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USC’s Plan for Increasing Academic Excellence:
Building Strategic Capabilities for the University of the 21st Century
The central mission of the University of Southern California is the
development of human beings and society as a whole through the
cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.
conditions in the world are changing ever
I. INTRODUCTION more rapidly. Thus, more-flexible strategies
USC’s academic excellence, status, and must be developed which will enable USC
reputation have increased greatly over the to accelerate its progress under evolving
past decade as the university has external circumstances.
implemented its 1994 and 1998 strategic Like all universities, USC actively
plans. These successes continue to be built shapes its own future, and as well is shaped
on a strong financial base, greatly bolstered by external conditions over which the
by the largest fundraising campaign in the university has little or no control. As the
history of higher education. Students from twenty-first century opens, the external
over one hundred nations now compete for environment for higher education is quickly
the opportunity to study with our changing in significant ways. We anticipate:
distinguished faculty, research activity is at intensified competition among higher
an all-time high, visual and performing arts education providers worldwide; increasing
are flourishing, and our endowment has demands for greater regulation and
nearly quintupled in the past thirteen years. accountability; and extensive realignments
As we proceed to make even greater in federal support. After five decades of
contributions to the cultivation and relative stability, national science policies
enrichment of the human mind and spirit, we are shifting toward a greater emphasis on
will continue to implement the strategies research that directly addresses practical
from our 1994 and 1998 plans, both of issues in the national interest.
which have served us well. USC remains No one can foresee how these trends will
committed to continually improving the unfold in the coming years. Furthermore,
world-class, innovative education we circumstances outside higher education,
provide to our undergraduate, graduate and such as changing international conditions
professional students. Our focus on and unexpected economic and technological
increasing academic excellence, on hiring developments, may undermine the long-term
the best and most creative faculty, and on feasibility of specific strategies that make
encouraging pathbreaking research, must sense today. As we engage in a planning
continue to underpin all of our future process that looks ahead over the next 10 to
activities. Similarly, our traditional core 20 years, we have been mindful of such
values and shared ethical principles must uncertainties and have made no attempt to
always guide our actions. At the same time provide a detailed road map. Rather, we
we must acknowledge the fact that have identified a set of strategic capabilities
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that will help position USC to meet informed risk-taking underpin each of these
challenges that are unknowable today. Such commitments.
capabilities will give USC the expertise and
flexibility to adapt to change while taking a A. Meeting Societal Needs
pro-active stance toward setting and Historic but increasingly archaic divisions
achieving its vision. Ultimately, developing between basic and applied research and
such capabilities will enable USC to better scholarship often blind both faculty and
secure its place among the world’s greatest society at large to the real societal
universities. significance of much of university research.
This strategic plan begins by describing By rejecting the false dichotomy between
a vision for USC’s future, and then proposes fundamental and applied research, and by
the strategic capabilities that will help USC creating structures which enable and
realize that vision. It also puts in place a encourage synergistic interactions among
system whereby implementation of the plan different kinds of research, USC will secure
will be reviewed and adjusted by a its status as a university of major societal
permanent Planning Committee on a regular importance.
basis.
The vision for USC’s future emphasizes
II. A VISION FOR USC’S FUTURE becoming a major force in addressing
critical issues facing society and creating
USC intends to become one of the most
new societal opportunities. Along with
influential and productive research
excellence in the traditional basic research
universities in the world. Three core
domain, we will be recognized as the
approaches will underlie our efforts:
university with the greatest social
impact—the place where rigorous
A. We will conduct a range of research and
fundamental and applied research can be
scholarship that advances knowledge
brought together to create solutions to the
and at the same time addresses issues
pressing concerns of society.
critical to our community, the nation,
USC is greatly expanding its research
and the world.
mission in a wide variety of fields from
B. We will create a significant global
medicine to history and from engineering to
presence that will increase international
musicology. One part of this effort entails
visibility, reach, and impact of our
developing a research park adjacent to the
research, scholarship, art, education,
Health Sciences Campus, which will benefit
and service.
the city, county and society as a whole as it
C. We will focus our educational programs
deepens the connections between basic and
on meeting the needs of qualified
applied research and channels new
students worldwide, from
knowledge toward meeting society’s needs.
