complex societal problems. When we say discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact, what do we mean and how will growth and annual research expenditures to $1 billion help us have more local and global impact?“Excellence in the service of the common good is a phrase that I just really gravitate toward,” says Woodruff. “And I think our tripartite mission of teaching, research, and outreach and engagement really represents the different ways in which that excellence in service to the common good is lived out. If you did a word cloud of what I just said, we've got a lot of ands, not ors. We interdigitate in each of these areas. Our faculty teach and do research, and then they apply that work to help solve real-life problems in real communities that affect real people.“And I like to think of MSU as having research and scholarship reach. As we continue to grow our research expenditures, I think we'll be able to accelerate what we're able to learn as we think about the grand challenges that our world faces. I'm really excited about our global impact initiative. It really is going to support the growth and accelerate the pace of discovery by recruiting new faculty in some of the most exciting areas of research. And by growing this annual firepower within research and scholarship, I think we're going to go deeper and broader in what we do. We're going to be able to act locally and globally in solving the world's most pressing needs.”“Growing our research expenditures to $1 billion means that our research activities are going to expand by more than $250 million annually,” adds Gage. “And so, we'll be conducting more research, which means we'll be making more discoveries and ultimately educating more students and bringing more solutions forward. And we're going to be working to expand our research programs across the board and increasing activities in some critical areas, such as equitable healthcare, climate change, mobility, international development, and many other programs which are critical both globally and specifically to Michigan and the United States. We're going to be working across the entire campus to try to build on these new programs. And many of them will be interdisciplinary. We're going to have a lot of interactions over the next few years, and we're really looking forward to that.”“This effort really looks at improving health by promoting treatment and prevention,” Beauchamp says. “It contributes to society by driving economic growth and productivity and by helping to address social determinants of health through access to education and job creation. And it expands biomedical knowledge by funding cutting edge research and cultivating the future biomedical workforce of today and tomorrow. I'm excited about what this means in terms of MSU's land grant mission and this essential arm and what's needed to bring health, hope, and healing to all people.”What are the key areas that will be part of this push to $1 billion?“That $1 billion is a big number, a huge number,” Woodruff continues. “It feels big, and it feels ambitious. And I think that's really exciting. We have enormous strengths that really rise out of our roots of this land-grant university. Our plan is to bring together disciplines in new ways and to think about how we can intersect between new ideas and state-of-the-art equipment and the ways in which problems emerge that we can uniquely solve. An example is the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.  We have an incredible facility, and that's going to allow us to play a vital role in the next generation of scientific leaders and innovators. “This is a great example because it's coupled with our number one-ranked graduate program in nuclear physics. You combine superb faculty, outstanding facilities, and a number one graduate program. We can create what I call a spiral of excellence. A second area is in improving agricultural practices and food crop yields and food security, something that remarkably is on our horizon and something that MSU can uniquely work in. And then the last one is in educational research and preparing teachers and educational leaders and change-makers. We have a top-ranked College of Education, and the more we educate, the better the world is, and it is something that we're proud of. And it's in that educational domain that we're going to lean into with many other domains to reach that $1 billion.”“The key is that it's not a single investment that's going to get us to that $1 billion,” says Gage. “It's really about building on a whole variety of things. There are areas of strength we can build upon, and we are also going to have an opportunity to go into new areas that are going to give us the chance to expand what we do at Michigan State University. That involves bringing in new faculty, new partners, and commercial entities and funding agencies who might work with us to develop some of these new ideas. If we had to reach the $1 billion number on one strategy, we wouldn't get there. We really must bring everything we have to bear on this. A lot of it is going to be interdisciplinary and developing new areas which MSU is positioned to really develop and take advantage of.”“As we think about this effort in health, it really will take a convergence of strengths across the university,” adds Beauchamp. “You can look, for example, at the Pediatric Public Health Initiative. To be successful there in trying to improve the health of the community, it required expertise from education, communications, geography, toxicology, nutrition, epidemiology, psychology, child development, pediatrics, and more. The point is that as we think about how we'll move the dial on health disparities, it will be a chance for us to mobilize the entire university. One of the things that the strategic plan calls out is this no silos approach to advancing research and connecting strengths and finding ways to foster that.”Say more about how these spirals of excellence cross all our missions and enrich our educational outreach and research excellence.“These spirals of excellence that we're building are predicated on foundations of strength,” continues Woodruff. “And then we build upward towards what we think are going to be beacons, both so people can light the way to coming towards MSU, and to provide assets that the world desperately needs. We're really in a changing time. There's an evolving nature of work and different ways in which we experience health and the workplace. All these changes necessitate new ways of thinking and doing research. Rapid technological advances and artificial intelligence or automation are reshaping education and all our skill sets. So, what we're doing at MSU is really part of a fourth industrial revolution that's changing education systems and labor markets. We're advancing this through our research and helping society to adapt to all these changes.“We believe these spirals can be really catalytic, sparking curiosity and innovation and discovery across the community that now can see each other. And this creates a multiplier effect so that each point of contact becomes new knowledge, new value, and new positive outcomes. And this is because our research is not in isolation. We mentor. We teach. It's all interoperable. And that's what allows MSU to have the biggest, broadest, baddest, best impact.“Our MSU arts strategy integrates arts into all of the ways we think and work. It is research. It is scholarship itself. And it also is a predicate for some of the most creative endeavors. By designing a deliberate environment that understands the world that we found two years ago is no longer the same, our community can walk into this challenge and work effectively and ethically in this world.”“Research and scholarship are really integral to everything we do,” Gage says. “Creating new knowledge and then transmitting that to the next generation of scholars is really essential for an institution of our type. And we extend that knowledge then not just to our students, but to communities we serve through outreach efforts and partnerships. Involving undergraduates in research and scholarship is something we've had a long history of at Michigan State University. I think many of us who ended up in the STEM fields, we started out working in a laboratory or working with a scholar. I started my own career as a dishwasher in a laboratory. That's how you get the exposure to what science and scholarship are all about. That's something we really take great pride in. We don't say research and education are separate. That's not at all the case at this university. We are entirely integrated and synergistic.”“A key part of what our students have asked is how do they learn how to think about discovery,” asks Beauchamp. “Giving our students access to being involved with research is one of the things that can happen at a place like MSU where there are those breadths of opportunity. You can't have that unless there is a depth and a breadth of research happening in the institution. Our goal is to train that next generation of practitioners who help redefine what healthcare can be.”Tell me about the geographic reach of our discovery and innovation work and talk about the importance of our impact in Michigan and our global footprint.“Its reach is one of the things that's so amazing about MSU,” Woodruff continues. “That's one of the reasons I was so attracted to MSU. It's research within reach. It's not research in some mythical ivory tower. We have a commitment at MSU that's remarkable across the entire state of Michigan and to the global community. It's central to our mission and our values. As a top global university, we continue to push the boundaries to make the world better. True to our land-grant mission, we reach into all 83 Michigan counties through Extension and through our healthcare community. Extension is such an important part of what we do across the state.“That means that the entire state is Michigan State University. We are all part of this great community. That is quite exciting. We're a top 40 research university according to the Washington Monthly 2021 rankings. That should make everyone in Michigan proud of us. We've had about $5.8 billion in economic impact in the state and about 80 percent of our undergraduates are from here in Michigan and 65 percent of them stay in Michigan. That's exciting. That says we're really having an impact.