1	Gearing Up for Greatness: An Overview Jackson State University
2	Objectives of the Strategic Planning Process In 2008, Jackson State University will engage in a year-long, dynamic Strategic Planning Process. “Gearing Up for Greatness” focuses around the following objectives: To create a new, world-class, student-centered university (the “New Academy”) in 2013 which empowers its students to compete and become leaders in a technologically-advanced global marketplace To engage the University in an interactive, creative planning process which answers four fundamental questions: What are the critical competencies which students in 2013 must master to compete? What is the learning system that the New Academy must develop to be competitive? What are the strategies which must be implemented to create the New Academy? What are the resources needed to develop the New Academy?
3	Jackson State’s Dynamic, Interactive Strategic Planning Process The University has created a cutting-edge process which permits numerous stakeholders to participate in “Gearing Up for Greatness” through multiple planning forums: Strategic Working Groups Futures Task Force Focus Groups Strategic Planning Website
4	Strategic Working Groups Four Strategic Working Groups will engage multiple University stakeholders in the Strategic Planning Process Participating stakeholders will include (but not be limited to): Faculty Staff Students Alumni The Strategic Working Groups will include: Assessment Fiscal Resources Personnel and Process New Academy Each of the Strategic Working Groups enables multiple University stakeholders to play an important role in “Gearing Up for Greatness”
5	Strategic Working Groups (continued) Assessment Chaired by Dr. Felix Okojie, Vice President for Research and Federal Relations Assesses the effectiveness of the Millennium Agenda Strategic Planning Process Assesses the current status of the University in completing the objectives and goals of the Millennium Agenda Fiscal Resources Chaired by Troy Stovall, Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Assesses the current resources of the University Projects the future resources of the University in 2013 Conducts a costs-benefit analysis of the strategies developed to create the New Academy
6	Strategic Working Groups (continued) Personnel and Process Chaired by Dr. Willie Brown, Vice President for Information Management Assesses the current operating procedures and processes of the University Makes recommendations to create more efficient operating procedures Together these three Strategic Working Groups provide a comprehensive assessment of the University which helps to clarify the context for planning the New Academy
7	Strategic Working Groups – New Academy Working Group The New Academy Strategic Working Group will play an extremely important role in “Gearing Up for Greatness” Chaired by Dr. Velvelyn Foster, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life Develops the vision and mission of the New Academy by designing an innovative learning system that understands and addresses the needs of the student in 2013 who will compete in a dynamic and technologically-advanced, global society
8	Additional Strategic Planning Forums In addition to the Strategic Working Groups, the University’s Strategic Planning Process provides forums to ensure maximum involvement by all stakeholders Focus Groups Six Focus Groups will permit the following categories of stakeholders to provide input regarding critical milestones in the planning of the New Academy Students Faculty Staff Alumni Corporate Partners Metro Jackson Community Each Focus Group will have approximately 15 members Permit nearly 100 additional University stakeholders to be directly involved in “Gearing Up for Greatness”
9	Additional Strategic Planning Forums (continued) Strategic Planning Website Provides basic information about the Strategic Planning Process Permits University stakeholders to provide input regarding key milestones in the planning of the New Academy Is managed by Dr. Debra Buchanan, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life Will be launched today (http://www.jsums.edu/strategicplanning)
10	Futures Task Force The Futures Task Force coordinates the Strategic Working Groups Chaired by President Ronald Mason, Jr. Comprised of the leadership of every major sector of the University’s stakeholders Reviews the plan for the New Academy developed by the New Academy Strategic Working Group Integrates the assessment and recommendations from other Strategic Working Groups Finalizes the plan for the New Academy and its implementation
11	Role of The Barthwell Group The Barthwell Group, the consultant to the Strategic Planning Process, will manage the Strategic Planning Process by devoting approximately: 85% of its time interfacing with the New Academy Strategic Working Group 15% of its time interfacing with the Futures Task Force
12	The Barthwell Group – Interaction During the Strategic Planning Process, The Barthwell Group will interface frequently with University Stakeholders, including: Meeting with the New Academy Strategic Working Group every month Conducting four sessions with each of the six Focus Groups Meeting with the Futures Task Force six times
13	Milestone Activities – Overview Planning for the New Academy will be a creative, innovative, “out-of-the-box” process
14	Milestone Actions – Vision for the New Academy To develop a vision for the New Academy, the New Academy Strategic Working Group will engage in a series of extremely interactive, but structured discussions designed to answer some fundamental questions: What are the future driving forces which will impact higher education in 2013? What will the society in which students compete in 2013 look like? What are the competencies which a student must possess to be competitive in 2013? What are the learning processes which the New Academy must develop to be competitive in 2013? To answer the fundamental questions, the New Academy Strategic Working Group will: Review “futurist” literature regarding higher education Engage in interactive discussions with futurists to project and analyze: The external environment in 2013 (including an analysis of the impact of globalization and advanced technology internationally, nationally, and locally) The higher education environment in 2013 (including an analysis of the impact of globalization and advanced technology on learning processes) The New Academy Student in 2013 (including an analysis of the impact of changing demographics, the “knowledge economy”, and changing workforce requirements)
15	Milestone Actions – Vision for the New Academy (continued) The New Academy Strategic Working Group will use multiple inputs to develop the vision, including: Scenario-building What are the likely impacts of the future driving forces? What are the strategies which the New Academy might employ to address the impact of the future driving forces? Best practices review What are other institutions creating “new academies” envisioning for the future? Input from other University stakeholders What do the Focus Groups envision for the New Academy? What is the opinion of the University stakeholders as expressed through the Strategic Planning Website?
