Every year in June, the Board of Governors approves the President’s priorities for the year.  For the year beginning July 1, 2012, the Board of Governors approved a series of priorities and objectives based on the following:

1. Working with the executive team to improve team effectiveness.  The team is strong but improvement is always possible, and should remain a focus as we lead a number of initiatives of strategic importance to the University of Manitoba. In particular, working with new Executive Lead, Indigenous Achievement to integrate her into the University of Manitoba community and assist her in being successful in this new role.
   
   
2. Moving ahead on the change agenda for UM. We have a massive change program in place, with multiple initiatives already underway as part of the Resource Optimization and Service Enhancement (ROSE) and Optimizing Academic Resources (OARs) projects, such as the central coordination of IT services and communications activities, and additional components to be implemented as we are able to do so. We have held workshops for senior leaders on change management to establish a common vocabulary of ideas and words and develop a consistent approach to leading change within the University, and now need to embed this thinking in the behavior of the institution.
   
   
3. Encouraging alignment of effort and resources with the university's institutional priorities, which form a three-fold narrative: 1) Strategic Planning Framework, 2) the broad academic mission of learning, discovery and engagement, and 3) the re-investment in institutional infrastructure (processes, structures, leadership development, good governance, physical space, and information technology).
   
   
4. Advancing partnerships within the Manitoba post-secondary system. We have signed a general agreement with Red River College and, at the urging of the provincial government, an MOU with the collection of universities and colleges on student mobility. We are assembling institutional partners in Manitoba and further afield in support of our anticipated response to a forthcoming call for proposals from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to establish a legacy from its work.
   
   
5. Developing a comprehensive framework for community engagement and moving forward on its implementation.
   
   
6. Speaking out on issues of public importance. The University’s reputation is enhanced as the President functions as a citizen in the public square.
   
   
7. Develop a longer term vision for the University of Manitoba.  Our existing Strategic Planning Framework establishes a vision and priorities for a five-year period, but a larger conversation should occur about what the University of Manitoba should strive to achieve over the long term – perhaps twenty-five years – and how we might fulfill this vision.