By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS - The University of Cincinnati will kick off the first in a series of meetings Dec. 8 that will culminate in a plan that could change the role of the institution in the region.

About 50 faculty members, deans, vice presidents and students will meet with UC President Nancy Zimpher for what she calls a four-hour "listening session." It's the first step to creating the school's first academic master plan, to guide UC's choices for the next decade.

"The University of Cincinnati has done a pretty good job describing some of the parts of the elephant," said Greg Hand, university spokesman. "What this plan is going to do is give the picture of the full elephant. This plan will ultimately answer: What is this place?"

UC has seen curriculum changes in years past, but it has never had one document linking research as well as undergraduate and graduate studies in a single set of principles.

Ron Ricks, UC's student government president, wants the university to elevate the quality of its remediation programs and streamline course requirements.

"It's really making sure that I let President Zimpher know how important it is for students to be able to transfer from college to college," said Ricks, a senior from Toledo.

An academic master plan will help UC focus its priorities, said Richard Karp, chairman of UC's faculty senate.

E-mail kgoetz@enquirer.com