“I'm a globalist. I think about the entire circumference of the world. And we have Spartans literally everywhere in the world. And our research is making a difference, about $82 million in annual funding for international work. We're the number one top-ranked public university for education abroad. And we have about 1,400 of our faculty and academic staff members who are engaged in international research and teaching. And in our International Studies and Programs, we have just over 30, I think, internationally-focused centers. Michigan State has made a commitment to being available to everyone who has need for education and for learning something new and for building across the globe and across the great state of Michigan. It's an exciting place to be.”“It's important to emphasize that we take our mission to serve the public good very seriously,” continues Gage. “Michigan State University has a reach that goes from the smallest rural counties to the biggest urban centers. And even if we leave the United States, one can wear a baseball cap with a helmet on it and go into Zambia or somewhere like that and someone will say to you, ‘Go Green!” We are there and they know who we are. We serve not just our own interests, but the interests of the world. When we look at international partnerships that really is a key to our service. It's a partnership model; we don't come in with solutions to deliver. We come in to build those solutions together.“And we have a very strong history of that that goes back many decades. If we look at the U.S. Agency for International Development and international foundations, we are very well represented and often a key partner for those agencies and funders. We are very proud of that legacy, and we want to continue it and build upon it. During the pandemic, travel and outreach were certainly impacted, and we're very anxious to get back to work with our international partners and develop capacity for food production, for example, and other things. Particularly, climate change is not just an issue for us. It's a global issue. We can envision that we're going to have a role to play to help develop solutions around the world to assist our partners.”“We are in every county in the state, and we're really proud of how we have pathway programs that are connections from where people are growing up to where we can help them train so that they can serve their communities,” says Beauchamp. “Another component of the work that's being done is recognizing that we live in a knowledge economy. And as we look at partnerships between academia and industry, one of the things that happens is these new ideas of innovation, technology, machines, and decision support can connect into opportunities to connect with industry, which brings both technology and human capability resources to partnerships on campus. It also gives us a global distribution. Education, research, and clinical care and our partnerships make the reach of Michigan State global.”Why is it so important that we do this important research?“One can look at research in a very applied way,” says Gage. “And we do quite a significant amount of applied work, particularly in areas of agriculture, education, and other areas where an outcome is really desired in the short-term. But there's also curiosity-driven research, which will have outcomes which aren't always predictable and are sometimes vastly undervalued when they're initiated. And often, even the developers of some research may not even initially have realized the value of it. In the early days of computer science, it was the dabblings of some mathematicians. Now it's really transformed the world. There are a lot of things like that that happen in very unpredictable ways.“We have to have a place where that can happen. Universities are positioned for that. Companies can't afford to take the long view like that and hope something good comes out of it. Those days where that sort of opportunity was present in the corporate sector have really diminished. When fundamental research looks promising, we partner with commercial entities to help to develop it into something practical. That happens many times. There are a lot of opportunities for us to do that. Some things are practical from the very beginning and some things are unpredictable.“And, of course, there's failure along the way. Investment will happen. There's always value in it in terms of education and in terms of learning from our mistakes or learning what didn't work. We are good stewards of the funds that we are given by the state and by the federal government for research. We don't take that lightly. We don't take it as play money. It's something that we have to do our very best to deliver what we promise as we begin to conduct research.”“Many of the great advances over the past century such as computers, radars, lasers, x-rays, nuclear energy, and even mRNA vaccines are traceable to basic science discoveries, some made decades before their application,” adds Beauchamp. “And the practical use may not be seen by the researchers who first made those discoveries. But if you look at industry, they often aren't going to invest in that work. They need a limited time to which they can bring things to market in order to meet the imperatives of their shareholders. But for us in higher education, we can have a longer view. And then one of the strengths of the breadth that the university brings is you can bring together these cohorts of people who do applied and basic research and individuals whose focus is clinical care. This is a milieu where they will connect. And I think that's also where some of that magic happens that brings the return for basic science research.”“At MSU, we do structured and unstructured work,” says Woodruff. “In some cases, we're trying to get to a cure. In other cases, we're just trying to learn something new. And it's something extraordinary about MSU faculty because they run the gamut from creation to invention to discovery to expression to revealing elements about ourselves and our world and our place in that world. And that's really quite the gamut. And some of our faculty work examines the minutia of a bacteria or a plant cell or a chloroplast, and others look at the complex significance of artistic performance. I was at the MSU Wind [Symphony] performance yesterday, which just was an extraordinary level of expression. The nature of this work helps us to understand, it helps us to contextualize, and it can help to improve the human condition. In fact, it may be completely abstracted from utility and exist solely as revealed knowledge.“That's what's special about Michigan State University. We value and celebrate the ephemeral, from the half-life of the shortest FRIB discovery to a single note played by a bass bassoon to new knowledge about how we can engineer a chloroplast to have plant resilience. In the end, all these diverse products of the work of MSU can be lauded by many. They might be known by a few, or they might be appreciated for their extraordinary audacity or cited for their wisdom, or they may just be something that's talked about in a classroom setting.“That's the nature of work within a university. It is the most extraordinary place that doesn't exist anywhere else. And the fact that MSU takes this work and makes it unified and interoperable with teaching is what makes this one of the most special places for discovery, for research on our way to those billion dollars, and for all those students along the way who both participate in that basic or translational or clinical work or that performance and the rest of us whose lives are made better because of all of it.”“There's a real sense of excitement at what lies ahead right now,” adds Gage. “We see FRIB coming online. New opportunities for research across all areas have captured the imagination of the folks at MSU. Research and the culture that we create are going to outlive all of us. And that's really our goal is to create the next generation and position the institution for a continued ability to deliver for decades to come. Our challenge and our responsibility are to really put our full effort into doing that. It's all about what comes next, not what we do or what happens today when we're around. That's the exciting part. All of us are really looking forward to how that's going to develop and how we're going to be able to make those contributions.”“One of our goals is to be inclusive in the research that we do in terms of clinical trials,” Beauchamp adds. “Participation in research should reflect the diversity of our culture and conditions and consider race, ethnicity, gender, and age. That lack of diversity among researchers and research participants has both ethical and research consequences. And one of the wonderful things about Michigan State by virtue of the breadth of the people who are compelled to be a part of the work that we do is I that we're well positioned to be a place where people of all backgrounds can participate in research and we can help train the next generation of a more diverse group of scientists at Michigan State.”“Excellence and equity in research and teaching is really what we're all about,” says Woodruff. “We're here to advance the institution and the future, but we're also creating new possibilities for its future. And this strategic plan that we're all working on contemplates our 175th year in 2030. Work towards our 175th year is not the destination. That's what we create now. We're really creating the predicate for a long future because that's what higher education does. We'll be here for the long run. Our values of bringing as many people as possible into this way of thinking and working is something that I think is just so exciting and so uniquely done at Michigan State. I can't think of a better place to put my own research and scholarship than with the partners that I have in Norm and Doug and everyone who's here. It's a very exciting time for all of us.”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030, Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsors of the theme, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., and Vice President for Research and Innovation Douglas Gage.Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday evenings at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

