University of California, Santa Barbara
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

The Mission Statement of the UCSB Strategic Academic Plan reads, “Our commitment to public service is manifested through the creation and distribution of art, culture, and knowledge that advances the well-being of our state, nation, and world. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration, opportunity, and advantage from the beauty and resources of UC Santa Barbara's extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.” The Strategic Plan also includes a section on core values where we affirm our commitment to the principle of sustainability as we strive to be good stewards of our natural and built environments. UCSB prides itself on its interdisciplinary strength and the overarching themes that we incorporate throughout our academic departments. Interdisciplinarity has been paramount in the development of our campus and “has forged connections both within and across colleges and divisions, with academic programs like Media Arts and Technology and research centers like the Center for Nanotechnology and Society.” The strategic plan also names four interdisciplinary themes which will guide our development through 2025. One of these four themes is "The Environment." As is described below, there are also themes that address social and economic sustainability.

The Core Values of the Strategic Academic Plan present a set of criteria that the university must abide by in our decision-making process. Some of the values related to social dimensions of sustainability include: upholding the principles of freedom of information, academic freedom, and open communication; embracing our global commitment through meaningful connections, understanding, and interactions with our community, nation, and world; and respecting and providing a welcoming environment for people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and points of view The Strategic Academic Plan also includes a dedicated section on diversity. This section describes our overall commitment to a diverse campus: “The University of California has recognized diversity as critical to its future and has adopted the position that diversity enhances all aspects of the University through the breadth of perspectives, interests, and experiences that a diverse population brings to each campus…It is clear that to be a successful top tier research university in a changing world, we must continue to work on developing a student body that reflects the diversity of our society and a faculty and staff that reflect the diversity of our student body.” Our criteria for thoughtful choices (page 10 of the plan) further outlines the criteria we will use to determine strategic budget choices and guide the decisions that will shape the future of our campus. Social needs and consequences asks whether investments in a given area will be responsive to real social and civic needs, have positive effects on the community in ways that encompass all of its diversity, and have possible national and international consequences.

The Strategic Academic Plan reinforces UC Santa Barbara's commitment to providing an educated workforce for California's economy, meeting social and civic needs for new knowledge, creating economic equality through providing access to education for California's diverse population, and ensuring that our growth is matched by the development of affordable housing. The plan also provides guidance on financial decisions that the university will need to make through the 2007-2025 time period. A reoccurring theme throughout the plan is the need to make strategic decisions that will ensure that the campus is economically sustainable in its own finances. On page 12, the plan reads that “enrollment growth in UC as a whole, and UC Santa Barbara in particular, is driven not only by California's population but by societal needs. For instance, it is well-known that there is a projected shortage of scientifically and technically trained graduates in CA as in the nation at large, and we need to help meet the demand for students trained in these areas in order to maintain the state's technological edge. Moreover, graduates in the humanities, arts, and social sciences contribute decisively to the economy, particularly in California where cultural industries are prominent." On page 14, the need for affordable housing is clearly discussed. While the specific plans for the development of housing fall under the purview of the Long Range Development Plan, the Strategic Academic Plan clearly communicates the need and sets the policy direction for the Long Range Development Plan.