2026 School of Arts and Sciences Strategic Plan DRAFT

Today, higher education is facing some of its most significant challenges since the founding of the world’s first universities over a millennium ago. Public distrust in higher education institutions, the emergence of new technologies, doubts regarding the value of degrees in an era of increasing income inequality and job insecurity, enrollment challenges, and demographic cliffs are only some of the difficulties that universities face worldwide. In the United States (US) specifically, recent changes in support for research, assaults on academic freedom, and difficulties in obtaining student visas and aid add to these global challenges and create a particularly complex learning, teaching, and research environment.

Against this backdrop, our work has never been more important: to educate young people to be critical thinkers who will be resilient and able to embrace change throughout their lives and professional careers; who will be able to adapt and learn across new areas of knowledge; who will be prepared to lead, foster collaboration, and thrive in a world that is changing at an increasingly rapid pace; and to train and prepare the next generation of researchers and scholars who will push boundaries of knowledge. 

Of particular importance and aligned with our mission is that we ensure students’ access to higher education by committing to making a Tufts degree increasingly affordable to families and students from a broader socio-economic spectrum. This will require significant fundraising in partnership with the University and with Advancement.

At Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences (A&S), we are very well positioned to weather the current storms and embrace new challenges in the future. We have a combination of strengths and capabilities that will aid us on this journey: our world-renowned research and scholarship is solving pressing problems and creating meaningful impact; our faculty and staff embody Tufts’ collaborative, nimble, and entrepreneurial spirit; and our growing alumni and donor communities are committed to giving back and supporting the next generation of leaders.

But, in the same way that our students and alumni must adapt in an increasingly complex and shifting world, we—faculty, staff and administrators—must likewise have the courage to disrupt traditional frameworks that are no longer working for the communities we serve. For this we need a guiding light that will guide us through this challenging environment and help us developing novel solutions for the path ahead. This Strategic Plan—the outcome of two years of collaborative work among faculty, staff, and partners—will serve as our blueprint. 

Bárbara M. Brizuela
Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Education
Chair, A&S Strategic Planning Committee

The A&S Deans consulted with Department Chairs and Program Directors, as well as the larger faculty, to identify membership for the six Focus Areas for exploration by dedicated Working Groups. Faculty co-leads and group members were identified, with attention being paid to include representatives across the academic disciplines and across the Medford/Somerville and SMFA campuses in each group. To ensure the work of the focus groups remained connected to the daily work being done across campus, a joint A&S & School of Engineering Steering Committee member served as an ad hoc committee member for each group.

Each Working Group regularly met to develop outcomes and an actionable plan for their area of focus.

Each focus area was then assigned to a working group, consisting of two faculty co-leads, a staff co-lead, and committee members (see Appendix for each group’s membership). Each working group, except for School Identity, was tasked with identifying a few specific action items to be implemented in their area. All action items were to be specific, viable, and actionable in the next three to five years (by 2030) and significantly address challenges of the evolving landscape in higher education. As such, each action item includes: (1) Rationale; (2) Specific responsible parties to carry out the implementation; (3) Anticipated resource needs; (4) Key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success; (5) Current progress, if applicable; and (6) Estimated timeline for implementation. In recognition that these six focus areas often intersect each other, groups were encouraged to discuss ideas and action items with other groups.

To encourage additional collaboration, maintain momentum, and to maintain alignment with the University’s strategic plan, an A&S Strategic Planning Committee was also formed with Dean Bárbara Brizuela serving as Chair. Other members of the A&S Strategic Planning Steering Committee include the co-leads of each working group, Dean Christopher Helmuth, Sr. Director of Communications and Marketing Amanda Rowley, Executive Administrative Assistant Lindsay Riordan, and Project Manager Erin Sullivan.

Working Group Members

*This working group was a joint effort between the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering (AS&E) as the two schools share many student-facing offices and resources. Each school will work on shared initiatives and school-specific ones.