MSU's Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the staff and faculty success pillar of the plan with its executive sponsors: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff, Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Information Officer Melissa Woo, and Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Dr. Norman J.Beauchamp.Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. says MSU's staff and faculty are key assets of the university whose work determines the success of the university. And it's important to find ways to make MSU a place where people want to come to work and achieve their potential.“Faculty and staff are absolutely critical to everything we do at MSU,” Stanley says. “And if you look at what the assets are that we value at the university, we have an amazing physical plant and amazing facilities. We have incredible students. They're remarkable, but our outstanding faculty and staff are our core assets, and their work really determines the success of the university.“What we want to do in this part of the plan is really talk about how we help faculty and staff succeed in their important work. How can we enable them? They have the talent and the capabilities, but how do we do what we can to remove barriers and help them fully succeed in what they're trying to do? How do we find avenues for advancement for faculty and staff? How do we help them achieve? How do we help them reach the next goal? For assistant professors, how do you reach full professor or associate professor first with tenure? For staff, how do you get promoted? How do you move up the ladder? How do you take on more responsibilities?“Finding ways to help individuals do this is key to our success at MSU. Finding ways to help them accomplish their research by providing the right support for them is key at MSU. What we'll talk about in this session is some of the things we're thinking about in this area and some of the steps we need to take to make MSU a place where people want to come to work to fulfill their dreams and reach their full potential.”Provost Woodruff echoes President Stanley's sentiments that the plan is all about putting MSU people first.“The entire strategic plan is about the people of this institution,” says Woodruff. “There's no part of it that doesn't touch on what we are as individuals within this great institution. Faculty and staff represent the institution, and what we want to do in the strategic plan is really to provide opportunities for every individual to reach their full potential. And in as much as we support the individuals, the institution will rise.“In many ways, the strategic plan contemplates a series of steps that one can imagine are somewhat like leavening that they begin to help each part to contribute then to the overall elevation of the institution. And as long as we put people at the center of everything we do, including our strategic thinking, the better MSU will be in the end. Every part of this plan really is about the people.”Woo says the plan is about creating an environment where people can thrive.“We can't get things done without great people who understand that we have an environment where they're going to thrive, and we need to create conditions where they believe they can do truly meaningful work,” Woo says. “We can't achieve our goals without people. We can buy all this what I call stuff that we can, but ultimately we have to have people who are truly talented and really want to be here to achieve great things and go where we need to go.”“To be successful, it has to be about the people and the mission,” adds Beauchamp. “We need an environment that supports and empowers the goals of people who choose to make MSU the place where they work, learn, and practice.”Woo adds that inclusivity is key to the plan.“We are working very hard to create an inclusive environment, one that is truly inclusive of diverse voices,” Woo continues. “We are really starting to excel in this area, particularly with the onboarding of our first chief diversity officer as well as an awareness of the need for inclusivity and diversity. We can see this in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. We can see it in all of the efforts across the entire university. It's all of us together working towards creating this inclusive environment. I think this is where we excel, and we are getting even better.”Beauchamp adds that accountability is also key to the plan.“We excel in having a community that cares,” Beauchamp says. “In those difficult moments, what I've been struck by is how the MSU community comes together to be intentional in solving those challenges. We're also excelling in having a culture of accountability. It's something that we have to do better, and the strategic plan gets at that, but we have to be accountable to all of those who come to us in search of help or goal attainment.”“We think of spirals of excellence in the specific areas of work,” Woodruff continues. “As we think about people, one of the things I have said and believe is Michigan State has a very high excellence to humility ratio. The humility of this place is just extraordinary. So, one of the things that we collectively have tried to do is really spotlight the excellence of individuals - faculty, academic staff, and staff. And we know of this excellence because of our rankings. We're a member of the great AAU, the Association for American Universities, because of our great people across this institution. The AAU is widely regarded as the most important metric for research intensive institutions across North America.“And there are a number of other rankings that represent this kind of spiral of excellence. So, what we want to do is really spotlight that excellence through the strategic plan, developing a portfolio for honorifics, both for individuals as well as for the institution. And we can hopefully then enable every one of the individuals within the organization to be able to not only achieve that which is good for them, but also to be able to let the world know what they're doing.“In the context of the strategic plan as well, each one of our offices is working to enable a new generation of work that continues to help to elevate each one of our folks. I think of the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development. We've started a new dean school to orient both our new and interim deans to some of the core aspects of what we're doing to build community, not just the administrative work or the disciplinary depths, but really thinking about effective team building, equitable budgeting, and evaluating faculty and staff in ways that help them to succeed.“These are really specific areas that we've been honing in on, creating and sustaining a respectful work environment series that we've been developing and that's across our offices of Human Resources and the Office for Institutional Equity and the RVSM team. So, again, we're trying to think very holistically about how we build competencies to enable the institution made up of excellent people to be able to thrive, and then we can both spotlight them and a great institution. All of those are opportunities for focused engagement that within a learning community and a research community can build the best MSU we can be.”“Another thing that we do is we collaborate well because of that humility to excellence ratio that Teresa provided,” says Beauchamp. “The barriers to collaboration here are incredibly low, and an aphorism I like is from Helen Keller who said ‘Alone I can do so little. Together, we can do so much.' And when we think about staff and faculty success, it's about helping it not feel like this solo journey but that there's a community that is willing and enthusiastic to partner. The low barriers to collaboration are defining for MSU.”What key goals does the strategic plan identify for staff and faculty success?“The plan identifies key goals and metrics, but I think my colleagues will agree that part of what the strategic plan is it's a living document,” Woodruff says. “It is an ethos for how we all lean into developing that environment in which excellence and opportunity naturally thrive. If we create that environment holistically, we will attract and keep talent to continue to create the conditions where faculty and staff can do their best work, both individually, autonomously, and collectively.“One of the things we want to do is to actively seek recognition for the excellence and innovation that this culture cultivates and fosters. And if we do that, we think we can increase faculty and staff external awards year on year perhaps by 10 or 15 or even more percent. And these are research awards, career grants, NSF grants, foundation awards, the Kellogg Foundation, and honorifics. We really have a great deal of faculty who should be recipients of prestigious academic awards, national academy membership, etc.“So, our goal really is to support everyone towards creating that kind of workplace that advances every individual, every voice, and with a few metrics of some number of increase every year. Again, I think that that a by-product of the excellence we create will be the recognition that is won.”“Among the key goals of the strategic plan for staff and faculty success includes supporting their career development, and perhaps most importantly, their wellbeing,” says Woo. “We really want to support the wellbeing of our staff, faculty, academic staff, and postdoctoral associates so we can focus on creating a best-in-class workplace culture.”“As we help the excellence at MSU be recognized, and I really like this initiative, that in turn brings more resources and opportunities.” says Beauchamp. “And as we look at the scope and scale of the need and the urgency in our nation, our ability to draw attention to the excellence that exists here in ways that are magnetic for more resources to come is a critical part of this effort.”With faculty representing so many different disciplines and the wide variety of roles for support staff, what does it take to make MSU a workplace of choice?“It means we empower everyone to be engaged in a community that's inclusive and equitable,” continues Beauchamp. “It is cultivating, caring, and accountable leadership, and it's a culture that's transparent, open, trusting, and safe. And it's really listening so that we understand the goals of the individuals and ensuring that there are ways for everyone to contribute and to really recognize and embrace their goals and be responsive to the challenges that are faced at an individual and a unit level.”