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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 18, 2025

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Strategic Alignment for Degree Completion

Leverage an Integrated Planning Approach to Improve Credit Momentum and Student Success

By: Nicole DeCapua, EdD, Mildred Mihlon, PhD, and Tracy Louisse S. Chacon, MEd

By coordinating cross-functional teams, employing real-time data, and strengthening communication systems, a university bolstered student retention and completion without requiring new funding or staff.

From Volume 53 Number 4 | July–September 2025

Abstract: This article presents how a small, resource-constrained university leveraged integrated institutional planning to launch a 30-credit completion strategy that significantly improved student momentum, graduation rates, and institutional planning culture. By coordinating cross-functional teams, employing real-time data, and strengthening communication systems, the university built a scalable and sustainable framework that bolstered student retention and completion without requiring new funding or staff. This case offers a roadmap for similarly situated institutions aiming to align credit accumulation initiatives with broader strategic goals to drive measurable student success outcomes.

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Conference Presentations

Published
April 3, 2025

Live Your Strategic Plan: A Framework for Facilitating Campus Engagement

Abstract: Traditional strategic planning can lead to a static plan that does little to inspire implementation or true change. This session will detail a process that promotes buy-in and engagement while providing structured frameworks to support implementation and assessment. Our framework provides support for a campus community to 'live' its institutional strategic plan through the strategic planning cycle (SPC) at the unit level, informing the realization of institutional goals and outcomes. We'll provide our tools and approaches for you to access and review, as well as the rationale for developing support for your own campus communities to 'live' their strategic plan.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
December 20, 2024

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Planner and Counsel

Engage an Influential Partner to Advance Integrated Planning

By: Christian Osmeña, EdD

Planners and attorneys might be natural colleagues. Higher education trends are making this alliance even more critical.

From Volume 53 Number 1 | September–December 2024

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 23, 2024

Finding Innovation in the ‘Space Between’

By: Jim Taylor, University Architect | Chip Trageser, Partner | Mrinalini Verma, Associate, Sustainability

As the University of Houston (UH) plans for its second century, the campus is looking to the 'space between' buildings, such as landscape and public space, for innovative opportunities to expand cross-disciplinary discovery.
Abstract: As the University of Houston (UH) plans for its second century, the campus is looking to the 'space between' buildings, such as landscape and public space, for innovative opportunities to expand cross-disciplinary discovery. This session will share how and why UH is remaking its arrival experience, central quad, and campus woodlands to foster social, physical, and mental wellbeing for the campus community. We'll discuss how to balance a 100-year stewardship planning framework with the pace of accelerated research and new buildings, demonstrating how both frames of reference can contribute to a campus's strategic objectives and an innovation mindset.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 23, 2024

Bison Blueprint: Building An Integrated Planning Culture At Gallaudet

By: Kristin Mulrooney, Strategic Planning & Integration Officer | Guthrie Nutter, Strategic Communications and Planning Manager| Jennifer Powers, Sr. Project Manager

A successful integrated plan requires the broad engagement within an institution.
Abstract: A successful integrated plan requires the broad engagement within an institution. In this session, we'll demonstrate how we taught key leaders about integrated planning by breaking down the integrated planning process to enable plan creation for different programs and divisions. We'll share our Bison Integrative Planning Toolkit, which provides an 'evergreen' resource for onboarding colleagues into the integrated planning process and also serves as a manual that walks through the process of creating a plan. Join us to gain teachable, no-cost resources that you can easily disseminate at your institution to foster necessary skills for building an integrated planning culture.

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Conference Recordings

Published
July 23, 2024

Planning, Designing, and Delivering a Fully-electric Dormitory in Toronto

By: Jennifer Adams Peffer, Campus Architect/Director of Architecture, Planning & Project Development | Steve Donnelly, Associate Principal | Michael Faustini, Project Director | Deborah Moelis, Principal

Buildings are a major source of carbon emissions.
Abstract: Buildings are a major source of carbon emissions. Campuses need solutions for meeting rigorous energy goals while capturing programmatic needs, improving occupant health and wellness, and meeting bottom-line financial requirements. What are the key steps in planning and delivering a fully-electric, highly-sustainable student residence, dining, and services building? Using the Harmony Commons at the University of Toronto-Scarborough (UTSC) as a case study, we'll share planning perspectives from administrative, financial, design, and construction standpoints. This session will raise awareness of available solutions for planning and building an all-electric building and provide a pathway for success through integrated planning.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 22, 2024

Reimagining OSU’s Campus Gateway District Through P3 Integrated Planning

By: Matt Hansen, President | Keith Myers, Associate Vice President, Physical Planning and Real Estate | Kevin Smith, Partner | Graham Wyatt, Partner

In order to reimagine and capitalize on the potential of its campus gateway, The Ohio State University (OSU) employed specific planning and development processes to achieve successful outcomes.
Abstract: In order to reimagine and capitalize on the potential of its campus gateway, The Ohio State University (OSU) employed specific planning and development processes to achieve successful outcomes. A decade of public-private planning, land acquisition, rezoning, infrastructure upgrades, preservation, and academic and mixed-use development has transformed OSU's High Street entrance into an active and economically-viable campus gateway district. In this session we'll show you how to think beyond campus boundaries and traditional planning methods to transform town and gown interfaces.

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Conference Presentations,Conference Recordings

Published
July 22, 2024

The Strategic Doing Methodology at Northern Michigan University

By: Ellen Koski, Institutional Researcher II-Strategic Planning Coordinator | Elizabeth Nilsen, Acting Director, Agile Strategy Lab

Many institutions face challenges in evolving traditional, and often ineffective, planning processes into fully participatory systems that use collaborative methods and techniques for improving outcomes.
Abstract: Many institutions face challenges in evolving traditional, and often ineffective, planning processes into fully participatory systems that use collaborative methods and techniques for improving outcomes. We'll illustrate how Northern Michigan University (NMU) is using Strategic Doing methodology to advance strategic action plan tactics, organize loosely connected networks, and increase collaboration and effectiveness. Come learn how to use a structured methodology with loosely affiliated cross-functional teams to drive greater results, increase accountability, and support impactful strategic plan implementation.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 22, 2024

Transforming Streets into Bustling Places for Campus Life

By: Adriana Akers, Associate | Aaron Olsen, Assistant Director | Lara Rose, Principal

Many institutions are rethinking the presence of vehicles on campus and facing a need for more sustainable and multi-purpose circulation spaces.
Abstract: Many institutions are rethinking the presence of vehicles on campus and facing a need for more sustainable and multi-purpose circulation spaces. Once a traditional city street running through the University of Oregon campus, this session will examine Thirteenth Avenue's re-imagining as a multi-modal open space that supports student life. This is a transformative concept grounded in rigorous analysis and integrated planning. We'll encourage you to think critically about existing campus corridors, renew circulation systems and residual open spaces to support student life, and inform design approaches to your unique campus development challenges.

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