• Fall 2024 – Outline structure of strategic planning process
• Winter/Early Spring 2025 – Present and seek feedback from faculty on Focus Areas; Finalize Focus Areas
• Spring 2025 – Finalize Focus Areas, Seek Nominations for Co-leads and Working Group Members, Form Working Groups
• Late Spring 2025 – Groups meet and hold consultations with relevant stakeholders and colleagues; Refine internal and external data requests; Seek feedback from other groups and leadership 
• Early Summer – Outline request for proposals for external data collection
• Summer/Fall 2025 – Data collection
• Fall 2025/Winter 2026 – Focal groups reconvene with data to address questions and propose specific action items 
• Spring 2026 – Groups present drafted action plans at faculty meetings; solicit feedback and revisions from key stakeholders including students, advisors, and senior leadership
• Late Spring 2026: Six in-person and two virtual listening sessions for A&S Faculty and Staff held 
• Summer 2026 – Refinement of plan 
• Early Fall 2026 – Open comment period for A&S Faculty and Staff 
• Late Fall 2026 – Finalize action items; Communicate next steps; Set up structures to ensure action items are implemented 

Through a collaborative process we developed a crisp and unique articulation of our identity that will be easily recognizable and allow us to stand out among our peers as a liberal arts school and R1 institution and the only New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) school in the Association of American Universities (AAU).

Preamble with Guiding Principles: Tufts remains relatively unknown outside of the New England area and pockets of the US such as major cities in California. Aligned with TB175’s Foundational Elements and Drivers, we aim to tell our story effectively by communicat[ing] the strengths, distinctiveness, and unique position of the [School] in a more comprehensive and proactive manner. We will do so in our admissions processes as we seek to attract the best students from across the world, in our recruitment of faculty and staff, and more broadly in sharing widely the many successes and achievements of our faculty, staff, students and alumni.

This school-level identity must build off the mission and vision of Tufts University: 

Tufts University is a student-centered research university dedicated to educating future leaders through the creation and application of knowledge and providing transformative experiences. The institution is committed to supporting students, faculty, and staff in an inclusive, collaborative, and collegial environment. Tufts enables creative scholars to generate bold ideas, innovate in the face of complex challenges, and distinguish themselves through civic engagement and doing more than their fair share towards addressing the world’s most pressing issues.

With a strong foundation in the liberal arts, our broad range of schools form an innovative, interdisciplinary university of creative scholars who have a profound impact on one another and the world. During a time of significant challenges in higher education, Tufts is dedicated to effective stewardship of our resources. Faithful to our culture and history, with a steadfast commitment to academic freedom and integrity, and fueled by evolving technological advancements, we are pushing the boundaries of how we teach, learn, and serve society.

Our agreed upon A&S Identity Statement is as follows:

Tufts School of Arts and Sciences combines the student-focused environment of a liberal arts college with the innovative and bold inquiry of a major research university. Within this collaborative and inclusive campus community, faculty, staff, and students work closely together to explore issues ranging from the local to the global, and from the arts to the sciences, in order to make sense of—and positively impact—our complex world.

Next Steps: This statement will be shared with units within the School of Arts and Sciences such as Admissions (including Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid), A&S Communications and Marketing, Student Life, the Career Center, the Division of Student Diversity, and Inclusion, etc. to develop plans to implement this recommended messaging in collaboration with University partners such as Public Affairs/Communications, Advancement and Alumni Relations, Human Resources, etc.. This Identity Statement will also be used a key tool for the messaging in the relaunch of the Arts and Sciences, Admissions, and SMFA websites.

Our goal is to grow, amplify, extend, and strengthen the research and scholarship within A&S. Research excellence is at the heart of an academic institution and is the motor of knowledge creation and transformation, which is essential to our core mission as a university. Therefore, making sure that A&S’s research profile is strengthened and grows is essential to our contribution to the University and to society more broadly. This focus area is entirely aligned with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 1-3: Expanding our research and scholarship, across its three priorities: (1) Recruiting, developing, and retaining exceptional faculty and research staff; (2) Promoting and nurturing university-wide centers of research and scholarship excellence, in the sciences, arts, and humanities, identified through a bottom-up process consistent with school-level strategies, for focused growth—and engaging with external audiences to share our research strengths more effectively; and (3) Diversifying funding sources for the research and scholarship portfolio.