“What it'll take to make MSU a workplace of choice is to provide an environment where people feel they can do meaningful work without limitation,” Woo says. “That can include providing a flexible work environment, whether it is to identify those roles that can work from other sites or perhaps at different times of the day than we are used to. We need to look to see what roles can work more flexibly so they can do meaningful work on the timeframe that they are able to provide that work. It means providing support for caregivers. It means making sure that we're inclusive of diverse voices and continue to advance our DEI efforts.“It's also taking the lessons that we've learned from the pandemic. We have learned different ways to work in many cases much more efficiently and effectively, and that will help create this workplace of choice where people feel they can do their best work.”“Melissa and Norm have said it so well,” continues Woodruff. “I echo everything they said, and I also really think about the ways in which our university policies and procedures and practices can enable that good work. And we must continue to engage in participatory engagement in each of those parts of what we think are ossified in some stone somewhere that tells us exactly what to do. We are an organization that values listening and allowing people to be part of the discussion while developing an environment in which learning can take place.“All of our work is designed to develop the right kind of scholarship in conjunction with the learning that happens for 50,000 students at this institution. We must provide educators with access to the professional development necessary for them to feel comfortable and confident in this space to create evidence-based learning experiences through all modes of instruction. There are different ways in which a budding clinician will learn their practice versus someone who is in a performance space or someone who is in the scientific discipline or someone who is in computer science.“Really understanding the plurality of the way we teach, of the way we learn, and the way the staff enables all of this to take place is something that I think really creates a context for improving campus culture while remaining firm in the goals and ambition of a learning community.”This pillar seems like an area where faculty and staff would have a lot to contribute. How might you plan to engage staff and faculty in contributing to a dialogue as this area develops?“What we've done in the Office of the Provost is to really engage faculty, academic staff, and students on many committees so that their voices are part of our dialogue,” Woodruff says. “We have summits with our leadership, with the deans, and with the assistant associate provost. And we've really done an environmental or landscape analysis to really understand how people see the strategic plan playing out in their lives. We're really trying to gather as much ongoing input as we had input to the strategic plan.“It really was an extraordinary thing for this president to say we are going to move ahead with the development of a strategic plan that invites all voices during a time of transition and the COVID context that we had not seen before at a time when the organization was changing its top-level management in real time. So that extraordinary level of leadership led to an exceptional level of engagement in thinking about our aspirations.“We have to keep those principles in mind as we move into this next stage of implementation and encourage everyone to continue to contribute in a living way to that ultimate set of goals that will be adjusted, just as our teaching is never the same. What we learn is always developing because of the way we do our research. We have to think about the strategic plan in that same way. We've invited dialogue in diversity, equity, and inclusion and are thinking about advancing social justice and connecting all the pillars through promoting inclusion to each of the problem sets that the Provost's Office is engaged in.“We are really thinking about intentionally shifting our culture, not thinking about this as something that is passive; there is an intentionality there. And I think that in as much as we continue to have feedback and campus-wide engagement, we have a high impact document that is foundational. We, I think, will be able to continue to develop strategies going forward that will be the all souls approach that everyone in this institution is part of the success of this institution. And that's how I think we'll continue to have the best outcomes because all of us have been involved.”“As the three of us are the executive sponsors of this theme, we will be collaborating with each other, and of course, among all of our key audiences and stakeholders that we serve, as we move through the implementation of this initiative,” says Woo. “We will be working together to make sure that we've identified strategies for implementation and prioritize the different initiatives as we move forward. And we'll be consistently communicating our progress to the campus community and make sure that we incorporate feedback from the campus community as well.”“We're making sure that we recognize that there are barriers to voices, and so we're creating multiple ways that people can have input, whether that's town halls or surveys,” Beauchamp says. “We incorporated something called rounding for outcomes where you go to where people work and find out what are the barriers to what they're trying to accomplish and how can we help. Part of what we are building in and will incorporate into this is multiple avenues to receive the guidance. This isn't top down. It's really the voices of the people who are accomplishing the mission.”“My hope is that through this process that I hope is transparent, we gather further momentum,” Woodruff says. “We are not stuck in a moment. We are part of a trajectory and that trajectory can be up or down. It can be fast or slow. And I feel that we're really on an upward march that has pace, and that's because people are involving themselves in every aspect of this. And to echo Norm, this is not top down. This is all of us. And that represents the best input towards what I think will be an extraordinary output, and I can't wait for 2030 to look back and see what we've accomplished.”“We probably, Russ, should add the use of the term shared governance because that is essentially what this is,” adds Beauchamp. “The strategic plan can serve us in the way that will proceed as really a structure and process for partnership, accountability, and ownership. It helps make these decisions be connected to the individuals who are so central to operationalizing the decisions. We're really committed to that. I'm proud of all the efforts to roll up sleeves together that I've seen over the last three years from the president and the provost. It's just been fun to be a part of and to see, that as shared governance is engaged, the enthusiasm from the faculty, students, and staff when their voices are heard.”“This is MSU's time,” concludes Woo. “There is no better time to be moving forward and to be really putting in the effort and engagement in implementation of the strategic plan and truly focusing on the success of our staff and faculty. Let's do it!”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the staff and faculty success pillar of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030, Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsors of the pillar: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff, Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Information Officer Melissa Woo, and Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Dr. Norman Beauchamp.Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday evenings at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the student success theme of the plan with its executive sponsors: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff and Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore. Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. says MSU student success is central to everything we're doing at MSU.“It's no accident that student success was the first pillar of our strategic plan, and it's really central to everything we're doing at Michigan State University,” says Stanley. “It touches on everything we do. I think what's exciting about what we're trying to do in this pillar and this area of emphasis is really bring to even further fruition a change in attitude and accomplishment that is taking place at Michigan State.“We believe that every student we admit to Michigan State is capable and should graduate from Michigan State University. They're capable of doing that. When they finish, we're going to continue to support them in having rewarding careers during their lifetime. We're going to help everyone who comes here graduate because we believe they can.“We're not going to stop at graduation. We're going to continue to be an advocate for them and support them as they continue in their careers and their lives. People have been talking about this before I came, but I really see this as an opportunity for us as an institution to really make this happen. We're going to talk a lot today with Provost Woodruff and Vennie Gore about graduation rates. That's one of the most important measures of success. We're supporting students' mental health and supporting them in every way, shape, and form. It's a holistic approach to see them succeed at Michigan State University. And I couldn't be more excited about that.”Gore says the goal is for every student MSU admits to learn, grow, and thrive.“Our goal is to have every student that we admit learn, grow, and thrive here at Michigan State and make sure they have the opportunity to have access to world class education through our faculty,” Gore says. “And we want them to have access to co-curricular and extracurricular activities, which helps them to grow and develop as people and become lifelong Spartans. That's what we mean when we talk about student success for the whole person.“I meet alumni who have been here in the '50s and the '60s and the '70s and they look back on their educational experiences very fondly. They talk about what they achieved here at Michigan State and how it's helped them in their career and their life. That's what we want for everyone. Because I think when parents send their sons or daughters here, they want them to have that kind of enriched experience so that when they leave here, they can go out in the world and do the things that they hope to do.”