Only about 20 people attended the final open forum for the 2005-2010 Strategic Plan on Thursday.

The forum was held to give students, faculty and staff members the opportunity to comment on the plan to members of the Strategic Planning Committee, the group that will produce the plan’s final draft.

Several audience members said the second draft was much improved from the first draft.

The audience’s concerns primarily focused on the wording of the plan — as well as a section outlining specific measures to achieve the stated goals, said committee member Kristen Constant, associate professor of materials science and engineering.

“[Implementation] is the time to hone in and make these measures,” said committee member Jack Girton, associate professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology.

Questions were raised about the way the plan defines the goal of promoting diversity at Iowa State.

The plan does not include disability in the list of diverse traits the university should promote, but Constant said the plan does have the standard ISU statement for diversity.

The land-grant ideal mentioned in the plan was also discussed.

Use of the word ideal makes it sound unattainable, said Craig Ogilvie, associate professor of physics and astronomy.

According to the plan, part of the land-grant ideal is extending the university’s knowledge to people around Iowa. Questions were raised about whether the plan should take a more global perspective.

“If you don’t look at [the land-grant ideal] like a historical note, it can seem limited,” Constant said.

She said the part of the ideal in question addresses Iowa State’s past role as pioneering the idea of extension, not its current role.

Although the question of whether students had enough of a role in developing the plan was brought up, Constant said the concern was unfounded.

“We have had responses from a variety of groups, including GSB,” Constant said.