Preamble with Guiding Principles: A&S faculty produce scholarship and creative work of exceptional quality and influence. However, research activity, extramural funding, and scholarly productivity and recognition remain unevenly distributed across the school, and institutional structures have not consistently supported sustained faculty engagement in research across all disciplines and career stages. This A&S strategic effort focuses on expanding faculty participation, strengthening research infrastructure, and increasing the visibility and impact of scholarly work, consistent with research and scholarship as core components of our academic mission.

Goal #1: Increase extramural research funding while strengthening the national and international competitiveness, visibility, and impact of A&S scholarship. Increase the number of faculty who regularly submit competitive proposals for extramural grants and fellowships, increase faculty success, and strengthen the competitiveness and external visibility of faculty research programs across all school divisions. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 1

Goal #2: Design school-wide blueprint to identify and develop areas of excellence. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 2.

Goal #3: Increase support of PhD and postdoctoral trainees through extramural funding. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 3.

Goal #4: Improve and strengthen research mentorship and development across faculty career stages. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 1. 

Goal #5: Address the urgent need for improved research laboratories and infrastructure for the Department of Chemistry. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 3, Priority 1.

Our goal is to design curricular and co-curricular experiences to ensure we are educating students who will be innovative scholars, engaged global citizens, and responsible and empathetic leaders. This focus area is aligned with two TB175 pillars: (1) Pillar 1, Educating responsible leaders and (2) Pillar 4, Giving back to the community and society.

Preamble with Guiding Principles: The A&S curriculum has not substantively changed since the 1970s, save for the addition of the World Civilizations requirement in 1992. Encouraging change is challenging when departments, programs, and expertise have cohered in part around the requirements over the past 50 years. At the same time, we believe it is essential to review and justify our curricular principles—and in a case of glaring inadequacy, make changes now for the betterment of our students. To this end, we have four main proposals: (1) a revised writing requirement; (2) a faculty-led process to study curricular alternatives; (3) a process for regular review of the curriculum going forward; and (4) the design of a cohesive first-year experience for our undergraduate students. 

Goal #1: New writing requirements. We propose that all undergraduate students take one foundational expository writing course and one Writing/Speaking/Communication (WSC) course within a discipline. This would alter the current writing requirement. In its current form, students can test out of one or even both writing requirement classes (ENG 01 + ENG02/PHIL02) with high AP English scores. We propose that the AP (or any other standardized test taken in high school) no longer serve as a proxy for writing requirements, and that the writing requirements become mandatory for all A&S undergraduate students. We propose that all students take a foundational expository writing class in their first year. Students will also be required to take a second writing course, WSC, that will have undergone a rigorous process of review and faculty input. The current PHIL02 and Writing Fellow courses will serve as key models for WSC courses and count towards this second course requirement. Other courses will need to be revised to meet this requirement or designed anew. With the ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our daily lives, graduates who have the liberal arts skills of effective communication, critical thinking, ethics, adaptability, teamwork, etc. will be immensely prized and writing and communication is the foundation of this. Without effective writing and communication skills, college graduates will lack the ability to truly distinguish themselves. By teaching students how to effectively use AI as a tool, Tufts School of Arts and Sciences has the opportunity to make true impact on our students. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Priority 2.

Goal #2: Faculty-led process to imagine new curricula. A year-long faculty (and staff) review process based on forming thematic teams to study the existing curriculum and propose systematic alternatives. As part of this process, we will strive to integrate civic engagement in our curriculum. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Priority 2, and Pillar 4, Priority 1.

Goal #3: Regular process of curricular review. We seek to develop a transparent process for routine curricular review—just like a department regularly appraises its own offerings and requirements. The goal is to a) ensure that there are other reviews within the next decades, and b) offer a means of appraising how well our existing requirements are functioning so as to wade off degradation. For example, some opine (rightly or wrongly) that the World Civilizations requirement has degraded into a grab bag of courses as its intent has become more nebulous over time. We are very early in this process, opting to focus on Goals 1 & 2 through Spring 2026. We also suspect that we will benefit and learn from the process of Goal 2 in helping devise this process. The most plausible first step of Goal 3 will be consultation with existing committees such as Committee on Committees, the A&S Curriculum Committee, the AS&E Education Policy Committee, and so forth to determine whether this would require the formation of a new committee or if it could be integrated into an existing committee’s charge. At the current moment we are taking a lot of existing committees’ time with Goals 1 & 2, and we will turn to Goal 3 once we make more progress on those goals. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 2.

