M E M O

 

To:                  Strategic Planning Steering Committee  

From:              President Mary Grant

Re:                  Strategic Mapping

Date:               June 17, 2004

 

Thank you so much for offering your time and expertise during our Strategic Planning Retreat last week. The energy, the ideas and the strong spirit of community that was present are certain to carry us far as we begin this process.  Your contributions to this institutional mapping process are critical to the long-term success and vitality of MCLA.

 

As Elliot mentioned, over the next several weeks and months, we will be working on prototypes and action plans to help bring us to our destinations. As you know, development of several interesting prototypes began during the retreat. These represent your ideas for testing and trying a new activity to help us reach at least one of our five identified Institutional Strategic Destinations:

 

  1. Increase Enrollment
  2. Improve Retention
  3. Enhance Student Life
  4. Set & Achieve Learning Outcomes and Program Review
  5. Achieve Financial Strength

 

Prototypes should be submitted to your Division Head as soon as possible to allow for continued conversation among your departments and divisions. If you would like some help in working through your idea, Elliot will be back on campus on July 1st and July 21st and will be available to provide some assistance to you. Please give Lori a call at 5205 if you would like to schedule a brief meeting.

 

Following the completion of prototypes, we are asking each administrative and academic department to develop an action plan or plans to help us achieve 3-4 of the above mentioned destinations (please see attached sheet). As a member of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, you will be working with your department to develop these plans. The strategic direction of the plan(s) should also correspond with one of the six institutional directions outlined during the retreat.

 

 

 

 

These include:

 

  1. Capitalize on the Berkshires
  2. Improve the Program Mix
  3. Promote MCLA
  4. Expand/Enrich Student Life Opportunities
  5. Develop Formal Collaborations that Expand the Reach and the Resources
  6. Improve/Increase Use of Technology

 

Administrative Departments will be working through the summer on their plans, while academic departments will complete plans in the fall, at which time we will continue campus-wide discussion about strategic mapping.

 

Again, I truly appreciate your participation in this very important process for the institution. It will mean so much as we move the College forward, grow our enrollment and establish long-term economic sustainability. Thank you for offering your ideas and skills and for all that you do each day for MCLA. I wish you all the best for an enjoyable and relaxing summer.