undergraduates through continuing
Focusing on societal problems positions
professional development. This
USC for competitive success in a changing
commitment will guide our choices
environment. As we move further into the
regarding pedagogy, instructional
21st century, society will increasingly value
technology, curriculum, admissions, and
universities actively engaged in addressing
support services.
issues of practical societal importance. The
Our ethical principles and core values
research we pursue and the alumni we
regarding free inquiry, community, and
graduate will be judged on the basis of such
contributions. We already see this happening
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with regard to trends in extramural funding, treatment, economic development, security,
higher education policy, and student goals. environmental quality). Thus, research,
scholarship and art that focus on society’s
Leveraging USC’s Strengths important problems will of necessity
This element of the vision recognizes become increasingly global, and our faculty
some of the distinguishing features of our will require greater access to foreign
university, including our urban location, researchers, governments, businesses, and
student diversity, breadth of disciplines and communities. This global perspective and
fields of study, strong reputation for presence will help to ensure that the work of
interdisciplinary research and scholarship, our faculty is read and applied worldwide.
close ties to the local community and the The histories of USC and the region it
Pacific Rim, and outstanding community serves are closely linked, and both evolve
service and patient care capabilities. The together. Los Angeles and Southern
problems that our university can California increasingly form the economic,
productively address span an extraordinarily political and cultural capital of the Pacific
broad range, from those that are Rim. At USC we must recognize the deeply
technological or social to those that touch international character of our home in order
directly the human spirit and its aspirations. to continue to meet the changing needs of
USC’s long-standing efforts to link our city and region. Political and business
fundamental and applied research already decisions made far away, in both the United
contribute important new knowledge to States and abroad, have direct effects on Los
society, and these efforts will grow in the Angeles; similarly, the influences of Los
future. Existing efforts combining basic Angeles businesses, universities, and
research and its applied uses include the demographic trends extend well beyond the
Institute for Creative Technology, the borders of our nation. To best serve the
Southern California Earthquake Center, the interests of Los Angeles and Southern
USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center California, our faculty need to understand
and Hospital, the Andrus Center for the region in its global context. Ultimately,
Research on Aging, and the USC Center on one of most important contributions we can
Public Diplomacy. make to our region is to be a great research
university, understanding and influencing all
B. Expanding Global Presence aspects of our lives.
Additionally, a global presence will
The convergence of globalism, technology, attract the most talented students in the
and education will require leading world to USC. The demand for education is
educational institutions to become truly increasing worldwide, and the best students
international in presence, focus, and scope will view higher education as an
in order to create global visibility and brand international market, heightening
equity. competition and creating a truly global
student body. We seek to become the
Great universities have international university of choice for future leaders in all
visibility and reach, and if USC is to cement parts of the world.
her status as a great university she must
expand her global presence. Most of
society’s major concerns are global in scope
(e.g., sustainability, disease prevention and
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Leveraging USC’s Strengths and interests; in most cases, they are one and
Beginning in its earliest days under the same.
President Bovard, USC looked to the Pacific
Rim as a topic of study and a source of C. Promoting Learner-Centered
students. Similarly, when the university Education
celebrated its 50th anniversary, President
Von Kleinsmid emphasized the role of Los The learner-centered university of the 21st
Angeles as a “world center” and the century will focus on the educational needs
international backgrounds of the university’s of the student rather than the structure and
faculty and students. More recently, USC’s needs of the teaching institution.
1994 strategic plan made
internationalization one of its four central The third pillar of our new vision is
themes. The present vision of expanding the nothing less than a new concept of education
university’s global presence builds on these within research universities, which we are
traditions. calling a “learner-centered” orientation.