Goal #4: Develop of a First-Year Experience (FYE) for all undergraduates in A&S that purposely integrates curricular and co-curricular learning, expanding, for example, on the existing Orientation and Pre-orientation programming offered by Student Life. The FYE will support students’ academic transition to orient students to A&S student success frameworks, help them form a cohort with fellow students, foster social and emotional belonging, develop sustained engagement with faculty and campus resources, and build both academic and executive functioning skills. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1. 

1. Students could take this WSC course within their major/minor, but not necessarily. Any WSC course would also count for distribution credits.

Our goal is to elevate graduate education within A&S. Graduate education is inextricably connected with research and scholarly excellence. Participating in the education of the next generation of knowledge builders and transformers is at the core of our academic mission. This focus area is entirely aligned with TB175’s Foundational Elements and Drivers: Expand our definition of a student, by think[ing] broadly about who would benefit from a Tufts education as we innovate our curricular offerings and engage in creating stronger partnerships with corporate and business partners as we look to expand our student base nationally and globally. In particular, we should include non-traditional, mid-career, and lifelong learners as potential students. Alignment with other TB175 priorities is indicated below.

Preamble with Guiding Principles: Graduate education in A&S plays a central role in advancing the academic mission of Tufts University. PhD programs sustain the research enterprise and support faculty scholarship, while master’s and other professional programs expand the reach of the University’s academic offerings, connect advanced disciplinary training to emerging professional fields, and provide fulfilling and life changing pathways for students’ education and futures. Together, these programs contribute to the intellectual vitality of A&S and prepare the next generation of scholars, professionals, and leaders. 

As the landscape of graduate education evolves, GSAS must take a deliberate and coordinated approach to the structure, sustainability, and impact of its programs. This includes ensuring that graduate program design aligns with faculty research capacity, strengthening pathways between graduate training and career outcomes, and maintaining financial models that support both student access and long-term program viability.

The goals outlined below position GSAS to strengthen the graduate program portfolio, embed alumni engagement and career pathways across programs, and improve affordability and time to degree. In doing so, GSAS advances key institutional priorities articulated in TB175, particularly the expansion of research impact, stronger collaboration across disciplines and schools, and improved educational opportunities and outcomes for students. Through these efforts, graduate education in A&S will contribute to the long-term academic strength and institutional excellence and sustainability of Tufts University.

Goal #1: Intentionally design and strengthen the graduate program portfolio. Modernize selected programs; launch targeted new master’s and other professional degrees where academic strength and student demand align; and ensure that PhD recruitment, master’s and other professional degree enrollment, and program structure are intentionally aligned with faculty research capacity, financial sustainability, and measurable student outcomes. Where applicable, design programs across the different schools at Tufts to take advantage of specific expertise within other Tufts schools. This goal includes a regular review of the graduate portfolio to ensure that there is some regular cadence of evaluation of each program on both academic strength and student demand in the dynamic marketplace of graduate education. We acknowledge that, in addition to creating new programs, the school may need to redesign or sunsetting programs when necessary. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Pillar 2, Priority 1. 

Goal #2: Embed alumni engagement and career pathways across relevant graduate programs. Ensure that relevant GSAS programs (e.g., MA/MS/MFA/EdS/OTD/ PhD) incorporate structured alumni mentorship, employer-facing experiential opportunities, and transparent career outcomes reporting as core components of graduate education, strengthening connections between graduate training, alumni networks, and external professional communities. This goal aligns with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1; Pillar 2, Priority 1; and Pillar 4, Priority 1. 

Goal #3: Improve graduate affordability and reduce time to degree across MA, MS, MFA, EdS, OTD, and PhD programs. Ensure that graduate education is financially transparent, sustainable, and structured to reduce unnecessary time and cost across all degree types while supporting student access and long-term program stability. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1.

Goal #4: Continue to develop additional pathways for Tufts undergraduate students into Tufts graduate degrees. Ensure and facilitate Tufts undergraduate students’ pathways into fifth year master’s programs across the University to reduce their time to graduate degrees and the careers and professions our students want for their futures. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 2 and Pillar 2, Priority 1.

