September 3, 2021
On September 1, 2021, nearly three weeks after its inception, the Operation Bold Transition Team forwarded its recommendations to the President of the University of Utah, Taylor Randall. “We approached the task with enthusiasm, commitment and urgency,” wrote the team in the letter to the president. “At your instruction, we approached it with boldness.”
The transition plan, which is in line with and complementary to US strategic goals and core values, identifies 16 goals and approximately 100 steps of action to guide the president’s leadership over the next 500 days. It also recommends ways to improve equity, diversity and inclusion; Campus security; Health and wellbeing; Sustainability; and academic freedom – all with an emphasis on continuing to be a public model university.
“One of the first priorities of the plan is to establish a process for President Randall to listen and learn about the goals, priorities and key issues on campus and in the wider community we serve,” said Andy Weyrich. Vice President Research and Co-Chair of the Transition Team. “We designed the plan to be fluid and functional so it can be customized and refined as we ponder what the President learns from his listening sessions.”
The transition plan builds on the President’s three main priorities:
Research innovation and creativity
Student experiences
The One-U Initiative
The plan also introduces transitional imperatives such as the COVID-19 pandemic, educational opportunities, and Pac-12 engagement / athletics.
“We are making these recommendations with a keen awareness of this moment. We face generational challenges and far-reaching opportunities, ”added the team. “At the same time, we wholeheartedly take advantage of the enormous opportunities that come with membership of the prestigious Association of American Universities and the flagship university of the state of Utah.”
The plan recommends a careful transition that includes three phases: transition, implementation, and execution. And it suggests that the President meet twice with the transition team in the coming year to assess progress and make corrections in the middle.
“I am very grateful for the thoughtful and timely contributions from this team, which represents a broad cross-section of this university,” said President Randall upon receipt of the plan. “I take seriously the transition team’s mandate to take these recommendations and information from my listening and study sessions to develop a bold vision that will ensure future student success, research excellence, patient care and community service.”
The team concluded their cover letter by saying, “We believe that this transition plan, which includes small and large steps for running and running the university, will help us become a public model university and achieve the courage we all strive for . “
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