Project evaluation

Time-sensitive recruitment or retention projects

• Example: Research lab renovations tied to a time-sensitive recruiting process
• Example: Lease improvements required by a lessor for a rented building

Hospital strategic equipment and tools 

• Example: Medevac helicopter purchase and required retrofits
• Example: Medical equipment requiring capital construction

Non-construction expenditures

• Example: Information technology capital projects

Deferred maintenance/infrastructure

• Example: Replacement-in-kind maintenance (e.g., roof replacement, chiller replacement, boiler replacement, elevator replacement, etc.)

• Develop a nurturing environment for learners that promotes comprehensive growth and extends the educational journey beyond academics to the full array of experiences at U-M.
• Create a future in which a U-M education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential by expanding access, offerings, and delivery to a more diverse community of individuals.
• Transform the educational experience by investing in innovative teaching methods, educational models and modalities, and experiential learning opportunities that meet the needs of today’s learners.
• Continue to address the issue of affordability and build robust programs to support student success, ensuring that all aspiring students have an equal opportunity to access and fully immerse themselves in the transformative U-M experience, regardless of their background.

• Promote a vibrant and health-conscious campus culture by integrating well-being into every facet of the U-M experience, comprehensively addressing the mental, physical, and emotional wellness of our community.
• Transform public health by leading the way to make breakthroughs in improving patient care, advocating for preventive health, and cultivating strategic collaborations to confront and overcome critical health challenges both locally and globally.
• Close the health equity gap by directing research and clinical breakthroughs toward the needs of the underserved, making a lasting and positive difference in the lives of those most in need.
• Become the leaders and best of healthcare delivery innovation by setting the national benchmark for safety, quality, and patient outcomes through groundbreaking research and clinical excellence.
• Generate innovative discoveries that enhance health outcomes and propel scientific progress by fostering a world-leading research ecosystem that encourages scholarly excellence and translates findings into real-world applications.

• Empower students to become active and informed contributors to democracy by deepening their understanding of its practices, principles, and processes—beginning with the most essential act: voting—fostering a new generation of leaders committed to making a significant difference.
• Elevate the quality of public conversation at U-M by nurturing spaces where respectful and meaningful dialogue can flourish, where every voice is heard, and where the principles of free speech and mutual respect are upheld across all our communities.
• Ignite a passion for civic action in our students by providing opportunities, resources and support for service learning, community collaborations, and partnerships to empower individuals to tackle real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact.
• Strengthen partnerships and alliances at every level—local, state, and national—to mobilize support for democratic ideals and inspire civic engagement that leads to informed and responsible voting actions.
• Continue to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere on our campuses that recognizes and addresses the needs of varied communities.

• Invest in solving issues that position U-M as a global leader in higher education campus sustainability, focusing on our infrastructure and our pursuit to become carbon neutral.
• Deepen our commitment to environmental justice by acknowledging that frontline and fence line communities are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis and strengthening connections with local, national, and global communities—creating action-oriented strategies that have real and sustained impact.
• Nurture future leaders in sustainability through educational programs and a culture of environmental responsibility that ensures all members of our community are empowered to contribute effectively to a more sustainable future.
• Tackle the defining environmental challenges of our time by harnessing our capabilities as a leading research institution—from addressing climate change and biodiversity loss to addressing the pressing issues of food security, water quality, and sustainable transportation.

• As creators and stewards of advanced technology, we will develop and harness innovation responsibly, ensuring that breakthroughs in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, data science, nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and digital and urban infrastructure, among many others, serve the common good and improve the human condition. We will develop these technologies with transparency and public input.

• Create dynamic and inclusive learning environments tailored to our educational goals that provide space where engagement thrives and every member of our community is equipped to excel.
• Break new ground in academic excellence by implementing cutting-edge policies that elevate student success, promote interdisciplinary learning, and foster critical thinking.
• Enrich the educational journey with a robust array of extracurricular activities in a secure and supportive atmosphere, enabling students to explore, innovate, and develop beyond traditional academic settings.

• Advance university-wide research goals by increasing U-M’s capacity for large-scale, cross-unit interdisciplinary research and managing a dynamic portfolio of frontier-defining research institutes that will lead the world in defined areas of inquiry.
• Implement strategic approaches to recruiting, retaining, and mentoring talent across the research community to expand institutional research capacity and develop strong external relationships to expand U-M’s leadership in emerging areas of study.
• Expand the development and deployment of artificial intelligence and data science by investing in supercomputing infrastructure, state-of-the-art high-speed storage, and specialized generative AI tools that will expand university-wide capabilities.
• Foster a vibrant culture of creative expression and discovery that serves to advance research, scholarship, and creative practice by blending traditional academic rigor with innovative approaches to unlock potential within the areas of human experience and understanding.

• Broaden efforts for improved access to health and prevention services for our community by continuing to evaluate and implement strategic alliances that provide more individuals access to the full continuum of clinical care.
• Enhance the wellness support and prevention infrastructure across all U-M campuses through improved quality and access to facilities and technologies along with a broad range of opportunities that promote physical and mental health as well as overall well-being.
• Cultivate greater interdisciplinarity within healthcare education by continuing to strengthen collaborative programming and increasing intersectionality for those schools and colleges directly involved in delivering health and well-being care.

• Establish the university as a leading institution for the arts—studying, practicing, promoting, and supporting the arts—by allocating resources and expanding initiatives that provide more opportunities for experiences and participation.
• Inspire art-focused research and curriculum creation that supports the university’s mission, and continually assess programming to maximize engagement and meet community needs.
• Encourage greater participation in the arts by cultivating programming that is inclusive and promotes the breadth of experience and interests of our community.
• Develop the service mission of the arts to foster a more vibrant, just, and joyful state of Michigan and the world.

• Develop plans that support our faculty and staff through the employment cycle, from successful recruitment to active retention and support of professional growth and development to eventual retirement or departure.
• Infuse the Culture Journey values into our campus ethos by creating clear expectations to foster a supportive community where all feel safe and will thrive.
• Create further consistency in the faculty and staff experience by investing in systems, structures, and processes, such as access to professional development resources and accountability for creating supportive work environments.

• Develop an innovation district that will expand partnerships for new ventures, experiential learning, job opportunities, and local investments.
• Expand our vibrant research enterprise to encourage risk-taking, spark transformative discoveries, and communicate our impact locally, nationally, and globally.
• Build stronger community partnerships throughout our state—including Dearborn, Flint, Detroit, and other cities—to emphasize local impact and fulfill our role as a public university.
• Enhance partnerships with national laboratories to create jobs and position the University of Michigan at the forefront of breakthroughs in science and technology.