The School of Arts & Sciences’ and the University’s work on student success is designed to foster students’ academic, social, and emotional belonging within their chosen program, helping them thrive, achieve personal growth, and reach their full potential. Our shared goal is to educate students who will be innovative scholars, engaged global citizens, and responsible, empathetic leaders. Our work in student success aligns with TB175 Pillars 1 and 2. 

Preamble with Guiding Principles: By traditional measures, Tufts students are successful: our graduation rates, career outcomes, and academic achievement are strong. However, not all Tufts students experience success in the same way, and the Tufts community should not assume that pathways to academic and social belonging are equally accessible to all students. We need to recommit to the student experience by continuing our shared intellectual pursuit with students, deepening our social engagement with them, and strengthening the support they need to thrive personally and navigate an increasingly complex and evolving world. Our working group identified three guiding principles:

1. Shared understanding of student success: Align faculty, staff, and student perspectives to ensure coherent expectations, advising, and support across all students’ experiences.
2. Intentional advising and mentoring: Reduce logistical and administrative burdens so that relationships can deepen and become more impactful and expand student access to structured mentorship opportunities with faculty, staff, and peers.
3. Personalized, agency-building support: Empower students to reflect on their learning and growth, explore fields of study, identify and articulate transferable skills, and navigate the evolving post-graduate landscape with confidence. At the same time, support them in defining their aspirations, values, and purpose, recognizing that a successful Tufts student experience is individually defined and collectively guided and supported.

The following goals reflect these principles.

Goal #1 [undergraduate only]: Strengthen student belonging through expanded academic advising, and enhanced faculty mentoring, and staff and peer mentorship. Implement proactive, data-informed outreach and additional curricular enrichment opportunities that expand access to academic advising and engagement supports for students. Increase the number of professional advising staff to reduce the student:advisor ratio, provide more professional-level support for our students at the different stages of their educational journeys, and allow faculty to focus on mentorship of in-school and post-graduate opportunities rather than handling the academic logistics of our undergraduate degree programs. Review existing mechanisms of staff and peer mentorship in the ASE student-facing divisions to see if these models can be expanded to reach further students. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Pillar 2, Priority 1. 

Goal #2 [undergraduate + graduate]: Broadly and explicitly highlight career competencies throughout the curriculum and co-curricular programming to strengthen the connection and value of experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for post-graduate pathways. Empower and encourage faculty and staff to integrate knowledge and skills and appreciate, embrace, and leverage the importance and value of a liberal arts education to prepare students with adaptability and resilience for meaningful and evolving post-graduation paths. Support faculty, departments, and student-facing offices to highlight explicitly the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career competencies within existing courses and curricula. Expand and increase access to experiential learning opportunities for all students (undergraduate & graduate) through organizing new pathways to experiences and providing funding to prevent financial barriers to participation. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Pillar 2, Priority 1. 

Goal #3 [undergraduate + graduate]: An integrated model of faculty, staff, graduate student, peer, and alumni engagement in a liberal arts context. Develop and launch a comprehensive model that integrates advising, co-curricular activities, career services, graduate students, and alumni, including leveraging intentional faculty and alumni partnerships across the six current Career Communities and beyond. This model aims to connect students with faculty, graduate students, peers, alumni, and employers through mentorship, internships, and career programming, leveraging platforms like The Herd to ensure broad engagement and equitable access. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1 and Pillar 2, Priority 1. 

Goal #4: Pursue an ambitious and significant fundraising goal to support funding for the previous student success goals and also ensure students’ access to a Tufts degree. We are committed to making a Tufts degree increasingly affordable to families and students from a broader socio-economic spectrum. This, along with the aforementioned increases in advising, academic, and career supports, among others, will require significant fundraising in partnership with the University and with Advancement. This goal is aligned with TB175 Pillar 1, Priority 1. 

Goal #5: Working in close collaboration with TB175 efforts, establish a working group to guide the implementation of the above goals and to continue discussions and analysis of ways to improve and expand Student Success initiatives throughout the School of Arts and Sciences. The working group will also explore whether current organizational structures promote engagement and evolution toward a shared definition of student success and look to new organizational structures to build upon the Student Success initiatives outlined in this plan. 

