FAQs

What is the three-part strategy?

Berkeley’s strategy has three interconnected parts:

First Things First addresses fundamental issues that need immediate attention—areas where progress is both urgent and achievable. Right now, we’re focusing on four priorities: student accommodations, facilities and physical space, faculty merit and promotion, and research administration. More will be added. Each has dedicated leadership and implementation plans, with regular progress updates.

Schools, colleges, and departments will develop their own unit strategic plans that reflect their specific priorities over the next 5-10 years.

Campus-level strategies focus on seven opportunity areas where Berkeley can have the greatest impact. For each area, we’ll develop innovative initiatives that leverage Berkeley’s collective strength and deliver meaningful societal benefit. These may evolve as unit plans are finalized and additional themes emerge.

Together, these three parts create the conditions for excellence while giving units the flexibility to pursue their own strategic priorities.

How is this different from previous strategic plans?

This process prioritizes action over documentation, experiments over comprehensive consensus, and honest trade-offs over trying to do everything. It’s designed to produce priorities we will actually implement, not a lengthy document that sits on a shelf.

Who is leading this process?

Campus strategic planning process is led by the Chancellor’s Office in partnership with Creativity Partners and the Greater Good Science Center, with input from leaders across all campus segments.

Deans are leading strategic planning efforts for their units.

How can I contribute?

Our campus community is invited to provide input through the three options listed on our Submit Your Ideas Page. Through the fall and early winter, we held a series of listening sessions with faculty, staff, student, and alumni leadership groups.

What happens after the strategy is finalized?

We’ll establish clear accountability structures, project management systems and tracking dashboards to ensure implementation. This isn’t a plan to file away — it’s a commitment to action.

How will decisions be made?

Ideas will be synthesized and prioritized based on: strategic impact, feasibility, resource requirements. We will continue to communicate updates and progress to our community.

How long will this take?

The full strategic planning process runs through Summer 2026, with implementation beginning in Fall 2026. However, the First Things First initiatives and some quick-win experiments may launch sooner.

How does this fit with college/department-level planning?

First Things First addresses foundational challenges that affect everyone across campus—like research administration, facilities, and faculty merit processes – creating better conditions for our faculty, students, and staff to do their best work.

Unit strategic plans are a core part of Berkeley’s overall strategy. Schools and units are developing their own plans that reflect their unique disciplinary strengths, priorities, and aspirations. These plans give units the autonomy to chart their own course while contributing to Berkeley’s broader direction.

The campus-level strategies will be informed by the first two parts of the strategy, including input from across our community. They represent strategic priorities at an institutional level.

How does this connect to the Capital Campaign?

The strategy will influence the foundation for campaign support materials, helping translate strategic priorities into investment opportunities for donors. However, the processes remain distinct.

How does this relate to the budget process?

Our strategic planning process will influence budget priorities but remains a separate process. Strategic priorities will inform future resource allocation decisions.

What about initiatives that don’t get selected as priorities?

Some ideas may become priorities. Others may be worth pursuing at the department or college level. Still others may inform future planning cycles. Not being selected as a top university-wide priority doesn’t mean an idea lacks value. Good strategy requires making tough choices, acknowledging we can’t do it all.

How will we know if we’re succeeding?

Each strategic priority will have clear success metrics, tracking dashboards and regular progress reviews. We’ll be transparent about what’s working and what needs adjustment.

What about resistance to change?

We understand there may be resistance to change, and we’re addressing it head-on. The goal is to enable and manage change effectively, building the institutional agility Berkeley needs.

How do we avoid this becoming another bureaucratic process?

By design. We’re emphasizing experiments, clear next steps and accountability over endless planning. If the process starts to bog down, we’ll adjust.

This sounds ambitious. How is this realistic given our constraints?

We’re being honest about our constraints — from UCOP governance to financial pressures — precisely so we can develop priorities that work within reality while still being bold. Part of strategic planning is acknowledging trade-offs and focusing on the vital few rather than trying to do everything.