Strategic Initiative Brief: Strategic topics for 2021

Unify-Communicate-Advocate

The Strategic Initiatives offer a home for strategic thought - drawing on members of the wider UC ANR community and beyond to identify and address issues of current and emerging importance.  

1. Expected Growth in Strategic Topics for 2021

The SI leaders continue to lead discussion on topics of importance for the future of UC ANR. Drawing on the vision of our future (pdf), the SIs are linking to ongoing efforts and leaders within our UC ANR community to create spaces for conversation and explore opportunities.  

• Existing 2-page concept notes. Now available on the SI site. 
• Fire: Concept Note Fire Advisors Network (draft). Kudos to Yana and others for their work on this concept paper.
• Food Systems: Concept Note Food systems (draft). Concepts here are emerging in part from the Food Systems Spotlight Webinar series led by Deanne Meyer and Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty.
• Urban extension/DEI: Concept Note Building California's Urban Community (draft). This and associated initiatives are benefiting from input by Keith Nathaniel and Frank McPherson.
• Extension of the Future: Concept Note Building California's Urban Community (draft) and Concept note working cross state and cross institute (draft). These are the latest as discussion evolves around opportunities to grow our presence throughout the state and across state lines. What could post-COVID tertiary education look like? What could be the role of UC ANR (i.e. working with community colleges, CSUs, UCs, internships…)? What other Funding & Incomes models are there?
• Health: Health Resilience Network Concept Note (draft) and Prop 63 - Mental Health Services Act Concept Note (draft). There is a growing emphasis on how UC ANR can support community health efforts.  
• DEI: The Program Teams recently provided input on some of what is happening in relation to DEI in our programmatic work. We are seeing growth in the number of DEI (and justice) related initiatives. The SI's will be looking at how we can help build synergies and a shared vision.
• Reach: We will be looking more at how to help people feed in to the Integrated Web Platform project.   

Feedback and suggestions welcome! 

 

2. Sustainable Natural Resources SI Leader position open - join the SI team

Want to make a difference at the UC ANR program and policy level? Check out the opportunity as the Sustainable Natural Resources Strategic Initiative leader. In transitioning the leadership, many thanks to David Lile for his commitment to our Sustainable Natural Resources work. David was the Strategic Initiative leader for 3 years.

 

3. Ways to contribute

Here's how you can connect and contribute:

Learn more about our Workgroups and Program Teams.
Submit a Knowledge Stream "news you can use" post here. 
Build your skills using the Learning and Development site.

 

For more on the SIs and their activities, contact:

Jim Farrar: Pests (EIPD)

David Lile: Natural Ecosystems (SNE) (departs role this month - thanks for all he has done!)

David Lewis: (Water)

Deanne Meyer: Food Systems (SFS)

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty: Families and Communities (HFC)

Mark Bell: Vice Provost (Strategic Initiatives and Statewide Programs)

 

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