USC’s reputation and network across the Essentially, learner-centered education gives
Pacific Rim provide a strong base on which primacy to the needs of students. This means
to build. Our role as the founder of the thinking expansively about who our students
Association of Pacific Rim Universities are, how their backgrounds and needs may
gives us access to high-quality partners. Our change in the future, and how best to engage
international offices are successfully them in learning. Because students learn in
strengthening USC’s recruitment efforts, different ways and bring different goals and
developing alumni networks, and providing aspirations to the university, this new
support for faculty research in a lean but approach translates into greater flexibility
effective infrastructure. Moreover, and individual responsiveness in the way we
thousands of international students continue structure and deliver education and student
to seek a USC education and serve as global services.
goodwill ambassadors for us. While on New technology enables and facilitates
campus, international students enrich new ways of teaching students. Historically,
campus life, and serve as invaluable the respect and credibility accorded to
resources in the peer-learning experiences of professors derived in large part from their
our domestic students. Our School of disciplinary knowledge, which was
International Relations, other internationally unmatched outside the academy. Their
focused programs in the College, and principal role as teachers and mentors was to
numerous international projects and transmit that knowledge to future
collaboratives in virtually every professional generations. Today, technology makes
school, also speak to our growing global information broadly accessible, and
presence. knowledge accumulates so quickly that
The international nature of Los Angeles information rapidly becomes outdated. Thus,
itself is another advantage. Our local we need a new approach to teaching that
community comprises large numbers of moves beyond transmitting information.
individuals, businesses, and cultural Instead, faculty must play a more active role
institutions with international linkages. As a in helping students learn to locate, assess,
result, we do not have to choose between apply, and create information.
focusing on local versus international issues A learner-centered approach will attract
prospective students. By becoming more
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innovative and responsive, we will be better learning how USC can best use technology
able to recruit the next generation of leaders to enhance education, particularly on the
and will advance USC’s overall mission and University Park and Health Science
reputation. Our recent experience has campuses and through distance learning
demonstrated how critical high-quality programs.
students are to the reputation and visibility
of the university. As our undergraduate III. DEVELOPING STRATEGIC
program became more popular and selective, CAPABILITIES
the entire institution derived great benefits.
Increasingly, however, we believe that top The vision of USC we have described
students will consider the worldwide higher will require fundamental changes over the
education market and seek out those long term. To facilitate such evolution, we
programs that match their interests, goals, believe that USC should focus on
needs, and learning styles. In addition, the developing four strategic capabilities as
age, educational goals, and needs of learners described below. Although the process of
continue to change—requiring us to rethink nurturing change will extend well into the
prior assumptions about whom we teach, as future, we can begin the process
well as where and how our educational immediately by launching a number of
programs are delivered. initiatives to lay the groundwork for
developing capacity in each of these areas.
Leveraging USC’s Strengths Our Deans, Vice Presidents, and faculty
Over the past decade, USC has leaders will serve as champions of particular
established not only one of the best initiatives and will work closely with
undergraduate programs in the world, but faculty, students, and staff in design,
also one of the most responsive to students’ implementation, and assessment. The hard
interests. A good example is our policy of work and dedication of the university’s
allowing students to integrate the core faculty, staff, students, and alumni will
disciplines within the College with more ensure the success of these efforts.
applied fields of study in our professional
schools. The Renaissance Scholars program A. Span Disciplinary and School
encourages undergraduate students to pursue Boundaries to Focus on Problems of
studies in fields that are widely separated Societal Significance
intellectually in order to create “breadth with Since societal problems rarely fall within
depth.” More recently, we have taken steps the domain of a single discipline or school,
to renew and strengthen graduate education collaboration that brings together different
by advancing curriculum, building cross- perspectives and skills may be the best
school cooperation, and improving student means of addressing such problems.
support. Also helpful are several successful Existing disciplinary and school boundaries,
interdisciplinary programs, including the however, often impede effective
Thematic Option program for collaboration. We must create mechanisms
undergraduates, and the Neural, that remove structural disincentives to such
Informational and Behavioral Sciences collective efforts on problems of major
(NIBS) doctoral program, a unique significance. We have made significant
interdisciplinary melding of neuroscience, strides in building this capability as a result
cognitive science, and engineering of our two previous strategic plans, but we
disciplines. In addition, we have been must now move forward even more
aggressively.
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If we succeed in easing movement B. Link Fundamental to Applied
across academic boundaries, we must also Research
ensure that our administrative and student In developing USC as the university
support units are equally flexible and with the greatest societal impact and global
responsive. This will require a high level of presence, we will have to overcome
coordination among administrative longstanding divisions between fundamental
departments as well as between versus practical/applied research and
administrative and academic units. scholarship and build closer relationships
between the core arts and science disciplines
First Year Initiatives to Develop this of the College and our professional schools.
