Strategic Plan Theme: People

Goals and progress to 2024

Promote and support flexibility (in-person and/or remote) tailored to our diverse work and learning environments
Create infrastructure to support the recognition of individual and team achievements on a routine schedule and across platforms.
Maximize the benefits of the hybrid environment and make in-person work valuable and meaningful

Enhance recruitment and admissions strategies to recruit diverse students into the PharmD, residency and graduate programs.
Progress to 2024:
- California Health Care Foundation funded Pharm Tech to PharmD program, expected to launch in summer 2025.
- SOP PharmD Admissions Retreat scheduled for September 24, 2024.
- Initiated an AI-in-drug discovery fellowship for UC Merced Seniors.
In collaboration with HR, streamline and increase transparency in hiring and promotion practices.
Define strategies to facilitate the success of faculty and staff to improve retention.
Adopt a culture of holistic review for new hires and admissions of students and trainees.

Working with the Vice Dean of Research, provide opportunities for faculty to learn about each other's diverse expertise and roles. Develop a campaign to expand cross-collaboration opportunities on research.
Working with the Vice Deans for Education, develop infrastructure to support and encourage teaching across disciplines and development of interdisciplinary electives.
Progress to 2024:
- Established of the Center for Collaborative Innovation (CCI) with Director Su Guo, PhD.
- CCI-sponsored PSR symposium to recognize postdoctoral specialist and researcher trainees, April 24, 2024.

Craft an agenda of alumni-school activities for the year to support engagement, DEI, fundraising and volunteerism. Alumni include PharmDs, graduate students, residents, and postdoctoral scholars.
Progress to 2024:
- SOP/Alumni DEI survey launched in July 2023.
Increase alumni involvement in teaching and mentoring opportunities for our learners.
Recognize and support the success and achievements of our alumni.
Progress to 2024:
- Interviews of alumni in 2023:
  - Diana Cowell, PharmD ’14: One woman’s perspective: From Navy helicopter pilot to clinical pharmacy care for veterans.
  - Zachary Hearns, PharmD ’13: Hearns blazes PharmD trail from military service to patient-centered practice.
  - Maria Lopez, PharmD ’01: Alum Maria Lopez fights for underserved communities.

Create explicit policies that support active participation of faculty, staff, and learners in professional development activities, including continuing education, networking, conference attendance, and professional skill-building.
Leverage professional and personal trainings available through the university to increase interaction between faculty, staff, and trainees.
Progress to 2024:
- School’s participation in the campus’ training academy for faculty and staff launched in spring 2024. Faculty and staff of SOP are serving as participants and mentors in the program.

Co-leads	Michelle Arkin and Sharon L. Youmans
Members	Su Guo, Karen Hamblett, Ray Ho, Zi Yao, Justin Lewis, Aashish Manglik, Keya Patel, Caleb Rux
Challenges	HR-related policies – syncing SOP policies with campus and UCOP directions. Collecting and documenting the good works happening in the school. Recognizing the overlaps of goals with other strategic priorities. Acknowledging changes in factors that underlie the well-being of faculty, staff, and trainees. Allocate dedicated time to accomplish our goals/subgoals while maintaining a balanced work-life integration.
Future directions	Re-prioritizing subgoals to be up-to-date with the needs of the School’s constituents. Create a mechanism to get reports out of accomplishments from departments and the Dean’s office on a regular basis. Reconstitute the working group if needed. Solicit ongoing feedback from faculty, staff, and trainees to determine what works and what needs improvement.