I am writing to update you on our progress toward our new 10-year strategic plan. In my January 2023 message to the community, I outlined the five themes that the Rensselaer Forward Plan would be built around, and identified the membership of the five working groups. I charged these groups with producing draft reports around each of these themes, which we will weave into a final strategic plan. The five themes are as follows:

• Education (Innovative Pedagogy, Living and Learning)
• Regional Engagement
• Welcoming and Inclusive Community
• Translation
• Research

I am pleased to report that the committees have completed their work and their draft reports are currently being reviewed by the leadership. The committees have reviewed the suggestions submitted through the Rensselaer Idea Bank; they will reflect on these thoughtful ideas and respond as appropriate in their final reports. We hope to release these final committee reports to the Rensselaer community in early September, with a goal to complete the Rensselaer Forward Plan by December 2023.

I would like to thank the more than 120 committee members from across the campus – students, faculty, and staff – whose collaborative effort has produced a solid foundation for us to build a strategic plan worthy of carrying Rensselaer Forward into its third century.