This chapter describes some of the major principles, practices, and processes involved in designing and founding a new community college dedicated to improving student outcomes by doing things differently.

Strategic planning in universities is frequently positioned as vital for clarifying future directions, providing a coherent basis for decision-making, establishing priorities, and improving organizational performance. Models for successful strategic planning abound and often present the process as linear and straightforward. In this essay, we…

One of the seminal issues facing community colleges across the nation is how to promote diversity planning across the institutions as a vehicle for achieving organizational change. As community colleges continue to reach record enrollment growth, organizational planning that encompasses diversity will be a key component to serving the needs of…

In 2009, the second largest university in the nation was awarded a grant from NCURA to initiate a new fully-online graduate program in research administration. The Master of Research Administration (MRA) was approved by the institution's Board of Trustees in March 2011 and the first classes will begin August 2011. Currently the research literature…

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States, forced the fall semester closure of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the aftermath of this unprecedented storm, the Tulane leadership set forth a plan for renewal to secure the survival, recovery, and sustainability of the institution,…

It is proposed to establish an Integrated Distance Education System in India by designing modern technology based information communication network, connecting all its ODL (Open and Distance Learning) institutions to the headquarters of the ODL system in India. The principle roles to be performed by such a system have been discussed; according to…

The use of issues management as an organizational process and its relationship to the more comprehensive notion of strategic planning are discussed, and its application to the establishment of a new school of communications at Penn State examined. (MSE)

Discusses six principal elements that are strategic for program and service development: institutional mission and goals, student needs and characteristics, community priorities, the values and involvement of internal college constituencies, technology and its impact on educational curricula and methodology, and financial constraints and political…

A strategic approach to institutional planning is proposed that integrates three usually isolated planning efforts as a means of making planning more manageable and of minimizing turf problems, favoritism charges, and other threats to morale and commitment to decisions. The approach includes breadth of representation on the planning team and…

Sources of information on the topic of academic planning are presented. (Author/MLW)

The need for information services offers institutional researchers with experience in systems design, data management, and analysis an opportunity to study the key issue involved in providing this service to the campus administrative community. The case of the University of Kansas is described. (Author/MLW)

Four general planning approaches are identified: disjointed, adaptive, strategic, and comprehensive. Interaction between level of planning complexity and source of motivation is explored, and implications for decision makers are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Experiences of the University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas Wesleyan University illustrate steps in planning special events. Steps include reconsider the proposed event; coordinate with other campus activities; make a master plan; know the target audience; highlight unique features; build a budget based on facts; evaluate everything; and keep…

Five worst enemies to alumni offices' long-range plans are identified: failure to dovetail office plans with institutional plans, turnover in personnel, not enough staff or money to meet goals, failure to review plans regularly, and structuring plans with too little latitude to shift priorities as needed. (MLW)

Describes steps and considerations for developing a plan to consolidate existing computer-related resources and acquire new resources. Covers the preliminary planning process and purposes, institutional commitment, resource support, control issues, administrative and academic needs, faculty involvement and incentives. (LL)