December 2006  

Dear Southern State Faculty and Staff,

Like many of you, I have participated in a number of planning initiatives.  By and large, the final outcome tends to be beautifully written documents that are often only used by a small group of people that aren’t necessarily representative of the entire campus community.  I am convinced there is no better time to turn planning into something more meaningful for everyone. 

It is essential that our planning process be reflective of ideas from all who wish to contribute to the best possible future for Southern State.  My hope is that all who seek to get involved in this have an opportunity to do so and those that choose not to get involved are supportive of the work others are doing.  In order to achieve goals set forth in a strategic plan, ownership of the plan must occur.  We are in the midst of a unique time in the college’s history in that we are celebrating the success of past leaders while welcoming a new leader to the helm who is familiar with our goals and aspirations and is ready to move us forward toward a common vision. 

I share this commentary with you as an introduction to the values that will guide the Strategic Planning Council as we work to prepare strategic directions and ultimately the plan for our institution.

Inclusive:
As the coordinator for the strategic planning initiative my goal is to focus on the way we come together and talk to one another.   Our communication exchanges should form the pathway that leads to our desired future—not just the future embraced by a few, but the future in which everyone has a part. These exchanges should demonstrate true listening which means we may not always get our way but our voice will never be lost.

The strategic planning committee, although “representative” of the college as a whole, consists of less than 20 individuals.  It is the responsibility of the “college as a whole” to use these ambassadors to have their individual voices heard.  On the web site that has been developed for this effort, links to committee members' email addresses are provided.  As the process progresses and you want to provide some input, you have a viable avenue. 

Collaborative:
What can we create together?  The strategic plan is all about what we can accomplish when we pull our efforts and resources together for a common good.  Through collaboration we have the potential to strengthen our individual efforts and this is imperative to successful implementation of a strategic plan. 

Ambitious:
In addition to creating an environment of open communication and collaboration, we also seek to be ambitious in our thinking.  As mentioned, we are embarking on a new era of leadership.   In addition, we are in the midst of a transformation in higher education.  The stakes are higher than ever before and we must think audaciously to remain in the game.  We must frame our conversations to acknowledge the facts before us no matter how brutal they might be, we must talk about our dreams and visions for the future, we must figure out how to accomplish things together, and we must be willing to make commitments and promises to make sure the dreams and visions occur.

The activities that will be carried out by our institution to develop this plan will be structured and inclusive.  We have established an aggressive time frame not to rush the process but to make every attempt to tie our plan directly with budgeting.  Listed on the following page is a tentative schedule of activities that will contribute to our process.  Please mark these dates on your calendar now and participate as fully and as frequently as possible. 

In closing, I thank you in advance for your consideration of the values we have established for this process and for your contributions.  My hope is that the process will be engaging and inspiring for all.  

Please accept this correspondence as your invitation to contribute to Southern State’s future.

Sincerely,