“Boy, Vennie, you're spot on,” Woodruff says. “I really echo a lot of what you said. I do agree. I think the student success that we measure at MSU is unique, and it's really the measure of our institution's ability to provide the kind of environment and inclusive, equitable curriculum and environment that really enables every student to learn, thrive, persist, graduate, and succeed after graduation. Each one of those is student success.“The way we really look at it is to be very holistic and to understand that student success is not necessarily a measure of the academic achievement of an individual or the student collectively, but rather really thinking about how well the institution supports its students, which I think is a very MSU way of looking at student success. It really allows us to identify places where there are hurdles.“We don't want a single soul at this institution to stub their toe as they're running down the track towards the world that is awaiting them with open arms with all the problems and the opportunities that exist. This notion of student success really is something that I think I'm really proud of. Vennie, as you said, I think it's something that parents see as really the opportunity for their child or grandchild or niece or nephew or friend to really succeed.”What are some of the ways MSU is excelling in this area now?“Go Green Go 15 is the credit momentum campaign,” continues Woodruff. “And what that really represents is the fact that one of the things that was identified at MSU is that students needed to maintain steady momentum in order to graduate in a timely way. If you graduate in a timely way, it allows you to get to that next destination more quickly and with less financial burden.“That really illustrates the way MSU is able to look at student success with these data informed efforts and allow us to then modulate the institution towards the students' success. Another one that I know that we've done is to really redesign the math course curriculum. We're working on general education and other gateway courses. “Part of that really lives out in the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative, something that I think, Vennie, you and others really brought to this institution as a way of blending together intellectual and social in the ways in which you learn in a dynamic interface between people and the living setting and the formal learning environment and that we learn from each other. The newest thing we did during my time here is really My Spartan Story. It was started before I arrived, but it's that interactive platform that allows us to capture all these experiences. If in fact we believe that student success is part of this continuum of their experiences at the institution, how can we collate and capture all of that work to allow them to use that as they move beyond this institution? Student success is not of a moment in time. It is of that student's lifelong outcomes of being at a place like MSU.”“One of the other things about being on a residential campus this large for our 50,000 students here on campus, our graduate professional students in Grand Rapids or in Flint or Detroit or up in the U.P. is finding that sense of belonging,” Gore continues. “When I find that sort of sense of belonging in a community, it helps me find my colleagues. My grandmother used to say you are your friends. I didn't really know what that meant, Russ. But I think what it really means is that if I'm a person here who's interested in the sciences and I become part of Lyman Briggs and I meet other students who have similar interests, that enriches my whole experience while I'm here. And that sense of belonging is critically important for everyone because I think what we're learning even in this period of the pandemic is that isolation is bad for students. Being social and having a sense of connection and having that support is critical. Belonging is another thing we are working toward because that helps with students persisting in school.”Recently the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services was merged with the Division of Student Affairs and Services to form the Division of Student Life and Engagement. How is this connected to the strategic plan and how will it support student success?“In many ways, the two divisions have worked side by side together because we are both here for students,” continues Gore. “Residential and Hospitality Services was really focused on the campus experience. Student Affairs and Services had a broader mission of not just our on-campus students, but our off-campus students, fraternity and sorority life, our visitors, and our veterans who are here.“Bringing the two units together allows us to have greater collaboration as we work across the campus. We know that we're not in isolation. Working with the Provost Office and the colleges also allows for us to have the holistic experience. One of the things that I've been really pleased with as the two divisions have come together is I think everybody recognizes the importance of collaboration and to working across our own boundaries. And that's critical for where we are and how we serve this campus community.”“Well, again, I think Vennie's hit it on the head,” says Woodruff. “If we go back to the strategic plan and how engineering the institution best enables the success of every student, it is to invert the traditional definition of student success. Instead of centering on the students' assumed capacity or willingness to earn degrees, the strategic plan really defines student success as the measure of the institution's capacity or willingness to support every student.“When Vennie and I sat down and talked about the living-learning environments, the Neighborhoods, we thought that was really brilliant. But then what we did in addition is to say, ‘Well, what happens when students live and learn for additional time within this setting? Do they succeed?' Yes, they succeed even better. They succeed in the outcomes, which is getting to their goals academically.“What that really contemplates as we think about the structure of the institution is the opportunity to more flexibly enable those institutional changes that support our objectives. Really that's where the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services and the Division of Student Affairs represented two groups that work together. But by coming together, we synergize in a way that we can better enable the student outcomes.“I think institutions that are confident can make big changes, and it can then lead to extraordinary outcomes. We'll be measuring this. We'll be looking back, Vennie, in 2030 together from some vantage point and be able to say students today are better because of what we did institutionally back in 2020 and 2021. That's the exciting thing about MSU. It's a place that's not ossified in a particular way of working, rather it's aspirational for what our students really need.“And then we as leaders implement. I'm really excited about what this is going to do for our student success over time.”“If you think about the ethos at Michigan State, for an institution of our size and as decentralized as it may feel, there is a very low barrier to collaboration,” Gore says. “It's not just between the student life and engagement and provost offices. You see it in the colleges, and you see faculty members and researchers working across disciplines to expand scholarship or advance knowledge to solve big problems. That has been something that I think we have. It's just part of our DNA that we're able to do that. In other institutions I worked at, I would say that wasn't necessarily the case.”With respect to the strategic plan, where do you see this focus on student success leading in the future?“When we look at it in 2030, we would like to have eliminated the opportunity gaps,” Gore continues. “When we talk about the opportunity gaps, there are some subgroups of our community that aren't graduating at the level that we wish for or their parents wish for. It isn't about whether they have the academic ability. There are some non-cognitive things that come into play that make that a difficult hurdle for some students.“Mark Largent (associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of undergraduate studies) is fond to say that if we get a student to their junior year, that we're graduating them at the rate of Ivy League schools, 90 to 94 percent. It's that first and second year that is critical for us. And that's why the second year live-on (on-campus living requirement) was really important because it provides that sense of stability for students so they can get to the junior year. They're in their program, and then they can graduate. We hope in 2030 that we have students who are graduating at a high rate across all demographics. That would be the big change that we'd like to see.”“Absolutely,” adds Woodruff. “Some of the ways we're engineering the environment for student success is in part the merger that we just talked about, but it's also in the way we're using data across a vast network of institutions. We have our institutional data, but also through the University Innovation Alliance, we're able to scale our knowledge node in ways that allow us to gather information and be able to test our hypotheses and be able to then work towards more equitable educational outcomes in some cases that perhaps we couldn't see entirely but that can be revealed through these large networks.“That's something that I think allows this university itself to be a learning institution. I always say I never learn anything from talking to myself. If we simply look inward, we will never actually be able to enable the success that we wish to achieve. That University Innovation Alliance is something that I'm really excited about.“I want to go back to the Neighborhood concept. It was an MSU concept in 2010, and we really began to think about the ways in which we offer opportunities for learning environments in a holistic way. And by having this in a place that students can access easily, it creates that opportunity for the student to casually learn and formally learn in the places and spaces where they are.“Our goal is to eliminate the achievement gaps that we see today, and we've made steady strides. In as much as this institution continues to be thoughtful and intellectual partners in the institutional sense of trying to understand institutional barriers, I'm convinced our students can get there. At some level, our students are running a race. If there's a high hurdle, what we need to do is add that little pole vault so they can get over it. As we go, we hope to learn how to remove barriers and take those high hurdles to low and then eventually have an even playing field. Everyone who comes in races at the same level, and that I think is going to allow everyone to learn, thrive, graduate, and then succeed.”What are the primary goals in this area of student success?