The University of Minnesota’s newly developed strategic plan went through one of its final rounds of feedback Wednesday. The Board of Regents will review the document next week.

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Karen Hanson, along with President Eric Kaler, presented an update of the plan to nearly 100 people at the West Bank’s Cowles Auditorium. Attendees expressed excitement with the plan, which includes measures to increase interdisciplinary work, engage with more local communities and jumpstart diversity initiatives.

University administrators will launch the plan next academic year, following final approval from the Board of Regents next month,

In the past year, nearly two hundred faculty, staff, administrators and students helped craft the plan, which officials say will shape the development of the Twin Cities campus for years.

To fund the initiatives, University administrators will use some of the $15 million cut last year from administrative spending, Kaler said at the meeting. The cuts were part of his plan to slash $90 million in administrative overhead by 2019. Donations and state funding will also finance the plan, he said.

Kaler appointed faculty and staff members, administrators and students to help develop the plan. Five issue teams discussed the goals of the plan, which include community outreach and recruiting faculty.

Although officials say the plan will guide the University for the next ten years, it will also outline specific steps they’ll take in the next three to five years.

University administrators want to build on what the institution is already doing, so sweeping changes won’t come right away, Joe Konstan, College of Science and Engineering adjunct professor and one of the issue team co-leads, said at the meeting.

To find out more about the strategic plan and its initiatives, pick up Thursday’s edition of the Minnesota Daily.