University President Scott Beardsley named a 22-member committee to compose the University’s next strategic plan in a media release July 13. The Committee includes, but is not limited to, two students, three U.Va. Health leaders — one of whom also serves as an ex-officio member — and six ex-officio members — defined by Robert’s Rules of Order as an individual automatically included on a board or committee because of another position they hold.
Board of Visitors Rector Carlos Brown and Vice Rector Victoria Harker are two of the Committee’s ex-officio members. Jennifer West, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and R. Marc Johnson, vice president for strategic initiatives in the Office of the President, will serve as co-chairs of the Committee.
The University is currently working towards completion of the 2030 strategic plan of Jim Ryan, former University president and School of Law professor. In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover said many goals from the 2030 Plan are complete or “nearing completion,” and that the next plan will build on the “foundations” established from the current one.
The 2030 Plan details four goals and 10 initiatives for the University to complete by 2030 in order to establish the University as the leading public institution in the country. Initiatives include expanding access to financial aid, housing all first- and second-years on Grounds and recruiting the “best researchers, teachers and mentors.”
The University has prepared to house all second-years on Grounds through the construction of two dormitories on Ivy Corridor — set to be completed by 2027 — which will accommodate 750-800 students. In February, Glover told The Cavalier Daily that the University has also greatly expanded financial aid, particularly through the expansion of AccessUVA in 2023. AccessUVA is the umbrella term for grants and scholarships University students can receive to meet need-based financial aid. The University also covers the full cost of tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students with a family income and assets that total less than $100,000.
The media release July 13 pointed to an overarching goal of the coming strategic planning process — “for [the University] to realize its full potential as the nation’s premier public university, an elite academic medical system and a top-tier global research and educational institution.” Beardsley also commented on his gratitude for the Committee and how it will aid the University in reaching its goals.
“I’m grateful to this committee for helping shape a strategic plan rooted in our community’s highest aspirations,” Beardsley said in the media release. “Together, we will write the next chapter of this incredible University and amplify our global impact and mission of education, research, patient care and public service.”
Since assuming office Jan. 1, Beardsley has embarked on a Grounds for Conversation initiative and has spoken with members from groups across the University community, including leaders and representatives from student self-governance organizations and all 12 of the University’s schools. Glover said these conversations will form the base of the next strategic plan.
When composing his own committee for the making of the 2030 Plan, Ryan also solicited ideas from conversations he had with University community members at the beginning of his presidential term in 2018, according to U.Va. Today. This initiative was titled “Ours to Shape” which is the equivalent of Beardsley’s Grounds for Conversation endeavor, according to Glover.
The strategic planning committee in 2018 included 16 members and 5 ex-officio participants — one total less than the Committee announced July 13. The Committee to form the 2030 Plan comprised one student representative, the then-faculty representative to the Board and five deans. The Committee for the coming strategic plan includes two student representatives, a Faculty Senate executive council member and five deans. Both committees include the dean of students.
The July 13 media release also lays out some early priorities Beardsley has for the planning process, a few of which include “faculty excellence, access and affordability … [and] world-class patient care.”
Glover explained that Beardsley selected members for the Committee based on recommendations from University stakeholders, including individuals of the Faculty Senate and Student Council.
“The Committee was composed to function as a nimble, efficient working group,” Glover wrote. “While no single body can be perfectly representative of the entire community, the membership was carefully balanced to ensure a broad spectrum of perspectives, comprising respected leaders, alumni and current students.”
Imane Akhanous, member of the Committee and Student Council Batten graduate representative, said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily that as one of two student representatives on the Committee, she will ensure the student experience is “meaningfully represent[ed]” as the University develops the next strategic plan.
“One of the things that I'm hoping to do serving on this Committee is ensuring that the experiences of students are helping shape the decisions that are going to affect the generations of students to come,” Akhanous said. “While the Committee is charged with planning decades into the future, the decisions should remain somewhat grounded in the realities of what students are experiencing today.”
Regarding focal points she hopes the Committee addresses, Akhanous echoed Beardsley’s priority of affordability and accessibility for the University. She also added that given the tumultuous events of the past year at the University, she aims to work towards institutional stability with a protected student voice.
Following Ryan’s pressured resignation by the U.S. Department of Justice in June 2025, and during the University’s search for the 10th permanent president, many University stakeholders — including students — spoke out against the composition of the search committee. They expressed that the search committee did not sufficiently consider student input.
“In the past year, we've seen how a little bit of [overreach] from [the] federal government can really change how students perceive the University, and so I imagine that that also goes to future prospective students,” Akhanous said. “I’m curious to see how we can make sure that we have institutional stability, perhaps safeguards in place … that can protect student voice.”
Akhanous continued, saying students “deserve” to be heard as the University plans for the long-term.
The Cavalier Daily also requested comment from three other Committee members. One declined to comment, one said they did not have information to share and one did not respond by the time of publication.
Committee meetings to compose the University’s next strategic plan will take place “regularly” throughout the semester, with the first meeting scheduled to occur in August, according to Glover. She did not specify how often meetings will be — other than that they will be regular — and also wrote that the meetings will not be public. Community members are invited to offer input through in-person or virtual opportunities, Glover said, and will be able to complete a survey on the Grounds for Conversation website once a new page goes live during the week of July 20.
Here is a complete list of the Committee’s members.
Co-chair — Jennifer West, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science
Co-chair — R. Marc Johnson, vice president for strategic initiatives in the Office of the President
Members
- Imane Akhanous, Student Council Batten graduate representative, former chair of the Representative Body of the Student Council
- Jennifer Bair, senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and professor of sociology
- Dr. Taison Bell, interim chair of the Department of Medicine and associate professor of medicine
- Anna Brickhouse, professor of English and American Studies
- Dr. Aaron Dumont, professor of neurosurgery and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery
- Noah Dyer, rising fourth-year Commerce student, captain of the men’s swimming and diving team and president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
- Nicole Hall, University dean of students and senior associate vice president for Student Affairs
- Devin Harris, professor of civil engineering and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Leslie Kendrick, School of Law professor and dean of the School of Law
- John Kosky, vice president and chief human resources officer
- Lori McMahon, vice president for research and professor of neuroscience
- Andy Pennock, associate professor of public policy and member of the Faculty Senate Executive Council
- Stephanie Rowley, professor of education and dean of the School of Education and Human Development
- Ryan Wright, professor of commerce, co-director of Artifical Intelligence Research at U.Va. and special advisor to the provost for AI research
Ex-Officio Members
- Carlos Brown, Board rector
- Victoria Harker, Board vice rector
- Jennifer Wagner Davis, executive vice president and chief operating officer
- Brie Gertler, interim executive vice president and provost
- Donna Henry, the College at Wise Chancellor
- Dr. Mitchell Rosner, executive vice president for Health Affairs and chief executive officer of U.Va. Health
Lauren Seeliger is a news editor of the 137th term and enjoys covering U.Va. Health and University governance. Lauren is a fourth-year Behavioral Neuroscience student from Fairfield, Connecticut.
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