The College of Human Ecology Strategic Vision 2030 identifies an ambitious and achievable set of initiatives and goals to guide our decisions and investments as we bring the vision to reality. 

1. Recognized Leadership in Scholarly Areas of Excellence

The College will build on existing strengths and increase our excellence and impact in three scholarly focal areas:

  • Health Equity
  • Sustainability & Society, and
  • Technology & Human Flourishing.

Investing in these areas allows us to address complex and pressing challenges to human health and well-being by bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines; integrating basic science, translational research, and design; and sustaining collaboration with communities.

  • 1a. Launch college-wide cohort hiring initiatives focused on the three areas of excellence and invest in supporting and retaining top scholars who will play a leading role in contributing to new knowledge in these areas.
  • 1b. By building new or drawing upon existing college-wide structures (such as centers, programs, or institutes), support interdisciplinary collaborations that build core scientific knowledge and/or translate findings to real-world applications in these priority areas.
  • 1c. Enhance opportunities for faculty to share scholarly expertise to shape public discourse through media and other types of engagements.

 

2. Transformative Human Ecology Education

Ensure students have exceptional opportunities to spark curiosity, integrate insights across disciplines, create new knowledge, discover passions, and develop novel approaches to improve human health and well-being.

  • 2a. Provide our students with a unique educational experience in which they have opportunities to understand and impact the multilayered influences on human health and well-being, providing them with skills, expertise, and compassion to understand and address the most pressing social challenges.
  • 2b. Ensure a community-engaged learning experience for all undergraduate students, in which they work with and learn from a broad range of community partners to address interests, problems or public concerns.
  • 2c. Develop and launch college-wide, co-taught or cross- listed classes that foster interdisciplinary perspectives and reflect the breadth of CHE expertise in our scholarly areas of excellence.
  • 2d. Integrate the scholarly areas of excellence, including health equity, sustainability & society, and technology & human flourishing into existing and new courses.
  • 2e. Ensure students have access to the highest quality guidance and support in academic advising and career development as well as connect to an engaged alumni network that provides enriching opportunities to discover their academic (and career) paths.

 

3. The Publicly Engaged College of the Future

Engage in mutually beneficial partnerships that break down boundaries between academic, community, and industry sectors so that we can work collectively toward improving human lives.

  • 3a. Create an engaged learning curriculum that is integrated into all CHE majors.
  • 3b. Expand out of classroom engaged learning offerings for undergraduate students.
  • 3c. Broaden engaged learning within faculty research.
  • 3d. Increase support for and elevate faculty taking part in community- engaged research.

 

4. A Flourishing Human Ecology Community

Build upon our longstanding commitment to inclusion and social justice to foster a strong sense of community, connection and trust so that all members of the college community can flourish. 

  • 4a. Create intentional opportunities for college-wide reconnection. 
  • 4b. Work to increase diversity of our faculty, staff, students and alumni volunteers.  
  • 4c. Strengthen College policies and structures to support equity and inclusion. 
  • 4d. Foster a culture of appreciation that celebrates and highlights the benefits of diversity as a key driver of our success as a college community, including developing new college-wide awards that reflect our values and priorities.  

 

5. A Unified Human Ecology Network in New York City

Our goal is to foster a vibrant, unified network of people and programs that are delivering CHE’s mission in New York City. We will fortify the space, support, and resources necessary to amplify existing and/or launch new programs that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the principles of bidirectional engagement and social justice. Examples of possible programs include: summer or semester-long undergraduate experiences in NYC; faculty and graduate student research; connections with the NYC fashion industry; strengthened collaborations with Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech in CHE areas of expertise.

  • 5a. Identify a collaborative team of faculty and administrative leaders to launch the CHE NYC network in a way that is purposeful, that builds on all areas of excellence in the College, and that connects to the highlighted scholarly areas of excellence in health equity, sustainability & society, and technology & human flourishing.
  • 5b. Secure and equip a physical and virtual presence for the CHE NYC network that can accommodate small and large in-person gatherings and remote connections among faculty, industry, program partners, staff, alumni, community members and students.
  • 5c. Resource the network with support necessary to cultivate creative collaborations and innovative explorations across diverse constituencies.

We have begun work on many of the above initiatives and look forward to working with our College community and networks to achieve these important goals.

Reporting our progress is an important part of our plan. This website and other communications will serve to inform and further engage our community and partners. Our "Progress & Spotlights" page is a great way to stay updated on our momentum.