Town Hall offers glimpse into the future

The campus got its first look of where Sacramento State could be heading during a Nov. 3 Town Hall meeting, held by University President Alexander Gonzalez on the University’s Futures Initiative.

The presentation was a summary of feedback given by 50 members of the campus community including students, alumni, faculty and staff. It provided a snapshot of the conventional wisdom around the campus’ present image, as well as the potential Sacramento State has to be a destination university in the region—and how to get there.

“For the last several months, we’ve become much more earnest about looking at developing the pathway for the University for the next five or 10 years,” President Gonzalez said. “If you don’t have a plan, 10 years can go and nothing will happen. That’s what the urgency is in developing a plan we can look forward to and around which we can develop initiatives.”

The presentation by Steve Weiss, of the Weiss Group, included the University’s perceived strengths: location, accessibility, quality and diversity; and presented the six pillars that will serve as the foundation of the Futures Initiative:

• We are Sacramento’s university
• We are a student-centered university that educates the whole student
• We are a diverse university
• We are a premier and comprehensive university
• We have a vibrant and attractive campus
• We have Centers of Excellence and signature programs for which we are known

President Gonzalez said the next steps were to integrate the goals and objectives of the University’s Strategic Plan with the Futures Initiative, and that the aim was to move forward with the Futures Initiative at the beginning of next year.