Chancellor Mark Mone established the 2030+ Think Tank in Fall 2019 as a supplement to our strategic direction efforts examining how UWM can position itself for success in the year 2030 and beyond. The Think Tank included cross-campus representatives and examined UWM’s challenges and opportunities for the future. The group issued its recommendations in Spring 2020. These recommendations included four priority actions:
- Revise the undergraduate student experience and develop core competencies that make a UWM education distinctive.
- Make UWM radically welcoming and engaging for all.
- Review our school/college organizational structure and program array.
- Advance research excellence.
In Fall 2020, Chancellor Mark Mone and Provost Johannes Britz charged the 2030 Implementation Team (PDF) to develop specific action steps (PDF) for each of the four prioritized recommendations developed by the 2030+ Think Tank.
Work groups were formed (PDF) with opportunity for engagement from governance, faculty, staff, students, schools, colleges, divisions and other groups in the UWM community.
After work began in October 2020, campus updates were shared in early November and late November, December and January.
A full report (PDF), including a cover letter from Chancellor Mone, was presented to the campus in March 2021.
Based on the Implementation Team recommendations, the 2030 Action Team pursued eight goals over the past two academic years (2021 to 2023) organized in eight teams:
• Becoming a Student-Centric University and Moon Shot for Equity
• Revising the Curriculum
• Increasing Inclusion and Diversity
• Aligning and Engaging our Workforce
• Reassessing Unit Alignment
• Redesigning the Research Infrastructure
• Updating the Budget Model
• Growing the UWM Foundation Endowment
2030 Action Team co-leads facilitated coordination among the eight teams. Leadership appointments for the 2030 Action Team were announced in May 2021.
In October 2023, a report (PDF) was completed that summarizes work accomplished over the past two academic years (2021-2023) and offers recommendations for the next phase of the 2030 Action Plan. These recommendations were incorporated into the 2030 Action Plan refresh in Spring 2024.
This refresh includes redirecting the original eight action teams toward four broader pillars or commitments that reinforce UWM’s mission and vision. Doing so strengthens UWM’s strategic framework while also providing a clearer roadmap toward the chancellor’s strategic directions.
Team Transition Table
The incorporation of the work done by the previous eight implementation teams into the work of the current four Action Plan commitments is illustrated in the chart below. The eight implementation teams were active during academic years 2021-22 and 2022-23.
| 2030 Refresh Commitments (AY 2023-2024) | 2030 Action Team and Goal (AY 2021-2023) |
|---|---|
| Commitment to Students’ Academic and Personal Journey | Becoming a Student-Centric University and Moon Shot for Equity: Provide student-centered services and supports that result in student success in the form of retention and graduation for all students. Revising the Curriculum: Offer a core curriculum that is focused on student needs, features the development of lifetime skills and abilities, and reduces the time needed to complete a degree. |
| Commitment to a Positive Employee Experience | Aligning and Engaging our Workforce: Make cultural and policy changes to aid in the advancement, career success and other supports for UWM employees. Increasing Inclusion and Diversity: Commit to UWM being an institution in which diversity, equity and inclusion penetrate our culture and inform campuswide actions. Reassessing Unit Alignment: Reduce the number and composition of college-level units. |
| Commitment to Research, Innovation & Community Impact | Redesigning the Research Infrastructure: Change our research infrastructure to support the shifting needs of investigators across UWM. |
| Commitment to Fiscal Sustainability & Economically Anchoring Southeastern Wisconsin | Growing the UWM Foundation Endowment: Grow the endowment to $500 million to enable priorities. Updating the Budget Model: Develop budget model adjustments that preserve unit incentives and accommodate institutional change. |
Timeline
2019-2020
- 2030+ Think Tank is established by Chancellor Mark Mone in Fall 2019 as a supplement to UWM’s strategic direction efforts.
- In Spring 2020, the 2030+ Think Tank team, including cross-campus representatives, provided their Recommendation report (PDF), finalized in May 2020
2020-2021
- In Fall 2020, eight 2030 Action Plan implementation teams are formed.
- n Spring 2021, the structure for the 2030 Action Plan is established with executive sponsors, a steering committee, co-leads and eight implementation teams.
- Read the final report of the 2030 Implementation Team (PDF), which was finalized in February 2021.
2021-2023
Fall 2023
- Review of recommendations from the 2030 Action Plan report and refresh of the priorities.
Spring 2024
- 2030 Action Plan refreshed as four commitments: Commitment to Students’ Academic & Personal Journey; Commitment to a Positive Employee Experience; Commitment to Research, Innovation & Community Impact; Commitment to Fiscal Sustainability & Economically Anchoring Southeastern Wisconsin.
- Commitment sponsors are named and begin work on clarifying goals, strategies and metrics.