Advocating for UT

(FY 2019-2025)

Strategic Plan Home

1. Create Greater Internal & External Transparency

 

  • Develop and implement Transparent UT Initiative to improve public access to information
     
  • Establish a Transparency Advisory Group to help identify opportunities to increase transparency
     
  • Increase opportunities for the public to submit ideas and feedback
     
  • Conduct annual focus groups to evaluate progress and improve access to information

2. Strengthen System-wide Collaboration among Communicators

 

  • Host two annual systemwide communicators meetings to strengthen relationships and collaboration
     
  • Develop 10 professional development opportunities for communicators across the system annually
     
  • Conduct a system-wide communications audience audit to determine redundancies and identify areas of improvement

3. Implement a Streamlined Process for Communicating with Government Officials

 

  • Work with the Chancellors and university leadership to develop and implement a policy for communicating with government officials
     
  • Train UT leaders in government relations best practices
     
  • Work with university leadership to identify high priority areas for government support

4. Promote Growth and Increased Opportunity for University Advocacy

 

  • Identify more diverse candidates for volunteer leadership/advocacy groups
     
  • Grow Advocacy Network to 10,000 advocates
    Benchmark: 6,286 advocates
     
  • Strengthen partnership with UT Foundation and UT Alumni Association to support efforts to grow participation in Advocacy

 

Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Goal

Increase the number & engagement of diverse volunteers in UT leadership/advocacy groups

 

Working Group

  • Anthony Haynes (Co-champion), Vice President for Government Relations & Advocacy, UTSA
  • Tiffany Carpenter (Co-champion), Associate Vice President, Office of Communications & Marketing, UTSA
  • Sally Badoud, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing, UTHSC
  • Bradley Bell, Assistant Director, New Student & Family Programs, UTC
  • Tisha Benton, Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing, UTK
  • Denise Gardner, Assistant Provost and Director of Institutional Research, UTK
  • Bud Grimes, Chief Communications Officer, UTM
  • George Heddleston, Sr. Associate Vice Chancellor for Communications & Marketing, UTC
  • Susan Robertson, Information Specialist, IPS
  • Tom Satkowiak, Associate Athletics Director for Communications, UTK
  • Lisa Stearns, Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing, UTIA
  • Carey Whitworth, Assistant Vice President for Government Relations and Advocacy, UTSA
  • Kerry Witcher, Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs and Programs/President and CEO of the UT Foundation, Inc., UTSA/UTFI