Project Imagine

Big and bold ideas to reimagine the University of Rochester

COVID-19 has changed how we learn, teach, and work together. In this period of unprecedented change and transition, what can we do to make an even better University?

Now is the perfect opportunity to reimagine the University of Rochester. We’re encouraging anyone and everyone to share their ideas.

We can rethink how we teach, what we teach, where we teach, when we teach, and whom we teach. We can forge new ways of fostering groundbreaking, multidisciplinary, creative research that addresses the world’s big problems and explores unanswered questions. We can dramatically improve engagement with the community, with alumni, with faculty, and staff. We can imagine changes to our spaces, campus, and waterfront. We can discover new ways of learning, treating patients and creating new programs in the arts and sports.

These ideas can come from anyone—students, faculty, staff, collaborators, partners, or members of the Greater Rochester Area.

Learn more about Project Imagine

What is Project Imagine?

Provost Rob Clark has formed a committee called Project Imagine that includes faculty, staff, and students from across the institution. The committee has been charged with proposing at least ten “big and bold ideas” by September 1 that could redefine the University.

The Project Imagine team is looking for any and all ideas that could help reimagine how the University operates, from changing University’s organizational structure to altering the academic calendar to doing away with large lecture courses, and more.

Read the news story on how Project Imagine began.

Guiding principles

The Project Imagine team commits to demonstrating these principles throughout the project:

An openness to big and bold ideas that challenge our assumptions of what’s possible.
An egalitarian approach to idea generation that places no voice or opinion above another.
A transparent and inclusive process that gives everyone an opportunity to contribute.
A positive and optimistic mindset that focuses on strengths and opportunities rather than weaknesses.

Additionally, the Project Team will model the values of the University of Rochester at all times to further the University’s mission to learn, discover, heal, create and make the world ever better.

Learn more about the committee’s charge in the Project Imagine Charter.

Committee members

Leader: Ray Dorsey, the David M. Levy Professor of Neurology and director of the Center for Health + Technology

Facilitator: Julia Maddox, director of the Barbara J. Burger iZone at the University of Rochester Libraries

Members

Maya Abtahian, assistant professor of linguistics
Chris Apple, men’s soccer head coach
John Barker, senior associate dean of the faculty for Arts, Sciences & Engineering
Dewey Bazirake ’20, student mentor and consultant at iZone
Nomi Bergman ‘85, University of Rochester trustee and president of Advance/Newhouse
Olivia Brumfield ’21, neuroscience major
Lauren Di Monte, Assistant Dean, Digital and Research Initiatives, River Campus Libraries
Narayana Kocherlakota, Lionel W. McKenzie Professor of Economics
Katrina Korfmacher, associate professor of environmental medicine
Frederick Liu ’23, political and computer science major
David Mitten, professor of orthopedics and director of UR Health Lab
Julia Norwood ’20, linguistics major
John Osburg, associate professor of anthropology
Karl Rosengren, professor of psychology
Lydia Rotondo, associate dean, education and student affairs, School of Nursing
Samantha Singhal, co-deputy chief information officer
Shyanthony Synigal ’23, PhD student in biomedical engineering
Joe Testani, associate vice provost for career educational initiatives

Have a question?

You can reach the Project Imagine committee at projectimagine@rochester.edu.