University President Ellen Granberg announced that officials will host a series of virtual discussions on GW’s future with students, faculty and staff to develop a new strategic plan in an email Friday.

Officials will hold five one-hour sessions for faculty and two for students throughout late February and early March that focus on topics like the future of the workforce, education and knowledge to guide the creation of a long-term strategic plan, the announcement states. The announcement kicks off the beginning of a school-wide strategic plan, which GW has been without since 2020 when officials put a hold on former University President Thomas LeBlanc’s plan and then later delayed creating one until the University selected a permanent president.

Over the five discussion sessions, there will be 50 seats open to registrants on a first come, first serve basis. Granberg said officials will make more sessions available in the future as needed. The Provost’s office is in charge of running these sessions.

Officials will then create a report that will be shared with the GW community for feedback, Granberg said. Officials will present the findings to the Board of Trustees during its May meeting, which the Board will use to begin the development process of a formal strategic framework for fall 2024.

Ahead of former interim University President Mark Wrighton’s tenure, faculty said in 2021 they hoped GW’s next president focused on including their opinions in major decision making before focusing on establishing a formal strategic plan.

Faculty said last January they were “optimistic” about Granberg’s presidency because her background as the former provost of Rochester Institute of Technology makes her qualified to create a strategic plan that promotes shared governance, also known as the involvement of community members in large, school-wide decisions.