1. “Implementing a Vision and Strategic Planning”
Wanda J. Blanchett
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kathe Rasch
Delta State University

2. Critical Questions You Must Answer (Activity)
What is your vision for the SCDE?
Where do you see the SCDE programs going?
Where will the SCDE be in 3-5 years?
What will the SCDE be most known for?
For what will external forces look to your SCDE for?

3. Establishing a Passionate Vision Exercise: (Use Adjectives)
What makes your SCDE unique from other SCDE’s?
What differentiates it from other SCDE’s of education?
What are your core values or things that if removed, would kill your SCDE?
Rank your list in terms of importance
Citations: Buller, J. L. (2007). The essential academic dean: A practical guide to colleges leadership. Jossey-Bass, CA: San Francisco.

4. Foundations of Visioning and Strategic Planning
Want to preserve what makes the SCDE unique in terms of values.
Want to engage in a process that will involves all key stakeholders.
Want to galvanize broad support for the process and its outcomes.
Want to honor and celebrate the SCDE’s prior successes.

5. Who Creates the Strategic Plan
Depends on your local context, institutional structure and team
Ideal
Faculty and staff driven strategic plan process and actual action plan
Involvement (real involvement) of key community partners (e.g., PK-12, civic/business and grassroots representatives).
Dean’s/ Chair’s office coordinated/influenced action plan
Consider obtaining an outside facilitator to allow all deans/chairs, faculty and staff to all be participants.

6. A Suggested Approach
SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
Strengths—attributes of the unit that are helpful to achieving the objective
Weaknesses—attributes of the unit that challenge achieving the objectives
Opportunities—external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objectives
Threats—external conditions that challenge achieving the objectives

7. Data Needed to Begin Process
Institutional Mission/Vision/Goals
How is the SCDE currently aligned? Not?
Environmental Scan
Competition
Market potential and opportunities
Competing forces
Existing Strengths/Weaknesses
What it will take to accomplish goals

8. Eventual Strategic Plan
Should be accomplished in 3-5 years
General goal statements
Specific objectives, milestones and timelines
Consistent and mindful collection of data and evaluation of progress
Align all resources to goals & priorities
Report progress to provost, school, boards

9. Strategic Planning Activity
Look back at your vision for your school/college and your institution’s strategic goals. Are they compatible? If not, how will you reconcile them?
Given your vision for the school/college, how might you fashion some strategic goals and priorities?

10. Resource Management--Turns Vision to Reality
Strategic planning and decision-making must drive resource allocation and management
Key Resources
People (personnel)
Budget Management
Development and fundraising priorities
Data is critical for optimizing your resources

11. Reasons for Data Gathering
Productivity
Administrative
Program
Faculty and Staff
Ranking
Accreditation
Development
Resource Procurement
Marketing and Visibility

12. Data Management What is the most important information you need?
Can you get the information you need to make sound decisions ?
Is the information reliable?

13. Givens
Great deal of your time will be spent on gathering and analyzing data
Must use data to support your decisions
Data can help you tell your story

14. Telling Your Story For accountability For marketing and visibility
For image and ranking
For development and fundraising

15. What Data are Important to Have and Report?
Internal Audience
What does the Provost/President or Chancellor value?
List top three indicators your Provost/ President will hold you accountable for
Outside Public
Who do you need to influence?
List top three people/ groups, agencies you need to influence?

16. Data to tell your unit story
Admissions data
Diversity data
Student enrollment and retention
Graduation rates and exit data
Graduation follow-up preparedness data
Program and faculty productivity
Retention in profession
Activity
Discuss what data you have readily available and who you will need to tap for data

17. Data to tell your Faculty story
Involvement in and impact on PK-12
Impact on the field through scholarship
Number of students influenced
Number of teachers & educators reached
Impact on the local community
Community and professional service data
External funding and grants received
Other bragging points

18. Telling Your Story for Fundraising
Data needed
Prospect and Suspects
Wealth ratings
Giving history
Donor relations
Contacts, follow-up