PowerPoint Presentation

Strategic Planning:A 60 minute Overview

David CoxThe University of Memphis+Audience SurveyHave you engaged in creating a strategic, academic, operational, or other plan on your campus?On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best outcomes possible, how would you rate that planning experience?+Show of hands.comment on number who have engaged in a planning process.

Ask them to raise the number of fingers that represent the outcomes they experienced. Comment on the range of experiencesmost likely outcome is that there will be fingers from 1-10 up.So, given that most of you have engaged in planning before and that the outcomes varied greatly,What are the assumptions about planning that lead to less than optimal outcomesin short, what is NOT really planning2What Planning Is Not.

A blue print+Here are a few examples of what planning is not from George Kellers his seminal, 1983 book, Academic Strategy

Planning is NOT*production of a blueprint a set of platitudesthe personal vision of the president or board of trusteesa collection of departmental plans, compiled and editedthe substitution of numbers for important tangibles a form of surrender to market conditions and trends something done on an annual retreat a way of eliminating risksdone by planners

3What Planning Is Not.

A set of platitudes+As George Keller told us in his seminal, 1983 book, Academic Strategy

the production of a blueprint a set of platitudesthe personal vision of the president or board of trusteesa collection of departmental plans, compiled and editedthe substitution of numbers for important tangibles a form of surrender to market conditions and trends something done on an annual retreat a way of eliminating risksdone by planners

4What Planning is Not

The personal vision of the president or the board+As George Keller told us in his seminal, 1983 book, Academic Strategy

the production of a blueprint a set of platitudesthe personal vision of the president or board of trusteesa collection of departmental plans, compiled and editedthe substitution of numbers for important tangibles a form of surrender to market conditions and trends something done on an annual retreat a way of eliminating risksdone by planners

5What Planning is Not

Doneonce at a retreat+

Planning is not done by planners

Planning is NOT done by planners Usually, people with the title of planner help facilitate the process of developing plans, but its not really planning if they sit in a room and plan by themselves.7

Academic AffairsDevelopmentStudent AffairsBusiness & FinanceInformation TechnologyCommunicationLack of focusMost institutions are unrealistically striving to be all things to all people rather than focusing resources on the mission and programs that they can accomplish with distinction.

(Dickeson, 1999)+

What Is Planning?Identifying priorities and making sure resources are aligned behind themMaking choices from a host of possibilitiesShaping the futureAssessing where you are in light of your stated goals

+Planning should fosterFocus on fundamental and integrated choicesCommitment to allocate resources for chosen prioritiesNimbleness in responding to unanticipated opportunities or threats +Who Drives Planning?

++One Common Business Process in Higher Ed14The Four Key Questions in PlanningWhom do we wish to serve?What programs and services will reinforce our distinctive image?How do we want to be perceived?How will we know we are succeeding? +Question 1: Whom to ServeStudent quality characteristicsDemographicsMarket segmentsPrimary marketSecondary market+Question 2: Programs and Services Needed for Our Distinctive RoleProgram review and prioritizationStrong programsOpportunities for investmentImplications for facilitiesInstitutional developmentOpportunities for reallocation +Question 3: ImageBrand ImageSymbols and ArtifactsPositioning Statement

Third Party EndorsementsRankingsAccreditation +Question 4: Knowing that we are succeedingEnterprise-wide IndicatorsUnit Success Measures +Structure and ToolsPlanning teamPlan elementsAnalytic tools+Strategic Planning at the U of M Terminology

TermOne definitionExampleWhat we want to accomplishVisionA compelling description of how the organization will or should be at some point in the futureThe University of Memphis will be recognized as one of Americas great metropolitan research universitiesGoalsBroad statements of what the university plans to achieve Student Success: Provide superior learning experiences for students built on strong academic programs, etc.What we will do to get thereStrategiesBroad, overarching efforts to be undertaken to achieve the University goalsRecruit academically-qualified students who reflect the geographic, cultural, disciplinary and quality goals of a superior metropolitan research universityObjectivesMeasurable steps towards accomplishment of strategyDevelop standards and programs targeting academically high ability studentsAction StepsSpecific actions that will be undertaken to accomplish the strategies or objectives and demonstrate progress towards the goalsStructure the Scholarship program to recruit high ability students and national merit scholarsHow we will know if we are making progressStrategic MeasuresEvidence of achievement of the goalsPercent of undergraduate students enrolled in the Honors Program+The Planning TeamAppointed by President to review and approve processes, participants and scheduleReviews and recommends plan elements to President and/or senior administrationEngage and keep institutional stakeholders informed+People, Power, and PoliticsIts all about the PEOPLE

+Peoplethe ability to understand and identify the players who are, and/or should be, part of the planning process and their roles (e.g., decision makers, stakeholders, road blocks, etc.).And whenever you have people, you have politics and perceived differences in power.

23Mission Vision ValuesMission: Whats your purposeVision: What your organization will becomeValues: Desired states of affairsCore AspirationalAccidental

+MissionThe University of Memphis is a learner-centered metropolitan research university providing high quality educational experiences while pursuing new knowledge through research, artistic expression, and interdisciplinary and engaged scholarship.

+VisionThe University of Memphis will be recognized as one of America's great metropolitan research universities, noted for its comprehensive, innovative academic programs and for capitalizing on its urban setting and region to address the challenges of our global society.

+The University of Memphis, as an engaged learning community, celebrates:The pursuit of excellence in teaching and research as the highest measures of successful achievement.Interdisciplinary collaboration, artistic expression, and research as vehicles for leveraging our resources, solving problems, and multiplying our accomplishments.The transfer and dissemination of knowledge with community stakeholders for the intellectual, economic, and social advancement of our community.Innovation and creativity in everything we do.Respect for diversity and individual worth.Integrity and transparency in all our actions.Responsible stewardship and conservation of resources.Stewardship of wisdom, knowledge, and information created by our predecessors.Leadership and involvement in the economic, social, and professional growth of Memphis, the state of Tennessee, and the nation.Valueshe University of Memphis, as an engaged learning community, celebrates:

+Remember, effective planning requires a capacity to actually planLeadership commitmentPlanning teamAdequate resourcesAdequate data bases+Planning Requires ChoicesTraditional approaches, like across-the-board cuts, tend to mediocrity for all programs.Reallocation cannot be appropriately accomplished without rigorous, effective, and academically responsible prioritization. +Dimensions for Determining ChoicesSize, scope, and productivityRevenue and other resources generatedCosts and other expensesImpact, justification, and relationship to the core mission(s)Opportunities +Excellence compared to what?Benchmarking performance againstCompetitorsNational or regional normsOther institutions in systemsInstitutional wanna besOther programs with and among institutionProgram history +Who wants to know if we are succeeding?Regional accrediting bodiesBoard of trusteesPresidentSenior administratorsDonorsProspective students/parents/employersAlumniLegislative oversight bodies+Current Approaches Include:Balanced scorecardDashboard indicatorsKey performance indicatorsCritical success factors+Integrated Planning BenefitsMore transparency, less feudingResources when and where they are neededAcademic planning drives the processShared understanding of each others worldOwned by a campus

+Sources for training and information on strategic planningSociety for College and University PlanningStrategic Planning Institute Steps I, II, IIIhttp://www.scup.org/page/profdev/pi+What are SCUP Planning Institute learning objectives?Participants will understand:The basic elements of planningThe practice of integrated planningThe social and political context of integrated planningThe value of evidence based planningAnd willForm a network of others

+The end product of strategic planning is not so much to write a plan as it is to change thinking and introduce a model in which ongoing decisions are made strategically.

Rawley, Lujan, and Dolence (1997)+