Dear colleagues,
To begin, we want to acknowledge your patience and grace over the past six months. While we and the Steering Committee have been focused on the vital work of Securing Our Future, you have shown the depth of your commitment to our beloved university. Thank you.
After a diligent, thoughtful process that began in March 2024, the Securing Our Future Steering Committee has shared our recommendations report with the Executive Leadership Team.
We are now in phase 5, and during the coming days, ELT will study the Steering Committee’s recommendations and determine which to accept. The financial impacts will be reflected in the university’s multi-year budget, which starts with FY26, for the Board of Trustees to review in December.
Looking ahead
We have committed to transparency and regular updates throughout this process. Before the end of September, the Steering Committee will share the full committee report with campus. Recommendations that are accepted by ELT will be implemented over time through the “Healthy Campus” theme of the Strategic Plan 2031.
We met with University Academic Senate executive committee and the chairs of University Board of Undergraduate Studies and University Board of Graduate Studies in late August to begin discussion about which of the expected (or anticipated) committee recommendations call for shared governance processes — for those that do, we will work together to ensure the appropriate governance bodies can do their work. There is a clear shared governance process outlined in the Faculty Handbook regarding decisions for which UAS and its standing committees should be consulted and an expectation that administrators give serious consideration to faculty bodies’ recommendations before decisions and actions are taken. If a UAS vote on a recommendation does not align with the ELT final decision, the provost will provide the rationale for the variance prior to implementing the decision.
The Securing Our Future Steering Committee’s work will be complete when the report is issued. We are grateful for the committee’s and our colleagues’ tireless efforts, including a combined hundreds of hours over the summer to review all recommendations, determine and apply evaluation criteria, engage in thoughtful discussions and come to consensus on how best to secure our future.
Securing Our Future is the start of a cultural shift toward continuous improvement on campus. We owe it to our students and each other to continue to think creatively and frequently about how we can best use our resources in service to our Catholic, Jesuit mission. When we do, we pay forward the blessings bestowed on us by prior generations.
The Securing Our Future Teams site has additional information about the process the Steering Committee followed. We look forward to sharing the full report with you later this month.
With gratitude,
Dr. Jill Guttormson
Dean of the College of Nursing, co-chair of Marquette 2031: Securing Our Future
Ralph Weber
Vice president and general counsel, co-chair of Marquette 2031: Securing Our Future
