The Strategic Planning and Resources Council聽and its task forces聽presented drafts of mission statements and goals聽for community input as part of the development of a聽聽strategic plan that establishes goals and聽initiatives for the university.
Campus-wide workshops on the university鈥檚 strategic plan were held Sept. 23聽and Sept. 24. 聽Dr. Dave McFarland, the university鈥檚 strategic planning consultant, led the workshops.
Faculty and staff聽 worked in small groups to craft the聽official versions of the university鈥檚 statements of mission and institutional distinctiveness. The group also provided their thoughts on a vision statement and four聽to five large goals over the next three to five years.聽 Some suggestions聽聽included continuous technological improvement, increasing academic and professional excellence, focusing on student engagment, and increasing diversity.
Revised drafts of the mission, vision and goals will be posted at the 鈥淪trategic Plan 2010鈥� link on UCA鈥檚 homepage.
“With this work completed, the next step will be for all of us to formulate specific initiatives that we see as necessary to the accomplishment of these large goals.聽 We鈥檒l devote the month of October and probably the early part of November to coming up with these initiatives,” said Mike Schaefer, chair of the Stragetic Planning and Resources Council.聽“During that time the Strategic Planning and Resources Council will hold forums with each college and with all other university entities to discuss what particular initiatives colleges, departments, offices, and individuals regard as necessary, whether those are things they wish to accomplish themselves or are things they need a larger entity to accomplish.”
聽The full schedule of these meetings will be posted at the strategic plan link at a later date.
Dave McFarland will return for another campus-wide forum on Nov. 22 to facilitate a meeting聽 on prioritizing initiatives based on聽 feedback from students, faculty and staff.聽 The聽Strategic Planning and Resources Council will then develop a formal strategic plan that will go to the President and the Board of Trustees for approval.