Today, as the start of Fenway Park’s 100th season has begun, Suffolk President James McCarthy announced the kickoff of the university’s strategic planning process at his monthly town hall meeting, which took place in the C. Walsh Theater.

With a packed room and at least 200 viewers watching on a Livestream.com feed, McCarthy presented the current state of the process, the members chosen for committee, as well as possible goals the committee could set for the university’s future. As the room quieted, McCarthy took to the stage in front of a screen displaying a PowerPoint presentation which read “Strategic Plan 2012-2017. Launch: April 5, 2012.”

The university is currently in the process of accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) which makes the strategic planning process critical. The data will be utilized to, according to a letter by McCarthy posted online, “inform the various NEASC committees, we will make sure to intentionally coordinate our efforts at critical milestones.”

The president’s presentation continued with the announcement of the committee co-chairs—Danielle Manning, VP for Finance and Treasurer, Sheila Webber, Professor and Chair Management Department, and Alceste Pappas, Consultant from the Pappas Group – who “has been involved at Suffolk for the past couple of months,” according to McCarthy. “They’ve compiled a great amount of data.” He added that the co-chairs were selected for their ability to develop a quality product on time.

McCarthy went to the next slide, announcing the entire committee. It will include three members of faculty from the Law School, Sawyer Business School, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the administration, respectively. Also on the committee will be student representatives from the undergrad, graduate, and law programs, since, according to McCarthy, the process must be “relevant and student-centered.”

Missing from the committee is a representative from the New England School of Art and Design, which merged into the school in 1996.

McCarthy then went on to talk about the tasks that lie ahead. “We have to make decisions about what we will do and what we won’t do,” he said. “Everything we do has to be supported by data. Everything we do has to be addressed in the planning process.”

The strategic planning process is expected to help reduce costs at the university while also setting goals to move forward. “It’s our duty to provide [the students] with an outstanding education,” said McCarthy.

With this announcement comes the promise that all of the Suffolk community will have their say, presenting their ideas and opinions. Faculty, staff, and students will be able to submit and view comments on the university’s website giving the committee an idea of “what they really think about the present and the future of Suffolk University,” according to McCarthy, who pledged transparency. “Nothing is going to be hidden in this process at all.”

And with the process of transparency, McCarthy stated that he will attend the first meeting on April 13, but will let the committee be in charge of what happens between then and the time they reveal the first draft of the plan.

With the school’s location on Beacon Hill, McCarthy noted that he didn’t have to go far in finding a good model for such a process, citing the Beacon Hill Civic Association’s plan available on their website. He also used the State University of New York’s plan from 2010. Both of the examples showed a set series of goals and aspirations, which didn’t seem to be too far overreaching. McCarthy noted that while there are many goals which the university should hope to achieve, a smaller set list of “big ideas” should be used for better focus. Some of the ideas presented for Suffolk included “developing and sustaining programs,” “recruiting a talented, diverse and global faculty, staff, and student body,” “seeking opportunities to unite the university’s schools and college,” and “celebrating our location in Boston.”

McCarthy then wrapped the presentation up, telling the audience to “stay tuned, there will be a lot more information soon,” while encouraging all to keep a look on the website, suffolk.edu/strategicplan.

During the question and answer session that followed the presentation, an inquiry was made regarding a search for a new provost and senior leadership team after the departure of Provost Barry Brown this July. McCarthy first congratulated Brown on his hiring as president of Mount Ida College in Newton, saying “I am very glad for Barry, that he’s got this great opportunity going for him.”

Continuing, the president told the audience that a national search for provost will begin shortly after graduation, with the call for a mostly committee. The committee will then begin a search right before Labor Day and the fall semester. The job description will call for someone who is “attentive to faculty, faculty development,” said McCarthy, going on to say that they must pay attention to students as well.

John Berg, professor in the Government Department, asked the final question of the session, stating that the sound of the Pappas Group’s name was one that invoked the “image of a meat axe.” After the laughter calmed, McCarthy told those in attendance that he “arrived here with a collection of consultant reports,” and that “what Pappas is working on right now is taking the data and analysis in the reports.”

In an effort for transparency the President assured that “you will all see the Pappas’ reports.”

“We are all making decisions,” he continued, stating that Pappas merely makes recommendations, not actual decisions.

“I want to be very clear that these are my decisions. We can’t say ‘Pappas made me do it.’”

At the end of the session, McCarthy announced that the next town hall meeting, currently unscheduled, will be the presentation of the budget.