Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Goal 4: Building a Foundation for Success

Strategic Plan PDF

Goal 4: Building a Foundation for Success

Building a Foundation for Success

Develop the resources, human capital and organizational capacity to grow, strengthen and support the work of every member of the IBES community.

Over the next five years, IBES aims to establish itself as the top academic institute focused on solutions-inspired, interdisciplinary research and education at the interface of environment and society. In order to achieve that goal, we must make purposeful investments to grow and strengthen the IBES community. These investments include a focus on innovative policies and practices, strengthening shared cultural norms and expectations, promoting transparency and accountability, and cultivating shared governance via effective leadership and communication. The Strategic Plan goals 1-3 outline our vision for success and impact; Goal 4 will bring that vision to life.

OBJECTIVES

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Develop a new IBES leadership team structure to reflect continued growth in the number of student concentrators, research expenditures and strategic partnerships.
Develop robust internal and external communications strategies.
Create policies and practices to manage and resolve conflicts between members of the IBES community.

Develop an IBES staffing plan to support the execution of the Strategic Plan, including a build-out of sponsored research personnel.
Optimize the allocation of physical space and related policies to reflect current workplace norms and practices around remote and hybrid work while optimizing conditions for in-person interaction and community-building.
Continually advance IT infrastructure and research instrumentation to support IBES programming.
Modernize the framework for budget management and planning that leverages available technology and resources and maximizes efficiency.

Increase awareness of sources of bias in research and education methodologies and assessment frameworks.
Train faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and undergraduate students on research ethics.
Create an IBES Code of Conduct to govern interactions between members of the IBES community.

Demonstrate a commitment to uplifting a diversity of identities, lived experiences and ideas.
Promote professional development opportunities for faculty, postdoctoral scholars, students and staff.
Create a slate of internal IBES faculty, staff and student awards to recognize unique contributions to the IBES mission.
Create opportunities for IBES faculty and staff to develop their personal and professional goals via access to peer mentors and IBES leadership.

Develop a written set of faculty search criteria that reflect evidence-based practices for ensuring equitable search processes and outcomes.
Develop and apply a proactive model for addressing issues of systemic bias, exclusion and/or marginalization of individual members of the IBES community.
Actively recruit faculty and postdoctoral scholars with expertise in environmental and climate justice.

Develop standards and criteria for tenure and promotion that recognize the integral role of DEI work in achieving our educational and research goals.
Direct IBES resources to support dedicated leadership and programmatic work in DEI.

Create opportunities for current students to learn from and access professional experience through alumni-related programming.
Increase the awareness/engagement of a diverse set of IBES alumni with IBES activities.

Create dedicated space and related programming for postdocs and graduate students in IBES.
Empower postdocs and graduate students to invest in the development of their community through self-governance, advocacy and access to IBES resources.
Promote opportunities for postdocs and graduate students to participate in IBES-related instruction and other academic programming.