Strategic Initiative Brief: Strategic themes

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. Strategic Themes

Building California's urban community is among the strategic themes to promote health and wellness.

With the new year, we welcome input on Strategic Themes that are emerging or that offer expanded opportunities to make a difference in 2021. 

For example, we are greeted this year with a growing need and mandate to build health and wellness in communities. Please think about how your work does and could play a growing role to strengthen the health and well-being of your colleagues and communities - and please share if you see opportunities. 

Visit the Strategic Themes to explore topics and opportunities being developed.  

Our growing number of 2-page concept notes highlights existing and emerging opportunities and needs:

• 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 on 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 (re: working with community colleges, CSUs, UCs, internships…)? What other Funding & Incomes models are there?
• Health Concept Note Health Resilience Network (draft) and Prop 63 - Mental Health Services Act (draft)
• 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 SIs will be looking at how we can help build synergies and a shared vision.
• Reach. We will be looking more at how we help people feed in to the Integrated Web Platform.  

2. Sustainable Natural Ecosystems (SNE) needs representation!

For those working in SNE, we want to make sure your needs are represented in the Strategic Initiatives and Program Council. Note: Recognizing people are busy, there is the potential to split responsibilities and you can sit on the SIs while a colleague represents SNE on Program Council. 

If interested to explore the option, please reach out to Mark Bell or one of the other SI leaders. 

For more on the SIs and their activities, contact

Jim Farrar: Pests (EIPD)

OPEN: Natural Ecosystems (SNE) 

David Lewis: (Water)

Deanne Meyer: Food Systems (SFS)

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty: Families and Communities (HFC)

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

Read more