Strategic Capability: Only in this way can research universities of
1. Graduate seminar series. To ensure the future retain their critical role as
that academic masters and Ph.D. provider of most of the truly fundamental
students have a better understanding of research in our society, while at the same
how their research can contribute to the time responding effectively to society’s
study of important social problems, we needs.
will develop a series of graduate Social This does not mean that a single
Impact Seminars that provide individual must be engaged in both the
interdisciplinary perspectives on fundamental and applied aspects of research,
important social problems. The goal is but rather that the university must stimulate
that such seminars become a dialogue and understanding among
distinguishing feature of doctoral study researchers across the spectrum from
at USC. fundamental to applied. As we build
2. Collaborations across academic units. capacity in this area, we will face
Academic program reviews have challenging questions about the domains and
identified several areas in which the boundaries of the disciplines, the relations
quality of research and education could among and between the disciplines, the
be improved by forging collaborations academic organization of the university, and
across schools, thereby enhancing our the goals and structure of our educational
capacity for examining key societal and research programs. This challenge may
problems. A new Provost’s Advisory not be as daunting as it seems, however,
Group on Interdisciplinary and because the longstanding dichotomy
University-wide Programs will identify between basic and applied research is
and assess areas of existing strength in becoming less rigid, with applications
interdisciplinary fields and in disciplines suggesting directions of fundamental
that cut across existing academic units, research and the results of fundamental
bring together the principal players, and research leading to applications.
then recommend to the Provost where to
focus resources. This group will also First Year Initiatives to Develop this
identify institutional obstacles to Strategic Capability:
collaboration across academic units, and 1. Research agenda. Activities emerging
make recommendations for ways to from the 1998 critical pathways that
remove those obstacles. promote USC’s mission and vision for
the future will continue to receive
support from the Provost’s Office. In
particular, support will be directed
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toward research teams that (a) involve national policymakers. And since important
faculty and graduate students from three social problems do not stop at the borders of
or more schools, (b) show a unity of our nation, we will need to enter into
basic and applied research, and (c) international networks, engage in
address important societal issues. The international projects, and assist our faculty
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in gaining access to foreign researchers,
will continue its work of forging governments, and businesses.
connections between scholars and across Whether our partnerships be with
disciplinary boundaries, and will organizations across the street or across the
examine ways of engaging more faculty globe, they should significantly benefit the
in this process. In particular, the Center university by (1) enhancing research and
will seek additional involvement from scholarship by providing skills, viewpoints,
faculty in the humanities and the social and resources unavailable at USC; (2)
sciences as it expands the scope of its advancing the arts by providing new
work. audiences, venues, collaborators, and
2. Service-learning. A growing body of inspiration; and/or (3) enabling us to provide
research indicates that service-learning new educational opportunities without
courses, when designed and delivered in creating expensive infrastructure or
accordance with good practices, have expanding the faculty. As with any effective
measurable benefits, including the partnership, these efforts must also prove
opportunities to (a) explore the applied beneficial to our collaborators.
implications of theory and scholarship in Our relations with policymakers are also
a range of disciplines and (b) derive becoming increasingly important, and we
fundamental hypotheses and insights need to expand our efforts to build capacity
from applied experience. We will ask in this area. The university’s ability to have
that every school and department an impact on society requires strong ties to
incorporate one or more appropriately multi-national, national, state and local
designed service-learning courses into its policymakers who both establish public
undergraduate curriculum. The goal is to policies and allocate funds for research and
expand the opportunities for every postsecondary education. USC has long had
undergraduate student to enroll in strong relations with California’s leaders; in
service-learning courses preferably recent years we have also increased the
related to her major or her minor(s), university’s visibility nationally and
before graduation. garnered support from Congress and a
variety of federal agencies. As we move
C. Build Networks and Partnerships forward, however, it is essential that we
Because USC will not encompass all the work systematically to build alliances at all
skills and knowledge required to address levels of government.