“Again, we want to get to an 86 percent five-year graduation rate. That's our goal,” Gore says. “We've been very successful in incrementally moving that up over the last eight years. We want students to have a holistic experience. When they leave here, we want them to not only be good scholars but also have an appreciation for the arts, have good health and wellness, and be good citizens. They're global citizens so they understand the impact of the world. That's what student success looks like to me and that's what we would like to have.”“I agree with that,” says Woodruff. “Our objective is to make this place more accessible and attractive to a wider variety of students. Strengthening our ability to tell our story and really increasing the success of students who are here begins to tell that story. And that's from our undergraduate to our graduate students and to our professional students. Broadening the diversity of the student body provides a way in which our students become a learning community for each other.“That's an important part of what we're driving toward - increasing the number and diversity of learners across campus. We're widening the ways in which students can learn. And of course, part of that has been developed through the pandemic, but we're doing it in a really intentional way to understand the pedagogical ways in which students learn best. Instead of asking students to change, we ask how we can change. That's one of the objectives of the institution.“And we really must make sure that along the way, we're creating a climate that the students can see that they are part of that climate, that there is a give and a get, that it's not just that I come, but that I am a part of, that I am the climate, and I am the institution. If we think about each other and that we are all part of this, we create an MSU that really will thrive and create the best success metrics for every student that comes.”What are some of the biggest challenges to reaching our goals for student success?“Some of our biggest challenges are going to be the time and people part,” says Gore. “The reason why I say this, Russ, is I think everyone in the country has been talking about the Great Resignation. Having good talent in the institution is important to us. It's not a challenge of will, and it's not a challenge of political will. It's just a challenge of making sure that we're staffed at the point where we can provide the experience for our students. I'm an optimist who believes that as we come out of the pandemic, we will start to see ourselves as an employer of choice. This is a place where people want to be. We have a forward thinking plan. Folks can see themselves in this plan and they want to be a part of it. While the talent is a challenge, it's not an overwhelming challenge for me.”“I think that's right,” adds Woodruff. “Our limited resource is ourselves. We might think that's monetary, but I think that the limitation to MSU will only be in the way we think about how this institution grows and evolves and how we become part of that evolution. That's going to take time and trust and coordination. It's going to take each of us seeing each other as part of the solution and believing that a change in the organization isn't a reflection on me or what I do but really a reflection on what the institution needs to do going forward.“Being adaptable through change management, particularly in the current moment, is something that requires an enormous amount of trust. What we've seen across this period in the last several years is that people have started to lose trust in the institutions that once you didn't even think about. I saw a poll recently that trust in pediatricians is at an all-time low. What that says is that we have at a societal level pressure on each one of us as part of organizations and MSU as an institution. How do we build that willingness to give each other the latitude to work in an environment that is changing but is still going to be here for the next hundred years? The value of higher education has been questioned, but there is no other way in society where we have changed more lives, not only by those who go through our institution, but by those who stay. Our student success is linked to our faculty success.“We have to continue to enable each of us to give each other a little benefit of the doubt while we go through the moment and believe that each of us wants the best for each other. I think once we begin to bring that trust back to every circumstance, we're going to reach our goal of a great university and great student success.”What are some of the things that position MSU to be a leader in student success?“It's in our DNA,” says Gore. “When I graduated from graduate school in 1982 from Indiana, there were four institutions that were on the forefront of living-learning: Michigan State, Vermont, UC Davis, and UW Stevens Point. They had a history of residential colleges and what they meant for large public Research 1 institutions and that integration and that set level of collaboration. We've had this long history over the years.“One of the other things too is that we haven't rested on history. If you were to go back and look over time, you could see the evolution of what that meant on our campus. When we started the Neighborhood concept back in 2009 as a pilot at Hubbard Residence Hall, we intuitively knew that it was going to be messy. The pilot would be very different than what the product would be. And that has been true. What that says is that the people who are attracted to this work are thoughtful and innovative, and they don't necessarily think that we have all the answers. We're going to try some things. Some of those things will work and some won't. The things that don't work we'll forget about, and we'll keep going without feeling we failed. I think that's the big thing. MSU is okay with trying something. And if it doesn't work out, it's all right and we move on to the next thing. It's that messiness that you have to be an organization like Michigan State to be okay with.”“I echo that,” Woodruff continues. “We're experimentalists. When you're actually doing hypothesis-based thinking, you actually are not always right. In fact, I always say we're a batter, not a pitcher. A pitcher has to be right. Most of the time, a batter only has to put the ball in play about a quarter of the time. I really think that you've hit it on the head.“We're really enabling a series of increasingly coordinated and very deliberative and thoughtful approaches across the entire enterprise. There's a saying I have that we have provostial partnerships across the entire institution. We are all provostial in the ecumenical sense of the way the provost is part of the opening and the enabling of everyone towards their academic goals. We're really being very thoughtful.“That includes the merger of RHS and Student Affairs in a way that is an increase in coordination and deliberation that is going to, we believe, enable student success. We're also focusing on the strengths and skill sets of existing leaders and making sure we all see how we can be part of this momentum and then leveraging that talent that exists and trying to maximize the output that we have in ways that really have no silos. We have this egalitarian way of working.“That itself is part of perhaps some of the experimental ways in which Vennie was just talking. But also I think it's just because leaders in this space understand what our goals are, and they really are towards student success and academic excellence. And relative to that, I think our faculty and academic staff from across the university are really engaged with our staff in all the ways that this institution's goals ask them to be. The strategic plan emphasis on student success really helps shine a light on all this work that is happening. That's part of our DNA. That's part of the experimentalist in us to achieve the goals on behalf of those in whose interests we serve.”“I like the baseball analogy,” says Gore. “A Major League player gets paid multimillion dollar to have a batting average of 300, which is getting a hit three out of 10 times. If we were in that genre, we're probably batting 700. Seven out 10 times we get it right. Those three other times, we swing and miss. That happens in life and that's okay. But we're going to try something. If something doesn't work, it's okay. We're going to move on. We're going to do some other things. We have the flexible latitude to do that.”“We' trust each other,” says Woodruff. “Even if I fail, I know I'm going to be picked up. But if we lack coordination, he's going to call me. These are ways in which we develop leadership together with the strategic objectives of the institution and our great faculty and students to holistically come together and have that great batting average.”Vennie, earlier you mentioned the goal of an 86 percent graduation rate. What are some of the ways we will measure the success of the student success initiative?“We keep score, using the baseball analogy,” Gore says. “At the end of the game, you want to know whether you won or lost. Graduation is one of the ways you keep score. Retention is another way that you keep score. How many of our students are staying from their freshman to sophomore to junior years? What are those retention rates? Are we seeing changes in subgroups? It's like calling balls and strikes in a baseball game. That's sort of how we look at it. The data analytics are something that we really began moving forward and understanding what the important things are. I like to think of this in three strategic questions: Are you doing the right things? Do you have the capacity to do the right things? And can you do the right things right the first time? And that's all about execution. You can analytically look at all those different things to be able to say that you're being successful.”