what is strategic planning? ©2009 penson associates, inc

What is StrategicWhat is Strategic

Planning?Planning?

©2009 Penson Associates, Inc©2009 Penson Associates, Inc

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning is NOTis NOT::

• The old LONG TERM PLANNING which The old LONG TERM PLANNING which was often so buried in every minute piece was often so buried in every minute piece of data that the process often stalled or of data that the process often stalled or collapsed before much was accomplished.collapsed before much was accomplished.

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning is NOTis NOT::

• Operational planning which is highly Operational planning which is highly specific and guides the daily operations of specific and guides the daily operations of the institution. Operational planning the institution. Operational planning occurs in the implementation of strategic occurs in the implementation of strategic initiatives.initiatives.

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning IsIs::

• The responsibility of the President, but is a The responsibility of the President, but is a highly collaborative process.highly collaborative process.

• Direction centered leading to institutional Direction centered leading to institutional strategic directions and initiatives.strategic directions and initiatives.

• Focused on core values, mission, vision Focused on core values, mission, vision and strategic directions statements.and strategic directions statements.

• Guided by the most powerful internal and Guided by the most powerful internal and external driving forces.external driving forces.

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning IsIs::

• Conducted to identify institutional distinctiveness Conducted to identify institutional distinctiveness and take advantage of comparative advantages.and take advantage of comparative advantages.

• The process of developing and maintaining a The process of developing and maintaining a strategic best fit with the institution’s strategic best fit with the institution’s environment.environment.

• An ongoing process which can be frequently An ongoing process which can be frequently adjusted.adjusted.

• The process of developing a small number of The process of developing a small number of goals and refreshing or replacing those goals goals and refreshing or replacing those goals every 3-5 years as needed.every 3-5 years as needed.

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning MustMust::

• Connect the institution with its Connect the institution with its environment.environment.

• Be inclusive and very participatory.Be inclusive and very participatory.

• Be respectful of existing governance Be respectful of existing governance systems.systems.

• Have the active and strong support of Have the active and strong support of campus leaders.campus leaders.

Strategic Planning Strategic Planning Must:Must:

• Be linked to decision making.Be linked to decision making.

• Lead to demonstrated results, which Lead to demonstrated results, which means this process leads to hard work.means this process leads to hard work.

• Generate enhanced institutional Generate enhanced institutional effectiveness and distinctiveness.effectiveness and distinctiveness.

TerminologyTerminology

• Mission StatementMission Statement

** It describes the institution’s purpose It describes the institution’s purpose scope and capabilities.scope and capabilities.

** It describes what you do.It describes what you do.


• Vision StatementVision Statement

** It defines the institution’s desires and It defines the institution’s desires and aspirations for the future.aspirations for the future.

** It is what you want the institution to It is what you want the institution to be.be.


• Core ValuesCore Values

** They are fundamental principles that They are fundamental principles that guide the institution in accomplishing guide the institution in accomplishing its mission.its mission.

** They define the common values of They define the common values of the the institution which provide the institution which provide the foundation for all activities.foundation for all activities.


• Planning AssumptionsPlanning Assumptions

** Statements of projected institutional Statements of projected institutional conditions important as a base to conditions important as a base to

planningplanning


• Planning AssumptionsPlanning Assumptions** Enrollment and DemographicsEnrollment and Demographics

-- Enrollment will ____Enrollment will ____-- Demand for on-campus housing will ____Demand for on-campus housing will ____-- African American student enrollment will African American student enrollment will

________** Resources and FacilitiesResources and Facilities

-- State funding will ____State funding will ____-- Deferred maintenance will ____Deferred maintenance will ____-- Fundraising will ____Fundraising will ____

ContinuedContinued


• Planning Assumptions (cont.)Planning Assumptions (cont.)** Curriculum and InstructionCurriculum and Instruction

-- The academic student profile will ____The academic student profile will ____-- Demand for teachers in New York will __Demand for teachers in New York will __-- The program in ____ will ____The program in ____ will ____

** Administration and InstitutionAdministration and Institution-- Demand for technology will ____Demand for technology will ____-- The college’s roll in supporting the regional The college’s roll in supporting the regional

economy will increase.economy will increase.-- Pressure for accreditations will increase.Pressure for accreditations will increase.


• Environmental ScanningEnvironmental Scanning** The process of examining the internal The process of examining the internal

and external environments to and external environments to determine and analyze the factors that determine and analyze the factors that will significantly impact upon the will significantly impact upon the institutions future.institutions future.


• Driving ForcesDriving Forces** Those select factors or trends Those select factors or trends determined from the environmental determined from the environmental scan which will impact most scan which will impact most significantly significantly upon the institution.upon the institution.** The factors can be demographic, The factors can be demographic, social, economic, political, social, economic, political, technological and educational.technological and educational.


