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Blog Post

Published
September 2, 2025

How Strategic Is Your Strategic Plan?

Identify Its Shortcomings and Ask Key Questions

By: Sarah L Collie, PhD, Associate Vice President for Organizational Excellence, University of Virginia

Today, strategic planning in colleges and universities is more crucial than ever. Yet many strategic plans in higher education lack a clear strategy, instead resembling a long-range plan.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
August 20, 2025

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Adopting a Human-Centered Approach to Change

Prioritize the Perspectives and Experiences of Those Individuals Who Will Be Affected

By: Nicole H. Gahagan, EdD

The people impacted by change must be involved throughout the change lifecycle and empowered to navigate change every step of the way.

From Volume 53 Number 4 | July–September 2025

Abstract: When change in higher education isn’t managed in a human-centered manner, institutional leaders are unlikely to see the outcomes they intended to achieve. That’s because they didn’t invest enough in involving and supporting the individuals expected to operationalize a new strategy. Nobody wins in these situations: Executives, employees, and students all lose out on the benefits a change initiative could have produced. In this book excerpt, the author shares why strong change leadership must be at the helm of cultivating an environment where innovation is embraced and managed with compassion for the humans who are being asked to think and work differently.

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ebook

Published
May 19, 2025

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Essential Practices for Organizational Change in Higher Education

By: Nicole Gahagan, EdD

Filled with guidance, recommendations, examples, and tools, this book is a practical manual for anyone seeking to lead change in a college or university.
Abstract: Higher education is infamously change-resistant. What’s needed is a new methodology: human-centered change. Informed by research and honed by practice, human-centered change is a flexible, pragmatic approach that works within higher education’s unique structures, practices, and culture. This book guides change leaders and practitioners through the application of human-centered change. A practical manual, it provides mid- and senior-level administrators the essential practices, examples, recommendations, and tools they need to lead change in their colleges or universities.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
February 5, 2025

‘Catching’ Substantive Changes with Integrated Planning

Form a Dedicated Team to Reduce Silos, Develop Cross-Unit Collaboration, and Implement Transformative Goals

By: Rachel E. Smith, PhD, and Leslie W. Grant, PhD

Implementing changes at institutions that operate under a distributive leadership model can be challenging because academic and support units function separately. This article recommends successful ways to manage the change-making process.

From Volume 53 Number 2 | January–March 2025

Abstract: Implementing changes at institutions that operate under a distributive leadership model can be challenging because academic and support units are siloed. This article presents an example of one midsize, public, research institution’s successful strategy for “catching,” or identifying and managing, substantive changes using integrated planning. Through a centralized team of academic and support unit representatives, the academic units shared planned substantive changes, received feedback, and adjusted. The institution’s substantive change policy, infrastructure, and collaborative culture ensured the changes did not slip through the cracks or hit significant roadblocks. This article shares how the team operated, giving recommendations for institutions implementing the change practice.

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Blog Post

Published
August 9, 2024

Slight Differences and Lots of Similarities

Two Conference Presenters Both Advocate for Developing and Improving Planning Culture

By: Melodie Greer, MEd, Bryn Athyn College

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 23, 2024

Exploring History of Place Through Inclusive Planning and Programming

By: Yvonne Choe, Architect, Partner | John Souleles, Partner

The growth of the University of Calgary's Veterinary Medicine program has been a catalyst for several initiatives on campus, including the development of a long range plan, creation of an inclusive program, and development of micro degrees.
Abstract: The growth of the University of Calgary's Veterinary Medicine program has been a catalyst for several initiatives on campus, including the development of a long range plan, creation of an inclusive program, and development of micro degrees. The process of engagement, programming, and design at Vet Med was critical for understanding the urgent needs of the profession and students while being mindful and respectful of the history of place and the indigenous community. This session show how connecting the history of place at a campus master planning and programming level fosters opportunities, success, health, and wellbeing for each student.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 22, 2024

Strategic Restructuring: Creating an Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis

By: Christine Hoyt, Vice President for Strategy | Ben Pingel, Director of Strategic Planning and Communication | Eija Sumner, Communications Coordinator | Jon Walter, Assistant Vice President for System Strategy and Insight

Institutions require accurate data to support decision making and planning, so they can and should carefully consider how this data is organized.
Abstract: Institutions require accurate data to support decision making and planning, so they can and should carefully consider how this data is organized. As higher education continues to evolve to meet new challenges, there are significant opportunities to rethink how institutions are organized to benefit from blending the power of institutional strategy, integrated planning, and analytics. Washington State University (WSU) has evolved to combine these institutional functions into a central unit. This session will show you how to embrace collaborative partnerships and organize similar functions at your institution to bring focus, coordination, and alignment to your institutional planning.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 22, 2024

A Unique, Integrated Approach to Strategy Execution

By: Christopher Crew, Executive Director Research, Planning & Institutional Effectiveness | Nohemy Ornelas, Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Support Services | Diana Rodriguez, Chancellor

The pandemic has underscored the importance of building systems, cultures, and tactical infrastructure that allow organizations to adapt, challenging us to rethink our priorities.
Abstract: The pandemic has underscored the importance of building systems, cultures, and tactical infrastructure that allow organizations to adapt, challenging us to rethink our priorities. We'll demonstrate a unique approach to strategy execution that ensures accountability and increases institutional investment by empowering all organizational units to understand how their work contributes to the success of a strategic plan. In this session, you'll learn how to mitigate risks to strategic priorities early and effectively, bridge the chasm between strategy creators and executors, while simultaneously creating a shared experience where everyone feels responsible for facilitating meaningful progress.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
July 10, 2024

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Democratizing Data to Close Equity Gaps

Engage Teams to Dismantle Systemic Barriers That Impede Student Success

By: Neva Lozada, EdD, Carlos Rodriguez, EdD, Michael Salvatore, PhD, and Joseph Youngblood, II, JD, PhD

Kean University strategically reframed and visualized student data, merged planning processes, and harnessed analytics to dismantle impediments to bridging equity gaps in higher education.

From Volume 52 Number 3 | April–June 2024

Abstract: Through the inception of the Division of Strategic Analytics and Data Illumination (SADI), Kean University has cultivated a capacity for data literacy and analytics, empowering its community to employ data for evidence-based decision-making to overcome barriers to student success.
Employing optimal practices in integrated planning, SADI unified disparate offices into one cohesive data team to strategically reframe and visualize student data, identifying specific needs for continual improvement. This article underscores SADI’s initiatives in democratizing data, merging planning processes, and harnessing analytics to dismantle impediments to student success, particularly in bridging equity gaps in higher education.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
June 20, 2024

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Why Strategic Plans Aren’t Working in Uncertain Times

Because Strategic Planning Should Be a Dynamic, Robust Process

By: Daniel Seymour, PhD

The author’s approach to his research-based Strategic Planning in Uncertain Times Fieldbook began with a sampling review of 50 strategic plans. What emerged was the development of an organizational learning cycle used as a template to assess the effectiveness of strategic plans on more than 250 college and university websites.

From Volume 52 Number 3 | April–June 2024

Abstract: A strategic plan is supposed to “bring the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Almost every college or university has such a plan because accreditors and governing boards require one. The question is: Why do so many higher education institutions seem to be unprepared when they take drastic actions (e.g., eliminating programs, cutting faculty and staff members, etc.) in uncertain times? The author studied more than 250 colleges and universities and suggests the answer in this article.

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