Book Description

In Strategic Change in Colleges and Universities, the Rowley, Lujan, and Dolence show how the strategic planning process can lead to more constructive and effective change within the college and university environment. Solidly grounded in theory, this practical book builds on the authors' experience of successfully implementing an original strategic planning approach on a variety of campuses in the United States and Canada. This powerful model works well in the wide range of higher educational settings, provides a consistent framework that unifies all levels involved, and is effective in keeping diverse groups of decision-makers focused on the most important elements of the organization's success.The authors outline, step by step, a strategic planning process that is uniquely tailored to the needs of academic settings where multiple constituencies require a more collaborative planning approach than is used in corporations. Strategic Change in Colleges and Universities is filled with illustrative examples that clearly show how the authors' strategic planning principles, which they describe as a ?strategic planning engine,? work in practice. The book also discloses practical and realistic methods of navigating the political land mines that often obstruct the development of a strategic plan and its implementation. Offering clear directions on the many components of a successful implementation strategy, the authors show how to encourage communication, gain the backing of top leaders, and develop campuswide support. This collaborative model of strategic planning which (unlike other approaches used in academe) results in rather than starts from the institution's mission statement. Each campus applies the same principles, developing its own method of planning to match its institution's particular needs and characteristics.Strategic Change in Colleges and Universities is written for those charged with strategic planning--presidents, chancellors, vice presidents, Details a strategic planning approach that has proved effective in institutions across the country. The authors address the complex nature of stakeholders and conflicting purposes in an academic setting.