From planning for the Burdell Center initiative to creating an Innovation Task Force, the campus community has been hard at work implementing Georgia Tech’s strategic plan.  

To guide the institutional efforts going forward, a newly formed Strategic Plan Implementation Steering Committee has been charged with overseeing the implementation of the current plan-related projects, such as those mentioned above, as well as future projects.

“This committee will ensure that we stay on track to achieving the strategic plan’s vision of Georgia Tech defining the technological research university of the 21st century,” added Steve Cross, executive vice president for research.   

The standing committee reports directly to President G. P. “Bud” Peterson and will be co-chaired by Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Cross; and Steve Swant, executive vice president for Administration and Finance. The group includes the following members from across campus:

• Sandi Bramblett, executive director, Institutional Research and Decision Support

• Hugh Crawford, associate professor, Ivan Allen College

• Steven French, professor, College of Architecture

• David Frost, director, Georgia Tech- Savannah

• Charles Isbell, associate dean, School of Interactive Computing

• Norman Marsolan, director, Institute of Paper Science and Technology

• David McDowell, Regents’ Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering

• Pat McKenna, associate vice president, Legal Affairs and Risk Management

• Julie Swann, associate professor, School of Industrial and Systems Engineering

• Lisa Sills, principal research scientist, Georgia Tech Research Institute

• John Stein, dean of students

• Chet Warzynski, executive director of Organizational Development (ex-officio)

• Michael Warden, vice president of Communications and Marketing (ex-officio)

During the group’s initial meeting on July 29, co-chairs outlined responsibilities for the team including ensuring that the strategic plan’s vision, mission and goals tiatives, overseeing and guiding project leaders and teams in developing implementation plans, and evaluating and communicating accomplishments and progress to the campus.  

“Implementing the strategic initiatives the campus community has adopted will further Tech’s role as transformational leaders,” Bras said.

The co-chairs have encouraged the group to think big.

“We need to be smart and realize that we do have limited financial resources,” Swant said. “However, we have to think about the big picture. Ten years ago, we put forth a $1.2 billion capital plan. When we initially shopped it, people laughed. Now, because of that plan, we have Tech Square and the Bio quad. We have accomplished everything in that plan, and then some.”