Old Dominion University
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

Environmental dimensions of sustainability are mentioned briefly on page 3 of the Strategic Plan: "Metropolitan Hampton Roads’ location provides a rich living laboratory for many of ODU’ academic and research pursuits, including environmental, marine, and natural sciences and engineering associated with the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean."

Social dimensions of sustainability are mentioned on page 20 and page 22 of the Strategic Plan: B. Improve engagement and interactions among faculty, staff, and students. 1. Foster an Old Dominion University identity through increased community-building events and best practice activities, including workshops and motivational speakers. Invest in engaging and exciting programs that celebrate multiculturalism and diversity. Evaluate and eliminate programming that no longer resonates. Continue to offer engaging cultural, athletic and entertainment events on campus and encourage alumni, faculty, administrators, and classified staff to attend. (Also links to Goal 6). Develop and support a more diverse international community. Enhance the international diversity within the faculty and student body through targeted recruitment and follow-up mentoring to assure retention of high-achieving individuals from underrepresented national and cultural backgrounds. Ensure international graduate students are adequately prepared for teaching and research assistantships through targeted workshops and training programs.

Economic dimensions of sustainability are mentioned in Goal 6 on page 23 of the Strategic Plan: Goal 6. ...Build on our successful Continuing Education programs and create stronger links with the Commonwealth’s community colleges to provide enhanced workforce development opportunities especially in areas of regional and national need, such as advanced health science degrees, modeling and simulation, engineering technology, and STEM education. Facilitate business creation and expansion efforts in the region through extension of ODU’s intellectual capital, innovation, and infrastructure into the broader community, such as via the Innovation Research Park. Establish the Virginia Applied Technology and Development Center as the University’s front door for businesses to engage the University in solutions for their business problems. Build strong civic and community partnerships to enhance Hampton Roads’ standing as a ‘Great Place to Live and Work’. Apply ODU’s expertise to community betterment and become the ‘go to’ place for solutions to Hampton Roads’ problems through increased civic and community engagement of faculty, staff, and students in solving socio-economic, educational, health, and workforce needs. Rationale: The University is situated in a dynamic and growing metropolitan region and demonstrates its commitment to the economic development and quality of life in the region not only through its academic programs, but also through direct action in the surrounding communities. Through our Distance Learning technology and our articulation agreements with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), we create access for all citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond to encounter Old Dominion University for professional or personal development. Through our annual State of the Region and Economic Forecasting Project reports we inform the community about global economic activity that directly affects their daily lives. Through our offerings in Continuing Education, we provide both tangible and intangible benefits to the daily lives and welfare of the community around us. Through service learning opportunities we provide support to the community in even more immediate ways as our students, staff and faculty collaborate directly with local experts to solve the many serious issues facing local, national, and global communities. It is imperative that through these means and others, we maintain and enhance the positive perception of ODU within the community.