“Right. I agree,” Woodruff adds. “That 86 percent graduation rate is one piece of this. I also want to look at placement rates for where the students go after getting an undergraduate degree or graduate degree. And that's the going to be important as well as a metric of success. We're working to reduce probation rates, too. We'll be measuring that this year, and that's going to be an important metric for us on the pathway. We want to see that sense of belonging and the climate assessments continue to improve. One of the things in the merger that Vennie's really focused on across all our affinity and identity groups is to make sure that sense of belonging is there and that folks know that this is not top-down. This is all of us. If you're here, you're a part of creating the culture that exists.“Looking for someone else to create culture is not the same as creating the culture we all wish to be a part of. That's the message that Vennie's been giving, and it's been really a winning and wonderful way of thinking in a really renewed way about the institution. We want to have impactful opportunities for the students for internships and externships and laboratory environments and making sure students know that's an option for them early in their careers. That's an important part of this.“We've seen a bit of a decline in the use of student services during this current context. We want to make sure that use of the services that we have created is increasing. I think another one is that student debt upon graduation has been decreased and part of that is the credit momentum. That is to say that we expect you to be here for a period with deep learning and then to graduate. That will be in the student's best interest as they move along.“Part of that is creating an inclusive, equitable curriculum and an environment that enables their academic and social and overall wellness and financial support. That leads back to the student's ability to learn, thrive, persist, graduate, and succeed. All of that's really part of what that last set of metrics really enables.”“We all have a role in student success no matter what your role is at the institution,” says Gore. “Whether you're a faculty member or a staff member who is serving food or you're a TA, we all have a role. At least through the pandemic, what we have heard from our undergraduate students is that college is more than just going to class. It's the whole experience.“And that impact that we all have on the individual student, no matter what our role is, is significant. Some of the most significant relationships have come through advising and mentoring and saying hello and being there for their well-being and knowing that there's someone in your corner to support you. That's student success. This is the collective responsibility of all of us as members of our community.”“Really well said, Vennie,” says Woodruff. “The strategic plan is really such an asset to have for an institution that, through the COVID context, was able to continue to reach for what its aspirations should be. That's the leadership of our president and every person in a leadership role and everybody who participated in really thinking about what our aspirations are at a time when other institutions were really being grounded by the pandemic.“Out of that has come the opportunity to really change the institution on behalf of the students we serve. I'm so grateful to all my colleagues with whom we've all worked to have this strategic plan, and the opportunity to implement it is just so exciting. I just can't wait to see what happens next to all of the students who come through this institution at this particular time. It's really an exciting time and the world so desperately needs them.“Our students are carrying heavy buckets. No doubt about it. But we've told them that what we're doing is we're putting our hands next to them and we're going to help them carry it. We can't take it away. We wish we could, but we can't. We know that whatever they've learned, both within our academic halls as well as within our residential halls and within the halls of life and the changes that they've experienced, that those buckets have been filled. But we're going to help them with what comes next. We can't predict what their lives are going to be. But we know because of being part of this institution that they're ready for both the expected and the unexpected. That's the best that we can do on behalf of these students. I couldn't be more excited for the future that they will help create.”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the student success theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030, Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsors of the theme, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff and Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore. Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday evenings at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. says the plan is a guidepost for MSU to be strategic about wisely and efficiently using limited resources and refine its values in an inclusive way.“We have a mission of education, research and innovation, and outreach to really take what we've learned and make a difference in people's lives,” Stanley says. “So, we really need to be strategic. Resources are limited. We know that. We depend upon tuition. We depend upon state allocation. Those things have not been rising at great levels recently. We must think very carefully about how we use our resources. What we did for Michigan State University was say, ‘What are our values? What are the things we care about? How do we want to make a difference? Where do we want to be impactful?'“We identified those values and then we said, ‘How do we accomplish and excel in them?' We have the university's strategic plan, which looks at the university's activities on a whole level. We have the RVSM Strategic Plan, which looks at an issue that's been very important for Michigan State, relationship violence and sexual misconduct. And then we have a plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is not only a separate plan, but also incorporated into the university's strategic plan. We made a campus wide effort to bring people together.“These plans had to be inclusive; they weren't going to be top down. We had to have plans where faculty and staff and students had input on what we're going to do going forward. And from that we've crafted something we think, particularly in the university strategic plan, is going to take us from now to 2030 and be a guidepost for us for how we invest our resources and how we work together as an institution to be impactful and to make a difference for the State of Michigan.”Ultimately, says President Stanley, the plan puts people and student success first.“We have great facilities, but really when it comes down to it, it's about people. We start with our students and student success. Our heritage is to provide access for students who are economically disadvantaged and give them an opportunity to get a college education that was good as they could get at any school in the country. That was our primary mission initially, and that's continued now. So, we're finding ways to ensure student success and help every student who arrives at Michigan State University graduate.“Absolutely essential as well is our faculty and staff and providing opportunities for them to reach their full potential. So, whether it's in education, whether it's in research and innovation, whether it's in outreach, how do we help them use their full potential and have impact? And what are the conditions we need to set to do that? How do we help them become better at educating? How do we reduce barriers to their ability to do their best research? How do we find resources to help them achieve what they want to do? How do we help their professional development so they can really see careers ahead of them that allow them to succeed and make Michigan State a destination where people want to work? Those are the things that are most significant. We're putting people at the center of our plan and focusing very much on them.”The goal for MSU is to evolve and grow its impact on Michigan and the world.“The destination looks like a Michigan State University that's recognized around the world as being impactful and having impact in areas that matter to people. There are some major problems we face, like problems around climate change and problems around artificial intelligence and how we use it effectively. There are issues around health and health disparities, which are a very significant problem for the United States and for the world. How do we keep our water and food supply secure so people don't have to suffer from insecurity or concerns about their water? All these things are things that Michigan State can tackle. We have the multidisciplinary ability to do it. The strategic plan lays out ways in which we can make a difference. One of the goals, for example, is to get to $1 billion annually in research expenditures.“We know that's a number where we're going to be having impact. If we're at that number, that speaks to a national and global impact. As we look at graduation rates, we know if we can get up to 86 percent that we'd be among the top public universities in the country in terms of graduation rates. It's an achievable number, but how do we get there? This is an educational institution that matters to Michigan and to the world. We have found ways to get engaged in the problems that matter most to society, like creating the trained workforce that helps Michigan continue to excel and create economic development.”President Stanley says the process of how the plan was developed was crucial so that the entire Spartan community could take ownership in the plan.“The process really mattered so we needed a plan that involved input from faculty, students, and staff. The key constituents needed to have input. But we expanded that as well. The Board of Trustees was intimately involved in this and was involved in reviewing each of these three plans on a regular basis. And then we went to our alumni as well. We went to our donors and talked to them. We went to elected officials and talked to them. All these people had a chance to provide input into the strategic plan because we wanted a plan that people owned and know they contributed to. “Without that buy-in and people seeing themselves in the plan, it could become a document that just sits on the shelf. That's not what we want. It was critical that it be an inclusive process. My hat's off to the leaders of these different committees for all the work they did to be inclusive, all the listening sessions they held, and all the outreach they did. I think it's paid off in having a plan that I think people can, as I said before, see themselves in, buy into, and want to be a part of.”President Stanley says the plan is not etched in stone and will evolve over time as necessary. And the plan allows MSU to refine and evolve its values.