Timeline

The planning process is split into three phases:

For detailed information about what each phase entails, see below.

July 2023

Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC) formed
Scope and objectives of the strategic plan formed. The strategic plan is named “The Strategic Compass”

August 2023

September 2023

Work plan is finalized
Stakeholder Synthesis Team (SST) leads are identified and teams are built out.
Teams are trained on the strategic planning process
Website is established and broad communication strategies are implemented
Stakeholder Synthesis Teams began research with the External Scan and identification of Key Success Factors.
- The External Scan is a research process that gathers data throughout the landscape of higher education, engages with the external stakeholder groups and conducts a PESTEL (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technology, Environmental, and Legal elements) review. This step seeks to understand and prioritize external challenges and identify key success factors through research and feedback solicited from external stakeholders.

October 2023

External Scan continued

Insights are solicited from the university community and stakeholders, and research is conducted
Strategic Compass Town Hall session is held
SSTs concluded External Scan with reports submitted to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.

November 2023

SPSC reviewed External Scan and finalized findings, assumptions, and Key Success Factors.
Stakeholder Synthesis Teams received insights and engaged the campus community with the Internal Scan and the identification of Critical Issues and Priorities.
- The Internal Scan gathered data, engaged with campus community stakeholder groups to assess what the University does well and what it can do better. This step sought to identify critical issues, priorities and opportunities through insights solicited from the university community and stakeholders.
- SSTs concluded Internal Scan with reports submitted to the SPSC.

December 2023

SPSC reviewed Internal Scan reports and finalized findings and assumptions and began review of critical issues and priorities.
SPSC met to finalize Critical Issues and Priorities.

Finalize Strategic Priorities and communicate them to the Board of Visitors and campus community.
The Compass Steering Committee will form teams, one for each strategic priority. The process will ensure these teams bring in other members of our community to contribute their best thinking on how to address or execute each strategic priority, in particular defining the goals, measurable objectives, and operational strategies/tactics. We will be sure to engage with our BOV Committees as we work through the process.
- In fall 2024, these teams will make recommendations to the Compass Steering Committee who will pull all of this together into a recommended Strategic Compass.
Board of Visitors reviews the Strategic Compass

Initial strategies are implemented by the University's faculty and staff.
Ongoing review of progress, course adjustments as needed and results communicated regularly.
Budget planning to fund major strategic initiatives beginning July 2025.
Continue implementation and monitoring of strategic initiatives.
Outcomes and impacts report developed and published.