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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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Conference Presentations

Published
April 7, 2025

When City Parks Are Your Quad: Urban Campus Planning for Safety and Wellbeing

Abstract: As security remains of paramount concern for campus communities, how should institutions thoughtfully engage the urban fabric? Urban campuses are constrained by their verticality and publicly-permeable urban edges. This session will delve into a 2023 SCUP Fellows report with additional updated analysis of campus responses and overreach to protests this past year. In-depth analysis of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles through a lens of student development theory will provide you with insight into student wellbeing and sense of security through campus design.

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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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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
December 11, 2024

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Strategic Planning for the Uncertain Road Ahead

Collectively Set Your Institution’s GPS to the Future

By: Diana L. Young, PhD, and Holley Morris Roberts, EdD

A public liberal arts institution began an integrated, collaborative, and future-focused strategic planning process during COVID-19, enrollment declines, and financial shortfalls. Committed leadership, listening to stakeholder voices, and studying best practices from other universities paved their strong path forward.

From Volume 53 Number 1 | September–December 2024

Abstract: Georgia College & State University, a public liberal arts institution, began an integrated,
collaborative, and future-focused strategic planning process during a time of uncertainty (COVID-19, enrollment declines, financial shortfalls, etc.). This planning included shared leadership across campus to develop and implement the plan, data-informed decision-making by a diverse group of steering committee members representing all areas of campus, visits to strategically identified aspirant universities, and ongoing stakeholder engagement that included student input. These strategies leveraged the inherent qualities of a liberal arts institution while addressing the challenges and opportunities that exist in public higher education.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
October 31, 2024

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Leveraging Data to Engage Our Community

Data Play Dual Roles in Facilitating Inclusive and Evidence-Based Strategic Planning

By: Su Swarat, PhD, and Gina Park, PhD

Success in strategic planning requires decision-making that reflects the collective vision of diverse constituents.

From Volume 52 Number 4 | July–September 2024

Abstract: Success in strategic planning requires decision-making that reflects the collective vision of diverse constituents. At California State University, Fullerton we leveraged data as the essential thread in engaging our community in an inclusive strategic planning process. Data played dual roles, serving as input and output, to provide a common framework through which the ideas and wisdom of our community are reflected and shared, anchoring the strategic plan firmly in the campus voices. Our engagement through data embodied our commitment to evidence-based decision-making and contributed to the success of our strategic planning process.

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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Published
October 29, 2024

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The Devil and the Detail

Using Headcount and FTE in the Planning Process

By: Karen E. Hinton, PhD

Often, student, faculty, and staff headcount and FTE can be misunderstood and misused. Understanding crucial factors about these data sets can strengthen the planning process.

From Volume 52 Number 4 | July–September 2024

Abstract: Everyone involved in planning activities will be aware of the use of data in the process. Data-driven planning is ubiquitous in all planning processes but can be a weak spot for many planners. The difficulty for most people is that the very mention of “data” can make eyes glaze over. Some of the least understood and most misused data are student, faculty, and staff headcount and FTE (full-time equivalent). Understanding some critical factors about these data sets can help demystify them and strengthen the planning process.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 23, 2024

What’s In It For Me? The Benefits of Data Asset Management

By: Elizabeth Greaney, Chief Business/Financial Strategy Officer | Surayya Johnson, Director of the Office of Student Life| Paul Miller, Professional Development Director | Nadine Porter, Deputy Chief Analytics and Insights Officer

Data is a pillar for organizational mission and for driving results. Planners must not undervalue the importance of data-informed decision-making and its link to institutional wellbeing and sustainability. Montgomery College's (MC) integrated planning incorporated robust community input that culminated into a successfully built plan that supports agility and flexibility.
Abstract: Data is a pillar for organizational mission and for driving results. Planners must not undervalue the importance of data-informed decision-making and its link to institutional wellbeing and sustainability. Montgomery College's (MC) integrated planning incorporated robust community input that culminated into a successfully built plan that supports agility and flexibility. MC continuously reminds and educates the campus community about 'what's in it for me' and the benefits of collaborating on this growth mindset. This session will demonstrate how data-driven planning fosters ownership, accountability, buy-in, and increases effectiveness and trustworthiness of institutional decision-making, resulting in positive outcomes and decreased risk.

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Conference Presentations

Published
July 23, 2024

Leveraging Your Resources to Build a Comprehensive, Data-driven Strategic Plan

By: Gianna Darrow, Executive Director of Data Analytics and Strategic Planning | Jimmy Jung, Senior Vice Chancellor | Marsha Lowery, Vice Chancellor for Student Academic Success

Institutions can align their needs with innovation and insight by creating a strong integration of data and research processes for a data-driven, impactful strategic plan. We'll demonstrate how to build a data-driven strategic plan by applying research methodologies, leveraging public data, optimizing institutional data, and constructing a content analysis.
Abstract: Institutions can align their needs with innovation and insight by creating a strong integration of data and research processes for a data-driven, impactful strategic plan. We'll demonstrate how to build a data-driven strategic plan by applying research methodologies, leveraging public data, optimizing institutional data, and constructing a content analysis. You'll come away from this session with a blueprint to integrate into your own planning processes that will bolster your data skills and provide you with a mechanism to weave together planning with data-driven insights.

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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 Presentations

Published
July 22, 2024

Master Planning for Campus Water Resilience

By: Joss Hurford, Resilience Consultant | Russell Rodecap, Associate Vice President

Water-related disasters pose a serious risk to an institution's mission, physical assets, and reputation.
Abstract: Water-related disasters pose a serious risk to an institution's mission, physical assets, and reputation. While the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston is largely resilient to its harsh weather conditions, some critical threats remain. Its challenging path to water resilience serves as roadmap for other institutions seeking to mitigate risk and increase safety. This session will discuss UTMB's in-place campus climate resilience, its remaining challenges, how its revised master plan sets the course to mitigate flood and water service risks. Join us to discover how this ambitious but practical journey is applicable to all institutions subject to water-related events.

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