16	Milestone Actions – Internal Assessment and External Environmental Scan Internal Assessment The Barthwell Group will interface with the Planning and Assessment, Financial Resources, and Technology and Process Strategic Working Groups to develop an executive summary of their assessment findings This executive summary will be presented to the New Academy Strategic Working Group The New Academy Strategic Working Group will use the internal assessment as a baseline in its process to develop the mission of the New Academy
17	Milestone Actions – Internal Assessment and External Environmental Scan (continued) In order to assess the impact of the external environment on the New Academy, The Barthwell Group will engage the New Academy Strategic Working Group in an interactive process to develop an environmental scan which will include: A comparative analysis of the literature regarding environmental scan methodologies Development of a comprehensive list of factors which should be considered in analyzing the external environment, including: Government Economy Technology Social Trends Student Demands Input from selected education policy makers, legislators, regional business leaders, higher education experts, the Focus Groups, and the Strategic Planning Website Development of strategies to take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges
18	Milestone Actions – Mission for the New Academy (continued) Based on the Vision, the internal assessment, and the external environmental scan, the New Academy Working Group will engage in an interactive process to develop the mission of the New Academy which will including the consideration the following questions: What will be profile of the student which the University will target in 2013? What are the competencies the student must have to be competitive? Which of these competencies will the New Academy focus on providing? What are the learning processes which the New Academy will offer to address these competencies? The New Academy Working Group will also: Review the missions of other higher education institutions which are developing “new academies” Review the input from the Focus Groups and from other University stakeholders through the Strategic Planning Website
19	Milestone Actions – Core Values and Branding Mantra for the New Academy Core Values The New Academy Strategic Working Group will brainstorm to develop the core values which are necessary to carry out the vision and mission of the New Academy The New Academy Strategic Working Group will also brainstorm to determine the specific actions which are necessary to implement the Core Values The New Academy Strategic Working Group will develop a “Code of Conduct” based on the actions which must be implemented to develop the Core Values The New Academy Strategic Working Group will, based on the Core Values, develop a branding mantra
20	Milestone Actions – Objectives and Goals The New Academy Strategic Working Group will develop the New Academy’s Strategic Focus Areas (Objectives) and Key Milestone Actions (Goals) The Objectives and Goals will be: Based on the Vision and the Mission Developed through an interactive process To develop the Objectives, the New Academy Strategic Working Group will: Review the objectives of other institutions which are developing “new academies” Receive input from the University’s accreditation task force, the Futures Task Force, the Focus Groups, and other University stakeholders through the Strategic Planning Website The New Academy Strategic Working Group will, through a similar, interactive process, develop quantifiable goals for the University
21	Milestone Actions – Next Steps After the New Academy Strategic Working Group has developed the learning design for the New Academy (i.e. the Vision, Mission, Core Values and Branding Mantra) and its recommendations for the Objectives and Goals, the Futures Task Force will: Review and analyze the input from the New Academy Strategic Working Group Review and analyze the input from the Assessment and Planning, Financial Resources, and Technology and Process Strategic Working Groups Finalize the learning design for the New Academy and the Objectives and Goals for its implementation by the University Develop, with the appropriate input, the Action Plans for the implementation of the New Academy throughout the University
22	Milestone Actions – Next Steps (continued) The Barthwell Group will: Review the Strategic Plan 2008: “Gearing Up for Greatness” (the learning design, its Objectives and Goals, and the Action Plans developed by the Futures Task Force) Receive input from the New Academy Strategic Working Group Interface with the Futures Task Force to develop the implementation plan and monitoring process regarding the execution of the learning design for the Strategic Plan Review the Strategic Plan with the Futures Task Force and New Academy Strategic Working Group Present Strategic Plan 2008: Gearing Up for Greatness to the University Strategic Plan 2008: Gearing Up for Greatness will be presented to the University in December 2008