Preamble with Guiding Principles: The careers our future students enter will look fundamentally different from those available today. Fewer graduates will step into pre-defined roles; more will need to define, adapt, and create their own professional paths in a more fluid and digital economy. A Tufts education must do more than deliver disciplinary expertise— t must produce nimble critical thinkers who can synthesize knowledge across fields, communicate across differences, and understand the cultural contexts that shape complex problems. Aligned with TB175’s Foundational Elements and Drivers, specifically (5) We aim to build mechanisms to enable increased collaboration and coordination.

Evidence indicates that the most innovative thinking emerges from new combinations of knowledge. These combinations push intellectual boundaries, crossing traditions and enabling faculty to develop new approaches through collaboration, in both teaching and research. We want to model this for students by creating a culture of collaborative research that drives innovation across A&S. We believe this requires investment on four fronts:

• For students: Intentional interdisciplinary pathways, greater curricular flexibility, and visible connections between a liberal arts education and professional life. This means closer, more sustained support across a student’s full arc at Tufts—from admission through coursework to career services—so that students feel guided as they chart their own path of specialization.
• For staff: our employees who support our academic mission would also benefit from a less-siloed infrastructure where collaboration and innovation could not only improve efficiencies, but also support [professional development. In addition, staff roles may need to be adjusted and/or created to support a more collaborative model.
• For faculty: Structures, incentives, and a collaborative culture that allow innovative teaching and research to emerge from new intellectual collaborations—across departments, divisions, and schools. This includes course listing and credit policies that reward collaborative course creation and hiring practices that fully support interdisciplinary faculty through tenure and promotion and beyond.
• For the institution: Organizational infrastructure that enhances the existing strengths of units; channels resources toward shared goals rather than duplicative efforts; and builds nimble mechanisms to identify, support, and scale new initiatives as they emerge—in both undergraduate and graduate education.

Why Departments Matter: Departments are the foundation of academic life. They provide the disciplinary knowledge and rigor that sustains faculty research and institutional reputation; the structured curricula through which students develop genuine expertise; and the peer communities essential to hiring, mentoring, and evaluating faculty. A university’s reputation and scholarly productivity depend on the health of these units. Meaningful interdisciplinary work depends on them, too. Without disciplinary expertise, collaboration becomes superficial; with it, new combinations of knowledge can produce genuinely original research and transformative pedagogy.

But departments operating in isolation cannot meet the full scope of a modern research university’s mission. The most pressing research questions and the careers our students will enter increasingly demand work across disciplinary boundaries. The careers they enter, at least at some point in their lives, probably don’t even yet exist. Students need pathways connecting depth in one field to fluency across others. Faculty need collaboration to be structurally supported to generate new knowledge and understanding. The institution needs coordination mechanisms so that curricular planning, student support, and resource allocation don’t depend solely on the capacity of individual units working alone.

These proposals aim to build connective infrastructure that lets departments do what they do best while enabling and supporting the cross-cutting work that no single department can accomplish or maintain on its own.

Goal #1: Enhance the Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Collaboration Across A&S. A&S should review and reform structures to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. Across all levels and units, new efforts to make interdisciplinary work in research and teaching sustainable and remove current obstacles to collaboration is a wise investment. In a world defined by rapid technological change, complex social challenges, and expanding forms of knowledge, universities must create environments where ideas, methods, and expertise move productively across traditional boundaries. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration is essential—not only for innovation and problem-solving, but to prepare students and faculty to lead in a constantly evolving and interconnected intellectual landscape. This need builds on TB175’s Foundational Elements and Drivers, specifically (5) We aim to build mechanisms to enable increased collaboration and coordination across schools.

Goal #2: Pilot a Divisional Coordination Model. This new proposal advances a practical and strategically important next step: moving from the broad aspiration of greater interdisciplinary collaboration envisioned above to a concrete pilot that tests how such collaboration can be organized, supported, and sustained. It takes advantage of existing structures in the arts and humanities to implement a new way to test these larger goals. The scale—large enough to be complex, small enough to be manageable—makes it an ideal testing ground for a model intended to eventually be valuable to other divisions of the school. This goal builds on TB175’s Foundational Elements and Drivers #5: Build mechanisms to enable increased collaboration and coordination across schools.