Initiatives Teams

Though the goals and structure of the framework are now well-developed, much work remains in envisioning, planning, and funding initiatives.

To help refine our ideas and plans, we have created a set of widely representative teams with specific charges:

  • Liberal Arts and the Undergraduate Education: Develop a path to renewing Clark’s liberal arts traditions, including a clear and comprehensive plan for the first-year academic program and undergraduate research experiences; consider a new undergraduate honors program.
  • Undergraduate Opportunities in Academic Areas of Focus: Assess, prioritize, and develop new undergraduate credentials, synergistic programs, and courses, particularly in the four interdisciplinary areas areas of focus. Develop clear degree and career roadmaps for a number of new majors/degrees proposed.
  • Graduate Opportunities in Academic Areas of Focus: Assess, prioritize, and develop new graduate degrees, continuing education, and professional credentials, synergistic programs, and courses, particularly in the four interdisciplinary areas of focus. Develop clear degree and career roadmaps for a number of new majors/degrees proposed, keeping mindful of ties to undergraduate programs and continuing education.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programming, Training, and Space: Consider and recommend investments in affinity space, equity and justice programming, anti-racism and anti-bias training, and synergistic DEI collaboration and accountability.
  • Enhanced Student Experience and Engagement: Develop a vision and operational plan for the graduate and undergraduate student experience to promote student development, well-being, leadership, success, a sense of belonging, and a vibrant and robust campus experience. Areas of exploration will include student support and resources, co-curricular experiences, key campus operations, and facilities.
  • Faculty Hiring: Develop new processes for faculty searches and for promoting interdisciplinary and synergy hiring.
  • Campus Sustainability Action Plan: Review Clark’s performance on sustainability metrics and existing goals, and re-establish a comprehensive set of goals and the steps required to achieve carbon neutrality and promote sustainability more broadly through policies and programs on campus.
  • Global and Climate Change: Develop a plan for a structure to bring together global, climate change, and sustainability activities, and to integrate and coordinate various related course offerings.
  • New Science Facilities: Develop a vision and mission for a new integrated science building/complex that will inform fundraising and future building plans.
  • New Athletics and Recreation Facilities: Develop a vision and mission for new athletics and recreation facilities — and the programs that will use them — to inform fundraising and future building plans.
  • Higgins School of Humanities: Identify ways to expand the role of the Higgins School and its funding.
  • Clark Projections: Propose an integrated and interdisciplinary way to promote public art and its appreciation across the Clark campus.
  • Center for Urban Research and Community Engagement: Plan the establishment of the Center for Urban Studies and Community Engaged Research that provides a networked hub, coordination, and oversight for existing and emergent academic programs and partnerships as well as an incubator for new initiatives.
  • Computing and Data Sciences Consulting Resource Center: Develop a plan to more effectively bring computer science and data expertise to a range of disciplinary research projects.
  • Health Curriculum: Develop a proposal for an integrated health curriculum and research agenda.
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Propose a plan for new programs and a hub of collaboration that empower Clarkies to operationalize ideas that solve problems in our world, from concept to organizational reality.