major societal needs and questions, many of
which having global implications, we will First Year Initiatives to Develop this
have to develop new partnerships and joint- Strategic Capability:
ventures with various kinds of entities. 1. Global presence. Extending USC’s
These include other universities; non-profits global reach will require expanding our
such as libraries, museums, think tanks, and international offices and exploring
non-governmental organizations; businesses partnerships with local institutions to
and corporations; and domestic and multi- offer graduate and professional programs
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throughout the world, with a continued disciplines. We will need to develop
emphasis on Asia and Latin America. alternatives to the 15-week semester, to
The local institutions will provide the various course requirements, and even to
social infrastructure appropriate to the classroom-based learning. Increasing
local society, while we will provide responsiveness to learners will also require
some aspect of the educational creating a culture that values teaching as
experience (probably in subjects where well as research. Some educators today
local expertise is not high). We will perceive a learning-centered approach to
open one additional international office higher education as incompatible with a
this year, and will set up a committee to research emphasis. We disagree, and it will
define the conditions under which be important to create the incentives, skills,
partnerships are appropriate. support, and rewards for our faculty that will
2. Federal government relations. We change these perceptions over time.
have already begun to build stronger ties New technologies will continue to
to the federal government. This year expand the learning opportunities available
USC opens its federal relations office in to students and enable learning to take place
Washington, and we will extend and at the time and place of a student’s
intensify our efforts, in conjunction with choosing. Technology also allows support
University Relations, to ensure that the services to become more integrated and
work of our faculty and students relevant more responsive to students. USC has the
to societal issues is visible to key potential to play a lead role in the evolution
policymakers. of learner-centered education because many
centers on our campuses are already
D. Increase Responsiveness to Learners engaged in creating new forms of
To become learner-centered, USC must technology-assisted learning, such as the
develop three related capabilities: (1) create Institute for Creative Technologies, the
educational structures and methods that Integrated Media Systems Center, the
better fulfill student needs, (2) harness Distance Education Network, the
technology for more responsiveness and Information Sciences Institute, and the
flexibility in education, and (3) offer Institute of Multimedia Literacy. The
learning opportunities beyond graduation Rossier School and relevant work in public
and across the world. policy, psychology, neuroscience,
Creating more student-oriented communications, and others are also
structures and methods means shifting valuable resources.
priorities from what the faculty now know Finally, increased responsiveness to
and how the university is presently learners means providing more education to
structured, toward what students need to adults at various stages of their
learn and how they can best access that development, from early career through
learning. Traditional lecture courses will retirement. In this way USC can serve a
decline, giving way to a variety of more broader base of students, including working
flexible and interactive approaches to professionals seeking continuing education
learning. The structure of the curriculum and professional development, retirees, and
will also become more flexible, emphasizing others interested in lifelong learning. This is
demonstrations of mastery and providing also an area which will enhance USC’s
more opportunities to integrate learning global reach by providing professional
across degree levels, schools, and education at sites around the world. There
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are many areas of the world that need 5. The administrative imperative.
excellent professional programs that can Responsive and flexible support services
serve the needs of students worldwide and at are the foundation of a learning-centered
the same time expand global visibility and institution. During the 2004-2005
provide new sources of revenue. academic year USC will review its
academic support capabilities to ensure
First Year Initiatives to Develop this the efficacy of these centers, programs
Strategic Capability: and offices. Also, as USC moves toward
1. Distance learning. Every school will be more extensive educational
asked to create and offer at least one programming beyond its two primary
distance- or distributed-learning course campuses we must “invent the future” of
within the next three years. The goal is student support. A task force will be
for every academic department or asked to create and eventually
interdisciplinary program to eventually implement the next generation of student
offer sufficient distance-learning services, both here and for students at
curricula for every undergraduate to take remote sites.
a minimum of one such course while at
USC. IV. MAINTAIN CORE VALUES
2. Life-long learning. Each dean will be
asked to develop a plan for continuing Developing these strategic capabilities
professional education or lifelong will require far-reaching changes in
learning. The full range of pedagogical university structure and culture. It is
options for new courses and programs important, therefore, to ensure that the
should be considered in creating these evolution of the university remains
plans. The most promising of these plans grounded in USC’s core values.
will, in subsequent years, receive Four sets of core values are particularly
priority consideration for bridge funding critical in this context. First is free inquiry,
to begin implementation. an institutional commitment to the search for
3. Initiative on pedagogical technology. truth that must be defended against any
A virtual Center on Pedagogical external or internal threats.
