Learning Resources

Example Plans

Published
May 23, 2023

Bridge Plan

Public Master’s College or University (Michigan, United States)

In the face of executive leadership changes, this university was able to develop this interim strategic plan, or “bridge plan,” with broad campus engagement in less than half a year.

Planning Types: Strategic Planning
Resource Types: Bridge Plan
Tags: Alignment, Bridge Planning, Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Planning, Presidential Leadership

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Book Review: The Agile College

How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes

By: Bryan C. Harvey, EdD

From Volume 51 Number 2 | January–March 2023

Abstract: The Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes
by Nathan D. Grawe
Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore: 2021
298 pages
ISBN: 978-1421440231

Does hope motivate action or complacency? Does crisis induce change or despair? Nathan D. Grawe readily acknowledges this tension in The Agile College, his follow-up book to his 2018 Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education. The latter propelled the inescapable discussion throughout higher education of the looming “demographic cliff.” The Agile College suggests how agile institutions might prevent demography from becoming destiny.

Planning Types: Strategic Enrollment Management Planning
Tags: Change Management, COVID-19, Demographics, Disruptive Change, Recovery Planning, Resiliency, Shrinking Pool of Potential Students, Student Demographics, Student Recruitment, Student Retention, Trends External to Higher Ed

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Example Plans

Published
September 2, 2022

Supporting Document

Public Associate’s College (California, United States)

The college recently redesigned its planning and budgeting process to strengthen alignment and improve communications. This calendar depicts the timeline for that process.

Planning Types: Strategic Planning, Academic Planning
Resource Types: Supporting Document
Tags: Alignment, Budget Planning, Community College, Planning Processes, Unit Planning

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Book Review: The State Must Provide

Why America’s Colleges Have Always Been Unequal—and How to Set Them Right

By: Sigrid M. Davison, MS

From Volume 50 Number 3 | April–June 2022

Abstract: The State Must Provide: Why America’s Colleges Have Always Been Unequal—and How to Set Them Right
by Adam Harris
Ecco, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers: New York: 2021
259 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-297648-2

Planning Types: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Planning
Tags: Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Funding, Governmental Policies and Regulations, Higher Ed in Society, Racial Equity

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The Future of Planning is . . .

. . . Aligned, Integrated, and Collaborative Institutional Effectiveness

By: Michael Ben-Avie, PhD; Kimberly K. Daugherty, PharmD; Lina Di Genova, PhD; Justin P. Hoshaw, MS; Erin M. Isaacson, MA; Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD; Megan Schramm-Possinger, PhD; and Robert Wilkinson, DEd

IE professionals are both translators and integrators—and universities need these people who know how to interpret the data. Within the context of an IIE office, they assist in developing data-informed strategic plans, financial forecasts, enrollment plans, and other assessments of institutional efficacy.

From Volume 50 Number 3 | April–June 2022

Abstract: The institutions that will thrive in the future will be those that use high-quality, relevant mission-driven data as part of their strategic, integrated planning process. Because of this it is imperative to create integrated institutional effectiveness (IIE) offices that serve as the connective tissue among all units within a college or university. The data and expertise of institutional effectiveness can be leveraged to benefit the institution as a whole. In this article, we discuss the value of creating an IIE office and challenges associated with a centralized infrastructure.

Institutions Mentioned: Quinnipiac University
Planning Types: Institutional Effectiveness Planning, Strategic Planning
Tags: Alignment, Assessment / Analytics, Data, Engaging Stakeholders, Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Planning, Planning Processes

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Teetering on the Demographic Cliff, Part 3

Different Conditions Require a Different Kind of Planning

By: Bryan C. Harvey, EdD

Higher education has faced major changes for some time—COVID-19 accelerated that volatility—and now we’re anticipating the demographic downslope in student enrollment. How and when should institutions mobilize for the difficult work of planning in the face of wrenching change?

From Volume 50 Number 2 | January–March 2022

Abstract: Part 1 of this series described a major contraction in the pool of college-going 18-year-olds that will reverse decades of growth and stability for higher education. Part 2 explored how we can shape a planning context that supports success in the coming 10 or 20 years. Part 3 suggests how our approach to planning must shift to prepare for abrupt change.

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Blog Post

Published
March 17, 2022

Who Are Our Planners—and What Do They Read?

By: Roy Mathew, PhD

October 2021 marked Planning for Higher Education’s 50th issue! To celebrate, we’re looking back at earlier articles in Planning to reflect on how things change (and, sometimes, how they don’t). Planning is an essential resource for all higher education administrators, planning analysts, and theorists from many disciplines. In this post, the author describes each group of planners and identifies the types of information each group can glean from the journal articles.

Planning Types: Strategic Planning
Tags: Alignment, Institutional Planning, Operational Planning, Strategic Planning, Theory

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Teetering on the Demographic Cliff, Part 2

Turning Away from the Challenge Is the Riskiest Strategy of All

By: Bryan C. Harvey, EdD

Higher education has faced major changes for some time—COVID-19 accelerated that volatility—and now we’re anticipating the demographic downslope in student enrollment. How and when should institutions mobilize for the difficult work of planning in the face of wrenching change?

From Volume 50 Number 1 | October–December 2021

Abstract: Part 1 of this series described a major contraction in the pool of college-going 18-year-olds that will reverse decades of growth and stability for higher education. Drawing on the path-breaking analysis of Carleton College economist Nathan Grawe, it outlined how widespread but variable the change will be, and discussed some of the effects—on enrollment, revenue, facilities, staffing, and more—for which colleges and universities should be preparing. This Part 2 explores these implications: How can we shape a planning context that supports success in the coming 10 or 20 years? What attitudes and skillsets will remain useful, and what may need to change?

Planning Types: Strategic Enrollment Management Planning
Tags: Cost of Higher Ed, COVID-19, Demographics, Enrollment Management, Funding, Resiliency, Shrinking Pool of Potential Students, Student Demographics, Trends External to Higher Ed, US

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Book Review: Broke

The Racial Consequences of Underfunding Public Universities

By: Karen Merritt, PhD

From Volume 50 Number 1 | October–December 2021

Abstract: by Laura T. Hamilton and Kelly Nielsen
The University of Chicago Press
294 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-60540-1 (cloth)
ISBN-13:978-0-226-74745-3 (paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-74759 (e-book)

Institutions Mentioned: University of California-Merced, University of California-Riverside
Planning Types: Strategic Enrollment Management Planning, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Planning
Tags: Attracting and Retaining Underrepresented Students, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Enrollment Management, Funding, Governmental Policies and Regulations, Public Institution, Racial Equity, Underserved Students

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Your Campus Historic Buildings

Flagships for a Sustainable Future

By: Michael Patrick, AIA, LEED AP | Taryn Williams, SE

This article will help your team create a checklist to determine decision-making priorities for maintaining your historic buildings.

Abstract: While caring for historic campus facilities requires additional planning, capital, and maintenance, maintaining these physical resources creates opportunities to meet campus sustainability goals. This article will help your team create a checklist to determine decision-making priorities for maintaining your historic buildings.

Planning Types: Campus Planning
Tags: Deferred Maintenance, Facilities Planning, Historic Preservation, Planning Processes, Renovation, Sustainability (Environmental)

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Planning Types

Challenges