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June 10, 2002
Dear Members of the MBL Community,
The satisfactory completion of the Marine Biological Laboratory's Discovery Campaign and the recognition that the Laboratory was in a strong position financially, programmatically, and spiritually created a climate conducive to contemplation. As a result, the Board of Trustees made the decision to begin a review process that would result in the creation of a strategic plan for the Laboratory. An important component of the plan will be communicating with the various stakeholders in our organization. This letter is the first in a series of communications designed to keep you informed about our deliberations.
The Board asked John Dowling and me to assume responsibility for directing the planning process. Moreover, they directed us to identify outside consultants to assist in this undertaking. Following a competitive review process, a selection committee that included Trustees and Corporation Members in addition to John and me, selected McKinsey and Company to assist us. We were impressed with the team from McKinsey, specifically their familiarity and commitment to the MBL, and their experience in facilitating strategic planning processes in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors of the scientific community.
In commissioning the plan, the Board asked that we assess both the reputation and the impact of the MBL within the broader scientific community. They asked us to develop a clear vision for how we will maintain and build on our research and educational strengths. This includes our aspirations for areas we will focus on, a description of how we will organize, and a plan to meet our financial requirements.
The broad participation of MBL constituents is critical to the success of this effort. During the first phase of the process, which began this past fall, we established a 19-person Steering Committee (a membership list is attached). The McKinsey group also interviewed individuals representing the MBL’s various constituencies to gather background data on the laboratory and perspectives on MBL strategy today and in the future.
In early November of 2001, the Steering Committee met for the first time. We discussed the preliminary data gathered by the McKinsey team and developed a set of shared beliefs about the MBL’s future:
- The MBL is a year-round institution
- The MBL should make a disproportionate contribution to the advancement of the biological sciences
- MBL leadership should actively enhance the collaborative strength of the institution
- External talent should be more proactively recruited
- The MBL should focus on building its external reputation
- The MBL should continue to build the effectiveness of its governing bodies
They also wrote a first draft of an aspiration statement to help guide the laboratory going forward:
Our aspiration is to be recognized for having a disproportionate impact on the advancement of biological sciences that improve the human condition. The MBL will achieve this impact along two interdependent dimensions:
- Driving fundamental advances in biological sciences through both resident and visiting research. The MBL will target areas where it has (or can reasonably develop) a distinctive position that benefits from the collaborative and cross-disciplinary strengths of the MBL.
- Catalyzing the scientific careers and contributions of the most promising and important scientists in biological sciences by providing a unique opportunity to interact with leading scientists and collaborate across disciplines. The MBL's educational programs, its research programs, and its scientific interactions are all expected to contribute to this mission.
The Steering Committee then embarked on Phase II of the process, establishing three Task Forces charged with addressing a series of "researchable questions" that were framed during the interviews and the Steering Committee meeting. The first, chaired by John Dowling and George Logan, examined questions associated with "Ensuring distinctiveness and collaboration in resident (year-round) research." The second, chaired by Kerry Bloom and Howard Jacobson, explored "Ensuring excellence in education." And the third, chaired by Joan Ruderman and Vin Ryan, looked at "Attracting the next generation of visiting scientists" to the summer research program. A list of those Task Force members is also attached.
Since December, these Task Forces have been busy gathering data, conducting surveys, and meeting regularly to develop a fact base from which they generated a series of recommendations that were presented to, and endorsed by, the Steering Committee at a meeting on April 26th. These recommendations were presented to the Board of Trustees in May.
In future correspondence, I will describe these recommendations and discuss the activities that we will be undertaking as we enter Phase III of the strategic planning process. John Dowling and I will also host regular meetings this summer in Woods Hole to answer questions and keep the community informed. I hope you will be able to join us for one of these gatherings. The first meeting will be held on Friday, June 21st at 10:30 am in the Swope Center's Meigs Room.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact John or me, or anyone on the Steering Committee, if you have any concerns or questions about the strategic planning effort. We value your comments as we work towards preparing the Marine Biological Laboratory for an exciting future.
Sincerely yours,
William T. Speck, M.D. |
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