Technology will be created by The second set of core values is usually
coordinating the many programs at USC described as the values of the Trojan Family,
that are currently engaged in creating standards which have long defined USC’s
new technologies to enhance learning. interactions with its stakeholders and which
4. Center for Learning: A Center for will continue to guide us in the future. These
Learning will be created by coordinating standards include: caring and respect for one
and reorganizing the several existing another as individuals; appreciation of
organizations within USC that help diversity; team spirit; strong alumni
faculty and graduate students increase networks; and a commitment to service.
their effectiveness as teachers. The new The third set of core values involves a
Center will broaden the types of services commitment to informed risk-taking within
offered to faculty and graduate students, a culture of targeted experimentation that
and ensure that research on the can help USC prepare for an uncertain
effectiveness of different pedagogies is future. By crafting experiments related to
fully incorporated into our programs. our vision and strategic capabilities, we will
learn what works in a changing world. Such
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experiments will be most beneficial if we A standing Planning Committee will be
can learn to appreciate the fact that not all created under the leadership of the provost
attempts at innovation will succeed, and that to provide continuing monitoring and
much can be learned from so-called “useful extension of this Plan for Increasing
failures.” Academic Excellence. The faculty and staff
The fourth and final set of core values who were members of the Strategic Planning
comprises our commitment to ethical Committee that initially led the creation of
conduct as spelled out in our recently- this Plan will serve as the core of this new
adopted Code of Ethics. committee. In subsequent years, one-fifth of
These values define our community, the members will rotate off and be replaced
sustain a sense of cohesiveness, and connect each year. Data portfolios relating to the
us to our past and to our future. They will strategic capabilities will be created to help
guide us in making difficult and sometimes the Planning Committee evaluate the
risky decisions, and will help us make success of each initiative on an annual basis.
choices that preserve USC’s integrity, This evaluation will lead to
community, and quality. recommendations for improving the
initiative, or to terminating it if it is not
V. EVOLUTION AND EVALUATION working or if the objectives have been
reached. In addition, each year the Planning
Attaining this vision for USC will Committee will propose new initiatives to
require ongoing oversight and continuous support and extend the Plan. These
extending of the approaches described here. recommendations will be made at the end of
Existing initiatives must be evaluated, each Spring semester, so that they can be
reshaped, and sharpened, while at the same discussed in detail at the last meeting of the
time new initiatives must be created which academic year of the Academic Affairs
will further develop the strategic capabilities Committee of the Board of Trustees. The
of the university. Innovative approaches modified and the newly developed
must be developed which will move USC initiatives then will be shared with deans so
further on its journey to becoming one of the that schools can incorporate them into their
most influential and productive research Fall planning cycles the following academic
universities in the world. year.
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APPENDIX I
THE ROLE AND MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The central mission of the university of global center, attracting more international
Southern California is the development of students over the years than any other
human beings and society as a whole American university. And we are private,
through the cultivation and enrichment of unfettered by political control, strongly
the human mind and spirit. The principal committed to academic freedom, and proud
means by which our mission is of our entrepreneurial heritage.
accomplished are teaching, research, artistic
creation, professional practice and selected An extraordinary closeness and willingness
forms of public service. to help one another are evident among USC
students, alumni, faculty, and staff; indeed,
Our first priority as faculty and staff is the for those within its compass the Trojan
education of our students, from freshmen to Family is a genuinely supportive
postdoctorals, through a broad array of community. Alumni, trustees, volunteers
academic, professional, extracurricular and and friends of USC are essential to this
athletic programs of the first rank. The family tradition, providing generous
integration of liberal and professional financial support, participating in university
learning is one of USC's special strengths. governance, and assisting students at every
We strive constantly for excellence in turn.
