ABSTRACT
Strategic planning has been popular in higher education since the 1970s and 1980s. Ideally, colleges and universities are creating thoughtful and reasonable strategic plans and aligning resources with those plans. A vision statement describes where the institution is headed, its aspirations, and its aims for the future. Strategic planning is a process in which members of an organization engage in deep analysis of its mission, vision, and values, scan the environment for context, and create a document that establishes its future priorities. The planning process is more than just a series of steps. Building on Society for College and University Planning models, along with advice from several authors, we propose a strategic planning model along with guidance on how to use the process to maximize its acceptance by stakeholders. Metrics and measures for priorities, plans, and, where necessary, strategies should be developed as part of the implementation phase.