“It's always important for an institution like MSU, one with this incredible history of accomplishment, to not rest and to always look and say, ‘What are our values? Are we staying true to our values? And are our values appropriate to the times we live in? How have they changed? And what's changed from maybe 100 years ago or 150 years ago?' That relook was very important. Coming out of the challenges the university faced earlier in 2017 and through the pandemic, it's really helped us hone in on what's important to the university and how we're going to be impactful. We had vigorous discussion on these questions. The values segment of the plan took a long time to come together to get cohesiveness and agreement on. Having those values defined will help us function better as a university.”2030 is eight years away. It's the right amount of time to implement the plan and evaluate its progress.“Eight years is a pretty good number. It's hard to get things done and have real impact in a short period of time. As we know, universities are large and complex organizations, and to get people pulling together sometimes takes some work. But once we do, it can be extraordinary. So, I think that timeframe is appropriate. Things change rapidly. So we will revisit this plan on a regular basis. We have already built into the plan a review in about three to four years into the process to see where our progress is. And Bill Beekman, our vice president for strategic initiatives, will be looking at this plan and be responsible for helping to coordinate metrics and help coordinate the reporting of those metrics. The Board of Trustees will expect several reports on the plan's progress.“They're intimately involved, as I said before, on implementing this plan. They want to be engaged in it. And the key thing is having an implementation plan. So having Bill's position and having strategic champions for each of the pillars of the plan that we've identified for each of them are important in making sure the plan gets implemented. Many strategic plans are done by universities, and many sit on a shelf. That's not what we want for this. We want one where we are actually holding ourselves accountable for progress. And there are some stretch goals in the plan. We may not reach every goal as fast as we'd like, but I think it's feasible to reach every goal on this list by 2030.”As President Stanley said, it's now time for the plan's champions to begin implementation.“That involves the champions getting together now and figuring out what the priorities are that we want to begin with. What are the areas where we want to start applying resources to make a difference and how do we do that? That's going to involve the champions working with key constituents. Those can be deans of colleges, department chairs, and students who can really start putting together a committee that's going to help guide where resources flow. Implementation is going to be the next key step, and that's taking place as we speak.”As President Stanley mentioned, Michigan State University's Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Bill Beekman will lead the implementation of the plan. And Beekman agrees with Stanley that the plan is not etched in stone and will evolve as there are more ways than one to reach the desired destination.“A strategic plan is an important thing for any organization, maybe particularly a university, because it's a roadmap and a sense of direction of where we want to go,” says Beekman. “If you're traveling somewhere, there's almost always more than one way to get there. You can take path A or path B or C. So, when we think about a strategic plan, it's not necessarily carved in stone. It's more about the destination. We'll figure out the path a bit as we go and as times change, as circumstances change, and as people change. To me, a strategic plan is really important because it gives us a sense of direction and a process we can adjust and adapt. It gives us a point to look towards and strive towards in the future.”Beekman says progress on the plan's implementation will be shared often with the campus community. Bill will lead a team responsible for helping to refine strategies and actions, establish robust measures and metrics across all themes, and recommend processes to track and report on implementation across themes.“When the Board approved the strategic plan at its September meeting this past fall, there was an implementation strategy that was written into the plan. And that called for me as the vice president for strategic initiatives to gather a group of folks who are the executive sponsors for each of the six pillars of the plan along with several other folks. And in fact, we met last week and had our introductory meeting. President Stanley came and charged the group to begin a process. So, each of those executive sponsors is going to formulate a work group or an implementation committee for each of the six theme areas. Those groups will really support the planning process. We had probably at least 200 people from the university community who were engaged in providing input and synthesizing that input into the plan.“We'll go through a similar process with the implementation. We've got our direction and our sense of where we want to go. So, what these work groups will do is really help us think through how to get there and what steps to take and what to prioritize in the plan because the plan certainly has more than we can do in a year or even three years or five years. That's partly why we call it the 2030 Plan because it really gives us about a decade's worth of direction. These work groups will be formulating over the next month or so and begin meeting and collecting information from their peers so that we can start formulating not only where we're going, but how we're getting there and begin to dive into that process. We'll also be thinking about metrics. How can we track our progress over the course of the next decade? When can we consider something completed? What does completion mean? What does success mean? Do we need to adjust our process to get there more quickly or try something else? So, we'll have metrics that help guide us in that process. We'll share progress on the plan through a variety of approaches. One is podcasts like this. Over the course of the next number of months, we'll have various sponsors of the themes do podcasts much like this. They'll be able to share that way with the university community.“The work groups will be communicating with those who are interested in those particular areas. The information will be synthesized onto a website. Folks who are interested in finding out more information about the strategic planning process through the website that we've structured can go to strategicplan.msu.edu. And that website will have not only the current strategic plan, but follow up information as we progress. And people who might have things they want to share can email us at msu2030@msu.edu. That website is up and running. If people have input that they'd like to make, they can contact us at any time through that website. I'm happy to answer any questions that folks might have, and I appreciate any information that folks would like to share.”The MSU community, especially faculty and staff, can help to advance the plan, stay informed, and participate where appropriate.“Our executive sponsors of each of the theme sections are listed in the strategic plan. As folks are reviewing the plan and there's something that strikes them as a particularly high priority or something that they're interested in providing input on, they can either contact the executive sponsors of that section of the plan and provide input directly to those executive sponsors, or they can contact us at our website or contact me directly to share that feedback and get them engaged.”MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery, creativity and innovation for excellence and global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion.I'm very excited to be participating in this process. I think it's very important for the university that we have a sense of direction and that we're striving to achieve that sense of direction. And I would encourage everybody to read the plan. It's fairly lengthy so don't be shy about skipping to the part that most pertains to you. And we certainly welcome any feedback. Anybody who would like to help or participate in the process is welcome to do so. And that's really what it's about it. It's not about me or a particular dean or vice president. It's about all of us as a university community striving to be better. And the plan's purpose is to help guide us there.”“Just again, I appreciate how much people have been engaged with this,” concludes President Stanley. “I appreciate the excitement about it. I encourage people to read the strategic plan, and, if you haven't read it already, to read the DEI Strategic Plan and the RVSM Strategic Plan and think about how you can contribute. As I said before, it's a living document. We'll be ready to modify it as times change or if our priorities change. We want to continue this kind of conversation and dialogue with the university community.” MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and streams at WKAR.org. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

On this episode, Whitney talks with journalist Aallyah Wright about her journey to journalism, reporting on issues of labor, race, and equity in her native Mississippi. Wright reports on rural affairs and leads race and equity coverage for Stateline. Previously, Aallyah worked for Mississippi Today, a digital nonprofit newsroom, covering K-12 education and government in the Mississippi Delta—her home region. As a member of the Delta Bureau, she investigated Mississippi's teacher shortage, finding it was six times worse than in 1998 when the Mississippi legislature passed a bill to alleviate the crisis. She is a 2020 Mississippi Humanities Council Preserver of Mississippi Culture Award recipient, 2019 StoryWorks Theater Fellow, and 2018 Educating Children in Mississippi Fellow at the Hechinger Report. Wright graduated from Delta State University with a bachelor's in journalism and minors in communication and theater.