teaching knowledge and skills to our
students, while at the same time helping In our surrounding neighborhoods and
them to acquire wisdom and insight, love of around the globe, USC provides public
truth and beauty, moral discernment, leadership and public service in such diverse
understanding of self, and respect and fields as health care, economic development,
appreciation for others. social welfare, scientific research, public
policy and the arts. We also serve the public
Research of the highest quality by our interest by being the largest private
faculty and students is fundamental to our employer in the city of Los Angeles, as well
mission. USC is one of a very small number as the city's largest export industry in the
of premier academic institutions in which private sector.
research and teaching are inextricably
intertwined, and on which the nation USC has played a major role in the
depends for a steady stream of new development of Southern California for
knowledge, art, and technology. Our faculty more than a century, and plays an
are not simply teachers of the works of increasingly important role in the
others, but active contributors to what is development of the nation and the world.
taught, thought and practiced throughout the We expect to continue to play these roles for
world. many centuries to come. Thus our planning,
commitments and fiscal policies are directed
USC is pluralistic, welcoming outstanding toward building quality and excellence in
men and women of every race, creed and the long term
background. We are a global institution in a
Adopted by the USC Board of Trustees, February, 1993
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APPENDIX II
THE 1994 STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE 1998 FOUR-YEAR REPORT
USC’s Plan for Increasing Academic 4. Internationalization
Excellence: Building Strategic Capabilities To build upon USC's strong international
for the University of the 21st Century base of alumni, students, and established
continues the work of the 1994 Strategic relationships and Southern California's
Plan and the 1998 Four-Year Report on that position as an international center to
document. The 1994 Strategic Plan focused enhance future global opportunities for
on four initiatives: education, research, and career
development. Because of the characteristics
1. Undergraduate education of Southern California and of our students
To provide a distinctive undergraduate and alumni, focus efforts on the countries of
experience built on excellent liberal arts (the the Pacific Rim and of Central and South
term includes the humanities, the natural America.
sciences and the social sciences) and
professional programs, incorporating a The 1998 Four-Year Report on USC’s
characteristic USC core liberal education strategic plan identified four particular
and providing unique opportunities for themes that provide critical pathways to
career preparation through innovative increased excellence and distinction for
collaborations between the liberal arts and USC. The four critical pathways take on
our diverse array of professional schools. special significance because of their high
intrinsic importance and because they offer
2. Interdisciplinary research and certain advantages with respect to USC’s
education competitors. Each is contained in all four of
To create the organizational flexibility, and the strategic initiatives, and as a
capacity for teamwork, to become a world consequence, strength in these areas provide
center for innovative interdisciplinary an excellent base on which we can later
research and education in selected areas. build strength for other fields. The critical
Emphasize programs that span the spectrum pathways are:
from basic to applied research and programs
with a high degree of societal relevance. 1. Communications
Understanding and helping to solve
3. Programs building on the resources of technical, social, cultural, legal and political
Southern California and Los Angeles issues of communications in its many forms.
To create programs of research and
education that utilize and contribute to the 2. Life Sciences
special characteristics of Southern California Coordinating and building on considerable
and Los Angeles as a center of urban issues, expertise in the life sciences ranging from
multiculturalism, arts, entertainment, the basic biological sciences to clinical and
communications, and business. engineering applications.
3. The Arts
Coalescing our considerable strengths in the
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arts to move USC to the center of the work. Similarly, USC’s place in Southern
cultural stage in Los Angeles. California and the need for
internationalization are as relevant today as
4. The Urban Paradigm ever—and the contributions we make to
Exploring how complex urban environments solving critical problems in society depend
function and how to improve them. on recognizing and developing the deep
connections between our region and the
The present Plan for Increasing world. Finally, the critical pathways are
Academic Excellence builds on the four important frameworks for organizing and
initiatives and the four critical pathways. understanding USC’s strengths. They serve
Undergraduate education remains a high as over-arching themes encompassing the
priority for USC, and it will become myriad of disciplinary and interdisciplinary
increasing learner-centered in the coming paths taken by our faculty and students as
years. Interdisciplinarity also continues to they ask and answer important questions that
be critical, with particular attention to the push the boundaries of human knowledge.
nexus between fundamental and applied
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