The task of creating a strategic plan can be daunting for organizations as complex as universities. At Cornell, President David Skorton and Provost Kent Fuchs are leading such an effort -- a collaborative and inclusive initiative to envision Cornell's future.

What that future should look like will be the topic of discussion in the coming weeks at five public forums for faculty, staff and students, hosted by the president and provost. The forums are part of Skorton's plan to communicate frequently and clearly with the university community about how the administration is revising Cornell's budget and creating the strategic plan, called Reimagining Cornell http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/. The forums follow the July 22 faculty forum (see the Chronicle's coverage at http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/July09/ReimaginingUpdate.html).

At the forums, Skorton and Fuchs will provide updates on the budget and strategic plan and solicit audience suggestions and concerns. "It's one of many ways we're sharing information and asking for feedback," Fuchs said.

The schedule:

• Staff forums will be held Sept. 4, noon-1 p.m., G10 Biotech; and Oct. 1, noon-1 p.m., in a location to be announced.
• A faculty forum will be held Sept. 16, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Call Alumni Auditorium, Kennedy Hall. (Note location change)
• Student forums are Sept. 17 and Oct. 2, both 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Uris Hall Auditorium.

All of the forums are being live-streamed at cornell.edu.

"Feedback will be very helpful," Fuchs said. "It's impossible for any of us in leadership positions to think of all the consequences of possible actions nor to know all the alternatives we should consider."

The planning process is now under way. Task forces are assessing every aspect of the university, and an outside consulting firm is looking at back-office efficiencies. In October, both groups will present reports that will include recommendations to be considered immediately as part of the fiscal year 2011 budget process. The final, comprehensive strategic plan will be presented to the Cornell Board of Trustees this spring.

Fuchs has asked Edward Lawler, the Martin P. Catherwood Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations, sociology professor and former dean of the ILR School, to co-chair his efforts to draft a strategic plan. Prior to coming to Cornell, Lawler led a similar process at the University of Iowa, under the direction of former Cornell President Hunter Rawlings, who was then the University of Iowa's president.

Skorton is scheduled to present the plan to the Cornell Board of Trustees in March 2010. "The assumption is that the university is too broad for the resources that we'll have for the foreseeable future," Fuchs said. "Therefore we have to be more focused, which will give us greater strength, visibility and distinctiveness from our peers. It's a challenging process, but I'm optimistic that together we'll make good, important decisions."