Planning Processes for Academic Schools

Essentially, we will be engaging in a multi-level strategic planning process. The process will start in each school as described below.

Step 1: School Level Initiation

• Each of the four schools will use existing strategic planning structures, or create new ones, to support the University’s strategic planning process. It is expected that this will help decentralize the strategic planning process as well as make sure that school-based priorities and goals are represented in the university-wide strategic plan.

• A description of this process and faculty involved due to VP[?] by October 10, 2003.

Step 2: School Level Planning

Each school will engage in planning activities (using some combination of priorities, gap, and emergent issues approach) to address the following:

Consider the University’s Existing Mission and Major Goals. Consider the University’s existing mission and statement of major goals. Confirm agreement with these aspects of the strategic plan and/or make recommendations for change. Consider external environmental forces described below.

Prioritize Existing Activities. Prioritize existing programs and activities in the school into three priorities:

High 
Medium 
Low 

Imagining the Future. If you had a crystal ball, how would we see school 5-10 years from now?

• How will the external environment (scientific, economic, social, and political provide opportunities or threats to the school and its mission.

• Which units and activities in the school would still be intact pretty much the same as today?

• Which units and activities will still be present but substantially modified?

• Which units and activities will have been eliminated?

• Which units and activities will have been added to your school as a result of launching school-wide or university-wide strategic initiatives?

School Goals and Gap Analysis. List major goals required to actualize high priority activities and new initiatives and to move the school from where it is today to where it wants to go.

Consider University-wide Implications. To realize the school’s vision of the future, what has to happen in other schools or units at CCSU, in the larger University, in the CSU system?

Step 3: Reporting

It is expected that school-based strategic planning results will be reported to the University’s Budget and Planning Committee.

• Progress report in mid November

• Final Report prior to the December 15

Report Format. The report format for school plans should address and contain the following:

Section 1: Statement of the school’s mission and how it applies to the University mission and goals and affirmation of the University mission and goals and/or recommendations for change.

Section 2: Current Priorities. Within the overall mission and goals list and discuss the priorities the school holds for it present and future work. Again discuss in terms of high, medium, and low priority.

Section 3 Gap Analysis and Goals: Describe the gap between where the school currently is and where it wants to be, and list the goals required to move toward the desired state.

Section 4: Strategic Initiatives: List and describe new school or university initiatives (programs, units, functions, activities) recommended for implementation over the next 5 (10) years. These should be tied to the goals described above (e.g., we seek approval to offer a computer engineering degree; we will strive to triple the enrollment in our MBA program; we will seek approval to offer a doctorate in mathematics education; we will expand our program in public history; we will revise the general education requirements; we will provide better support structures for first-year students). This section should also discuss programs, units, functions, and activities the school is prepared to give up over the next 5 (10) years.

Section 5: Describe changes that are required in the larger university, CSU, etc. to make it possible for the school to accomplish new initiative (e.g., academic reorganization; change in work load requirements; elimination of X policy; creation of X policy; etc.).

Section 6 Cost-Benefits: This section should describe the costs associated with new initiatives and benefits accrued with reductions. Use the University planning guides for new programs to provide this analysis.

Step 4: University-wide Planning

Under the auspices of the University’s Budget and Planning Committee a university-wide strategic plan will be developed. This plan will incorporate goals and initiatives emanating from the School Strategic Plans but also may include new initiatives and/or changes based on the committee’s own work and analyses and perhaps by special university-wide tasks forces created by the committee. It is intended that a draft of the University’s Strategic Plan will be ready for consideration by March 15, 2004.