Rosenberg’s iREAL identifies themes, obstacles

Rohan Jani/Staff Writer

A recent Integrating Research, Engagement, Assessment and Learning commission meeting concluded three main themes iREAL wants to work toward: student success, becoming a top Carnegie Mellon tier school and finding more efficiency within the University to save funding and generate additional revenue. Two obstacles impede this path to success, however: prioritizing and funding.

President Mark B. Rosenberg’s iREAL is a project he hopes to bring to the front of the University by 2020.

Ten commissioners, led by College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kenneth G. Furton, draft “white papers” to identify strategic ways that FIU can leverage success across the community, Furton said.

Missions of the commission range from the more broad like “preparing graduates for seamless career integration and entrepreneurial success in the global marketplace” to specifics like “launching synchronized communications campaigns to elevate the FIU brand and attract donors.”

“The idea is to use ‘white papers’ […] and look into the future of FIU and, more broadly, the future of higher education. In a disruptive world full of technology and online massively open online courses, vision papers of recommendations for the future and strategic plans [are necessary],” Furton said.

Nine major recommendations came out of recent meetings. The theme of student success included points to: work toward best practices, provide courses students need, ensure timely graduation and good, high-paying employment after graduation.

The second is continuing to strive to be a Carnegie Mellon tier school. The University is currently classified as a research university with high research activity.

“The professors here create knowledge and share it. We also certify knowledge that students can acquire,” Furton said.

The third theme is related to finding more efficiency within the University to save funding and find ways to generate additional revenue for paying for first-year recommendations, such as new programs being and funds to further research.

Furton said the strategy behind the iREAL commission includes breakdowns in planning concurrent ideas for each given year prior to 2010. This equates to the whole quantity of members needed for Furton to continue to achieve those recommendations.

The commission was charged by Rosenberg and is in its last year of strategic planning.

“We are trying to put together a blueprint for upcoming strategic ideas, using something as a foundation to build something even newer and much better into the next five to six years,” Furton said. “We are confident; FIU is always innovative and is at the leading edge.”

“We are trying to put together a blueprint for upcoming strategic ideas, using something as a foundation to build something even newer and much better into the next five to six years,” Furton said.

Student feedback is important to the commission, according to Furton.

“Students are required at some point; all work products are on the website and we encourage student feedback directly there. I have met with students and senators, both on campus and also at the town hall,” Furton said.

He commented on the necessity to have a more expedient graduation rate, and why FIU must live up to its label as a public research university.

“Research, depending on the area, is costly but carries cost-incentive reasons,” Furton said. “Research is good for the types of jobs students want to have, and can help towards advanced degrees. Town hall forums included positive direction and feedback during my visit there.”

Furton also made a note that while some committee members wanted to have the program focus on working within FIU, there was an interest in collaborating with other universities in the state of Florida like Univeristy of Central Florida and University of South Florida.

“They are the best choices to partner up with for similar research,” Furton said. “This was so that he could expand the networks that FIU can get in contact with outside the University’s reach and also to build long-lasting relationships.”

Furton noted obstacles that were impeding the path to success for iREAL, however, which include prioritizing and funding.

“In the next six months of strategic planning, we need to prioritize where we put our efforts in,” Furton said. “Challenges and opportunities are difficult because they are so many — which do we address first?”

“In the next six months of strategic planning, we need to prioritize where we put our efforts in,” Furton said. “Challenges and opportunities are difficult because they are so many — which do we address first?”

The most recent meeting was the last Furton will have with the commissioners alone. The next meeting will be a town hall, where Rosenberg will introduce the finalized strategic plan.

Harry Guerrero, a sophomore in international relations and political science, thinks the “white paper” goals for 2020 are very much realistic.

“If the University concentrates on increasing graduate students, then the school will gain an even stronger reputation and the quantity of kids applying will increase as well,” Guerrero said. “Everyone across the board benefits, from students and faculty to the University and City of Miami.”

Antonio Diaz, a sophomore in political science and government, also admires the goals that are laid out by the commission. He follows the perspective that prioritization of missions will be the greatest asset if removed as an obstacle and developed more as a strategic tool.

“The first three goals should receive priority designation because, if accomplished, they will create a chain effect or pathway to accomplish the rest,” Diaz said.

Diaz also argued that there should be another recommendation added to the list.

“Increasing programs that allow you to begin graduate education as an undergraduate student,” he said, inferring that that these would be very similar to the BPA/MPA programs already at FIU.

Student Media made several attempts to contact Rosenberg, who was unavailable for comment.

– rohan.jani@fiusm.com