• DistinctivenessDistinctiveness

** Special institutional attributes that are Special institutional attributes that are not common to other institutional not common to other institutional

competitors and that can be readily competitors and that can be readily identified as distinguishing strengths. identified as distinguishing strengths.


• Comparative AdvantagesComparative Advantages

** Those very special attributes or Those very special attributes or strengths (almost unique) that are so strengths (almost unique) that are so significant they enable the institution to significant they enable the institution to rise above its peers or competition.rise above its peers or competition.


• Strategic Direction/GoalStrategic Direction/Goal

** A statement of intended institutional A statement of intended institutional direction given the vision, mission, direction given the vision, mission,

and and core values statements.core values statements.


• Strategic InitiativeStrategic Initiative** An action step, or set of action steps, An action step, or set of action steps,

intended to support a strategic intended to support a strategic direction. direction. ** The institutions that are most The institutions that are most successful with strategic planning successful with strategic planning assign assign personal responsibilities and personal responsibilities and timelines to timelines to each strategic initiative.each strategic initiative.

The Strategic Planning The Strategic Planning StructureStructure

• Strategic Planning And Resource Council.Strategic Planning And Resource Council.

- Planning Assumptions- Planning Assumptions

- Driving Forces- Driving Forces• Governing Ideas Task Force.Governing Ideas Task Force.• Institutional Distinctiveness Task Force.Institutional Distinctiveness Task Force.• Optional Task Forces, if needed. The facilitator Optional Task Forces, if needed. The facilitator

wonders if SUNY College at Oneonta needs a wonders if SUNY College at Oneonta needs a task force to examine its organizational structure.task force to examine its organizational structure.

ContinuedContinued

The Strategic Planning The Strategic Planning StructureStructure

ContinuedContinued

• Stakeholders’ Planning Conferences, Stakeholders’ Planning Conferences, Forums and Focus Groups.Forums and Focus Groups.

• Governing Groups.Governing Groups.

• Coordinator is appointed to manage the Coordinator is appointed to manage the process (Nancy Wolters). process (Nancy Wolters).

• A Secretary is appointed to SPARC (Glenn A Secretary is appointed to SPARC (Glenn Mayer) to take notes and manage Mayer) to take notes and manage communication.communication.

The Strategic Planning and The Strategic Planning and ResourceResource CouncilCouncil

PurposePurpose• Advises the President on development, Advises the President on development,

coordination, integration and evaluation of the coordination, integration and evaluation of the planning process.planning process.

• Advises the President on any other planning Advises the President on any other planning issues.issues.

• Studies and interprets relevant data.Studies and interprets relevant data.• Advises and assists the President with Advises and assists the President with

development and implementation of the strategic development and implementation of the strategic plan.plan.

• Involves the total institutional community as fully Involves the total institutional community as fully as possible in the process.as possible in the process.

The Strategic Planning Council and The Strategic Planning Council and Resource CouncilResource Council

CompositionComposition

• Membership is broad and members are Membership is broad and members are expected to include as many of their expected to include as many of their colleagues in the process as possible.colleagues in the process as possible.

• Dr. Larry Guzy is the chair.Dr. Larry Guzy is the chair.

The Strategic Planning and The Strategic Planning and Resource CouncilResource Council

AuthorityAuthority

• Advisory to the President.Advisory to the President.

• Respects and supports the governance Respects and supports the governance systems. Is neither a competitor nor a systems. Is neither a competitor nor a substitute for existing governance substitute for existing governance systems.systems.


• Prepares statements defining the planning Prepares statements defining the planning assumptions.assumptions.

• Validates these statements with the Validates these statements with the institutional community and prepares a institutional community and prepares a final statement.final statement.


• Conducts internal and external scans to Conducts internal and external scans to determine the driving forces of strategic determine the driving forces of strategic significance.significance.

• Prepares a report on the implications of Prepares a report on the implications of these driving forces on the strategic future these driving forces on the strategic future of the institution.of the institution.

• Validates these statements with the Validates these statements with the institutional community and prepares a institutional community and prepares a final statement.final statement.

Governing Ideas Task ForceGoverning Ideas Task Force

• Assesses and/or develops new Assesses and/or develops new statements of core values, mission, vision statements of core values, mission, vision and strategic directions.and strategic directions.

• Involves the institutional community in this Involves the institutional community in this analysis.analysis.

• Prepares a paper, and validates with the Prepares a paper, and validates with the institutional community, recommendations institutional community, recommendations regarding the statement of governing regarding the statement of governing ideas.ideas.


