Implementation of the Strategic Plan

The Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) reviewed the current planning, budgeting, reporting and continuous improvement practices within the institution as a part of the implementation of the strategic plan. The institution is simultaneously considering replacing the current TEAL Online assessment reporting system, and concerns were raised over the number of task forces, committees, etc., being proposed in the new strategic plan.

A clear point of agreement among the SPC members was the desire to link planning to budgeting more effectively, and to enable a clearer and more timely summary of progress on key institutional strategies such that adjustments in resource allocation and/or activity could be made as early as possible in the following year’s cycle. A survey was conducted among all current TEAL Online editors (n=219) related to changes in submission of the final assessment report for the year to enable a more timely review of achievement of progress on strategic goals and objectives and needed action in the upcoming year. Feedback was received by 80 (36.5 percent response rate), with the following results. Among those identifying “Other,” four reported dates in May, five indicated September 1 or later. As such, it was concluded that 86.25 percent indicated that dates of July 31 or earlier would work. As a result of this feedback, the desire to bring planning, budgeting, reporting and continuous improvement into a more seamless alignment, and consideration of the capabilities of the new assessment system being brought into implementation over the course of the next year, the following modifications were embraced to the current cycle of planning, budgeting, reporting and action to begin in Spring 2017.

Present and Future Cycle for Planning, Budgeting and Reporting

Current Practice
March 15, 2017

Revised Practice (beginning Spring 2017 and then annually thereafter)
March 1, 2017

Current Practice
March 15, 2017

Revised Practice (beginning Spring 2017 and then annually thereafter)
March 1, 2017

Current Practice
October 1, 2017 (Supervisor approval by November 1)

Revised Practice (beginning Spring 2017 and then annually thereafter)
July 31, 2017

Current Practice
February annually for previous academic year

Revised Practice (beginning Spring 2017 and then annually thereafter)
Mid-August 2017 – Distribution of achievements from 2016-2017 to Strategic Management Committee members
Late August/early September 2017–Strategic Management Committee meets to discuss achievements from previous year
Late September 2017 – Summaries on strategic progress completed by Strategic Management Committee with recommendations for resource support to achieve objectives provided to Executive Council

Current Practice
February annually for the previous academic year

Revised Practice (beginning Spring 2017 and then annually thereafter)
Early October 2017 – Executive Council provides recommendations to President
By early November 2017 – Reallocation of resources in support of progress with board approval (as appropriate) with presentation to campus community

Implementation of this strategic plan will require some reconceptualization of both the planning/budgeting/assessment cycle, revisions to the current Strategic Management Committee, and the reconsideration of the tasks of current standing committees within the University as well as the establishment of new standing committees.

Strategic Management Committee

The University Committee on Strategic Management has as its current charge the following:

• Annually review the progress on strategic plan, identify and evaluate appropriateness of key strategies, goals and objectives with mission of the institution.
• Biennially review the vision and mission of the institution to identify whether, and how, it should be changed.
• Develop a “Progress on the Plan” report that will incorporate all institutional assessment reports related to strategic planning and present to the University community no later than December 1 of each year for the previous fiscal year.
• Coordinate action on strategic initiatives across and between layers within the institution, while respecting a clear communication process and the charges of each of the respective entities and committees.
• Recommend to the Coastal Carolina University president changes in or challenges to the University vision, mission, strategic priorities or goals, and/or changes in the process or timing of implementation of the plan.
• Review and base indicators and reporting on peer, aspirant and other competing institutions.
• Coordinate with South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and other bodies or entities, as appropriate, to provide required information on strategic planning.

Implementation of the 2016-2021 strategic plan will be best served by adjusting the charge in the following manner:

The University Committee on Strategic Management has as its current charge the following:

• Annually review the progress on strategic plan, identify and evaluate appropriateness of key strategies, goals and objectives with mission of the institution.
• Biennially review the vision and mission of the institution to identify whether, and how, it should be changed.
• Develop a “Progress on the Plan” report that will incorporate all institutional assessment reports related to strategic planning and present to the University community no later than mid-September of each year for the previous fiscal year.
• Coordinate action on strategic initiatives across and between layers within the institution, while respecting a clear communication process and the charges of each of the respective entities and committees.
• Recommend to the Coastal Carolina University president changes in or challenges to the University vision, mission, strategic priorities or goals, and/or changes in the process or timing of implementation of the plan.
• Review and base indicators and reporting on peer, aspirant and other competing institutions.
• Coordinate with South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and other bodies or entities, as appropriate, to provide required information on strategic planning.

The current process may also benefit by embracing smaller working groups from within the Strategic Management Committee to serve as evaluative and advocacy units for each strategy statement embraced in the strategic plan. Accountable units will review suggestions for measure of success developed within the task forces, and adopt practices to begin to measure and report on progress on the noted objectives and goals. The new online assessment system will be used to gather this information and to roll up reporting on same objective from multiple units to denote progress to date and/or need to amend and/or retire goals and objectives. On an annual basis, the Strategic Management Committee will review these results in middle to late August. Each of the subgroups can prepare a brief executive summary denoting progress on the respective strategy statement and areas of needed acceleration or deceleration, as well as retirement/achievement of specific goals/objectives, based on the information available through the campus annual reporting. These executive summaries will be discussed in the Strategic Management Committee meeting in early September and provided to the Executive Council as final progress reports by late September annually.

Executive Council and Presidential Review:

The Executive Council will meet to review the executive summaries and identify areas of additional resource distribution or reallocation for accomplishing objectives/goals. By no later than early October annually, the Executive Council will provide the president with a report on the final recommendations for resource allocations to support progress on the noted objectives. By early November annually, the president will make a State of the University speech to all faculty and staff in which progress will be identified and those areas noted for further acceleration or deceleration in funding/resource provision will be noted based on campus funding availability and board approval as appropriate.

Annual Budgeting and Assessment Cycle:

The annual assessment and budgeting cycle will be adjusted to request completion of preliminary annual plans for the upcoming year by March 1. By no later than March 15, each budget officer will submit his/her budget requests that denote both baseline requests and additional requests (tied to specific strategic planning goals and objectives). By June 30 (or as soon as feasible given Board of Trustees financial plan approval), the units will be informed of their budget distribution (with a holdback of all base allocated budgets until the student numbers are clear in the fall and the review of accomplishment on strategic objectives and goals can be reviewed). By July 31 annually, all unit-level assessment reports are due to be submitted online and approved by August 5. After the completion of the review by the Executive Council of the progress on achievement of the strategic plan and presidential review of these recommendations, along with consideration of the number of students actually retained and registered to take classes in the new academic year, adjustments to the baseline allocated budgets may be restored and/or additional other initiatives in support of strategic objectives supported. These areas will be clarified through the State of the University presentation by the president and the annual reporting on progress on achieving the strategic plan.