Learning Resources

Abstract: This article examines trends in university planning and management concerning interdisciplinary research. The analysis of institutional documents of 99 research universities reveals regularities in the types of approaches employed. In addition to the traditional approach of creating centers and institutes, universities have taken actions to nurture interdisciplinary research teams, to invest in campus-wide interdisciplinary initiatives, and to build new models of research facilities. Illustrative examples are provided and implications for planning and management are discussed.

Abstract: The Division of Student Affairs at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor engaged in an iterative strategic process to create and implement a set of long-range goals. This strategic journey continues to evolve, uniting a guiding framework of strategic planning steps, a reflective process with an assessment component within each step, and a group process approach to support both individual growth and organizational change.

Abstract: European higher education does not have a uniform record of sustained planning. The Bologna Declaration, originally signed by 29 countries (and now 45), calls for major reforms to higher education throughout the continent. The European higher education community is diverse and heterogeneous. This article clarifies these myriad cultures in the context of developing a unified strategic planning process. Positions will be grounded in scholarship generated over a period of years at the Center for Research in Higher Education Policies and elsewhere. The relationship between U.S. planning models and European reality are examined.

Abstract: The balanced scorecard, introduced by Robert Kaplan and David Norton, has evolved from an improved performance measurement system to an integrated strategic planning, implementation, and scorecarding system. Simple yet powerful second-generation balanced scorecards depict the organization's strategy through a series of strategy maps and scorecards that describe and measure the cause-and-effect linkages that occur between the organization's high-level vision and its desired strategic outcomes. Although the balanced scorecard has been widely adopted in private, government, and not-for-profit settings, there have been only a few attempts to introduce scorecarding in the education sector, and these have been primarily in administrative functions rather than in key operating program areas. This article presents a description of a second-generation balanced scorecard specifically designed for a graduate program at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada and provides a comprehensive walk-through and discussion to illustrate its strengths and limitations.

Abstract: In the vast majority of building projects, decisions made in the first 10 percent of project activity directly determine 90 percent of the final cost and schedule. When a project is poorly planned, project costs can expand beyond estimates by as much as 50 percent. Since the owner's rate of spending increases as a building project proceeds, comprehensive planning is a must. The best way to do this is to prepare the owner through an “owner preparation process.” The results of diligently following such a process include: (1) unexpected and unnecessary costs are kept to a minimum, (2) the project successfully meets its end users' needs and goals, and (3) the architect, builders, and other players all perform at their very best. This article outlines principles inherent in an owner preparation process and offers owners concrete examples of how such planning significantly protects the bottom line.

Abstract: The demographic of the American college student has changed significantly in the last 20 years, affecting institutional planning on multiple levels. The study presented in this article examines the collaboration between Academic and Student Affairs at Buffalo State College in planning a family college designed to facilitate the integration of student parents into the campus community. The initial idea for the family college came from an ad hoc College Senate committee dominated by faculty members. Leadership of this initiative shifted to Student Affairs during the construction and operation of the facility. The evaluation of the project provided new parity in leadership as members of Academic and Student Affairs jointly planned, conducted, and analyzed interviews with residents. This evaluation resulted in significant changes to the family college in response to the voices of the student parents, including additional personnel, programs, and facilities.

Abstract: A feature article by the 3 associations for the Campus of the Future conference.

Abstract: How have presidential leadership strategy, decision approaches, and institutional culture preferences influenced fund-raising effectiveness at a historically Black college for women? These conceptual dimensions guided a qualitative study that interviewed three recent Spelman College presidents and investigated documentary evidence to develop an understanding of each president's relative successes. Although generalizability is not possible when studying a single institution, the three very individualistic approaches to fund-raising adopted by these presidents indicate the contextual nature of fund-raising effectiveness and highlight the need for knowledgeable institutional planners who understand each of these conceptual dimensions to accommodate the varying contexts of their institutions.