Note: Most institutions have a well Note: Most institutions have a well developed mission statement but often developed mission statement but often need work on the vision statement. Many need work on the vision statement. Many have not identified their core values and have not identified their core values and often strategic directions have not been often strategic directions have not been identified.identified.


The Vision Statement Should Be:The Vision Statement Should Be:

• MotivationalMotivational• InspiringInspiring• ImaginableImaginable• Desirable Desirable

• FocusedFocused• FeasibleFeasible• FlexibleFlexible• UnderstandableUnderstandable

Institutional DistinctivenessInstitutional DistinctivenessTask Force Task Force

• Recommends concepts, criteria and Recommends concepts, criteria and process for developing increased process for developing increased institutional distinctiveness.institutional distinctiveness.

• Involves the institutional community in this Involves the institutional community in this discussion and validates the task force discussion and validates the task force concepts.concepts.

• Advises on opportunities for developing Advises on opportunities for developing increased institutional distinctiveness.increased institutional distinctiveness.

Thoughts AboutThoughts AboutInstitutional DistinctivenessInstitutional Distinctiveness

• Important attributes that are currently, or Important attributes that are currently, or readily achievable, distinguishing readily achievable, distinguishing strengths.strengths.

• Horizontal attributes Horizontal attributes (i.e., institution-wide such as (i.e., institution-wide such as location or a regionally distinguished general education location or a regionally distinguished general education program). program).

• Vertical attributes Vertical attributes (i.e., a specific program or (i.e., a specific program or service such as the identified best telecommunications service such as the identified best telecommunications program in the southeast United States).program in the southeast United States).

Partial List of PotentialPartial List of PotentialAreas of DistinctivenessAreas of Distinctiveness

• MissionMission• Clientele Clientele • Geographic LocationGeographic Location• Academic ProgramsAcademic Programs

(Horizontal & Vertical)(Horizontal & Vertical)• PedagogyPedagogy• Out of Class Programs Out of Class Programs

and Servicesand Services

• Residential LifeResidential Life• Endowed Endowed

Scholarship ProgramScholarship Program• The ArtsThe Arts• AthleticsAthletics• Public ServicePublic Service• Campus Culture or Campus Culture or

ClimateClimate

Optional Task ForcesOptional Task Forces

• Other task forces can be created if an institution Other task forces can be created if an institution believes a task force on a specific topic would be believes a task force on a specific topic would be helpful to the planning effort. helpful to the planning effort.

• The facilitator wonders if SUNY Oneonta needs a The facilitator wonders if SUNY Oneonta needs a task force on Institutional organization. My scan of task force on Institutional organization. My scan of the institution leads me to believe that this could the institution leads me to believe that this could be very useful.be very useful.

Making the Process CollaborativeMaking the Process Collaborative

• The process should be as inclusive as The process should be as inclusive as possible by involving all members of the possible by involving all members of the campus community and as many key campus community and as many key people in the extended community as people in the extended community as possible.possible.

Stakeholders’ Conferences, Stakeholders’ Conferences, Forums and Focus GroupsForums and Focus Groups

• Stakeholders’ conferences conducted to include Stakeholders’ conferences conducted to include large groups of internal and external large groups of internal and external stakeholders to discuss driving forces, governing stakeholders to discuss driving forces, governing ideas and strategic initiatives.ideas and strategic initiatives.

• Forums and focus groups held by the various Forums and focus groups held by the various task forces to gain new information and test task task forces to gain new information and test task force ideas. force ideas.

The Strategic PlanThe Strategic Plan• Description of the ProcessDescription of the Process• The Planning ContextThe Planning Context

** Environmental Driving ForcesEnvironmental Driving Forces** Institutional Driving ForcesInstitutional Driving Forces** Planning AssumptionsPlanning Assumptions

• The Governing IdeasThe Governing Ideas** Core Values StatementCore Values Statement** Mission StatementMission Statement** Vision StatementVision Statement** Strategic Directions StatementsStrategic Directions Statements

• Institutional DistinctivenessInstitutional Distinctiveness• Strategic Directions and InitiativesStrategic Directions and Initiatives• Operational Planning Initiatives - PossiblyOperational Planning Initiatives - Possibly

Responsibility for Strategic Responsibility for Strategic InitiativesInitiatives

Often the President will work during Often the President will work during the summer months with the Strategic the summer months with the Strategic Planning and Resource Council and the Planning and Resource Council and the administrative team to establish administrative team to establish assignments and timelines to accomplish assignments and timelines to accomplish the strategic initiatives. These the strategic initiatives. These assignments are broadly published with assignments are broadly published with the plan.the plan.

CELEBRATECELEBRATEWORK TO ACCOMPLISH THE WORK TO ACCOMPLISH THE

INITIATIVESINITIATIVES

what is strategic planning? ©2009 penson associates, inc

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