Strategic Plan – College of the Redwoods
2008-2011
Background
In May 2007, recognizing the need to integrate the disparate planning processes at College of the Redwoods, Title
III staff began researching institutional effectiveness and planning models. In August, several members of the
Accreditation Steering Committee (ASC) volunteered to work with Title III staff. This integrated planning workgroup
researched integrated planning models, developed drafts, and reported back to the larger steering committee.
After studying the college’s existing documents to determine which elements could be incorporated into the new
planning framework, the ASC realized that the college faced several additional obstacles. The strategic plan
expired in 2007, and the goals enumerated in the college maser plan were not clear or measurable
In late August, the workgroup invited Scott Epstein, Quality Planning Executive Advisor from Datatel’s Center for
Institutional Effectiveness, to the college. The advisor met with the integrated planning workgroup to discuss the
provisional model, and the workgroup subsequently shared this initial model with constituent groups on campus.
While progress had been made in understanding what the conceptual framework of an institutional planning model
might look like and how the component parts would work together, the workgroup recognized that the college did
not have the time, personnel, or expertise to develop a complete plan on its own with the limited time available.
Thus, in September the college contracted with Scott Epstein to work with us. The Accreditation Steering
Committee identified 18 individuals to work with Epstein in developing a first draft of a new strategic plan for the
college. This ad-hoc team, referred to as the Coordinated Planning Team, was chaired by CR’s President. The
goal of the team was to develop a strategic plan that integrates all functional and unit-level across the district, but
also to pilot a collaborative process of data-informed continuous planning.
The Coordinated Planning Team’s first action was to establish a timeline for the development of the three-year
strategic plan and a provisional (one-semester) pilot plan. The team also outlined an annual cycle for ongoing
planning. In late September, working with the consultant, the team reviewed an external scan analysis of current
conditions to be used as a framework for planning. In early October, the team reviewed the college mission
statement and wrote draft goal statements with corresponding objectives for the strategic plan. The goals were
broad statements of what is to be accomplished over the next three to five years, while the objectives are
measurable statements about the end results that services or programs are expected to accomplish in a given
period of time. In October, the team shared four draft goals and their associated objectives with the college
community. In November, five draft goals and associated objectives for a 2008-2011 strategic plan were developed
by the Coordinated Planning Team to be shared with the college community. Upon completion of the draft strategic
plan, the Ad Hoc Coordinated Planning Team determined, by consensus:
To continue efforts to pilot the coordinated planning process through spring 2008
A standing Coordinated Planning Council (CPC) will be formalized in Spring 2008
The CPC will meet monthly and will be responsible for annual strategic planning process (activities include
deriving college-wide goals from the college mission, setting annual objectives from analyses of
environmental scans, and managing action planning)
The CPC will be a cross-functional team chaired by the President
The CPC will be comprised of members who represent all areas of the College
Membership on the CPC will include some permanent and some rotating positions.
CR’s Mission Statement: The Redwoods Community College District has a commitment both to our
students and to our community. We are committed to maximizing the success of each student with the
expectation that each student will meet her or his educational goal, achieve appropriate learning outcomes
in his/her courses and programs, and develop an appreciation for life-long learning. In partnership with
other local agencies, we are also committed to enriching the economic vitality of the community whom we
serve.
The following are three equally important, primary missions of the Redwoods Community College District:
1. Associate Degree and Certificate Programs
2. Academic and Transfer Education
3. Professional and Technical Education
College-wide Goals for CR 2008-2011
Enable student attainment of educational goals
Develop and manage human, physical and financial resources to effectively support the
learning environment
Build a culture of assessment
Contribute to the economic, cultural and social well-being of the Northcoast community
Ensure student access
College-Level “Key Performance Indicators” (KPIs)
Enrollment
Retention
Persistence
Completion Rates
Transfer Rates
Budget
Student Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Community Satisfaction
Goal 1 – Enable student attainment of educational goals
KPI
Current
Level
08-09
09-10
10-11
11-12
Enrollment
Completion Rates
Transfer Rates
Persistence
Retention
Student Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Objectives and Indicators
Year 2008-09 Objectives
1.1 – Reduce barriers to
persistence
1.2 – Improve basic skills in Math
and English as a foundation
for student success
1.3 - Increase number of courses
articulated with UC and
CSU systems
Performance Indicator
Baseline Target
Fall-to-Fall persistence
rate*
Fall-to-Spring
persistence rate*
* among first-time students
with a minimum of 6 units
earned in a fall term
Course retention in
basic skills Math and
English
Course success in basic
skills Math and English
Success in the next
level of Math and
English after taking a
basic skills Math or
English course.
Number of articulated
courses
1.4 – Increase number of degrees
and certificates earned
Number of degrees and
certificates granted
1.5 – Increase the number of
transfers
Number of transfers
Goal 2 – Develop and manage human, physical and financial resources to
effectively support the learning environment
KPI
Current
Level
08-09
09-10
10-11
11-12
Enrollment
Budget
Student Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Objectives and Indicators
Year 2008-09 Objectives
2.1 – Improve employment best
practices
2.2 – Maintain fiscal stability
2.3 – Improve technology
services and support
2.4 – Improve facilities services
and support
Performance Indicator
Baseline Target
Number of staff
development
opportunities
Employee attrition rate
Indicators in Student
Equity Plan
Maintain minimum 5%
reserve
Balanced budget
FTES
50% law compliance
Employee satisfaction
Student Satisfaction
Completed work
requests
Preventive maintenance
schedules completed
Satisfaction with
facilities services and
support
Goal 3 – Build a culture of assessment
KPI
Current
Level
08-09
09-10
10-11
11-12
Enrollment
Budget
Student Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Retention
Transfer Rates
Persistence
Completion Rates
Objectives and Indicators
Year 2008-09 Objectives
3.1 – Increase student learning
performance through
student learning outcomes
3.2 – Increase performance
through program learning
outcomes
3.3 – Integrate budgeting
process with program
review and planning
3.4 – Increase data-informed
decision-making
3.5 – Improve employee
understanding and ability to
use best practices in
assessment
Performance Indicator
Baseline Target
Number of programs at
each Assessment Stage
(from 0-5)
Number of programs at
each Assessment Stage
(from 0-5)
Dollar amount allocated
as a result of program
review
Employee opinion (Title
3 survey)
Employee self-report
(Title 3 survey)
Number of current
course outlines
Number of trainings on
SLOs, PLOs, and
assessment
Number of People
trained
Employee self-report
(Title 3 survey)
Goal 4 - Contribute to the economic, cultural and social well-being
of the Northcoast community
KPI
Current
Level
08-09
09-10
10-11
11-12
Enrollment
Budget
Student Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Community Satisfaction
Objectives and Indicators
Year 2008-09 Objectives
4.1 – Increase employer
satisfaction with CR
graduates
4.2 – Educate the community
about the importance and
value of a college
education.
4.3 – Increase community
relations with those for
whom English is a second
language.
4.4 – Increase the number of
students who enter the
workforce in jobs paying
higher than minimum wage
4.5 – Enhance the cultural
richness of the community
4.6 – Improve partnerships with
area employers
Performance Indicator
Employer satisfaction
High school collegegoing rate
Community satisfaction
State employment data
Student satisfaction
Community satisfaction
Number of employees
getting work-related training
at CR
Number of student interns
Number of advisory groups
for CR programs
Baseline Target
Goal 5 – Ensure student access
KPI
Current
Level
08-09
09-10
10-11
11-12
Enrollment
Budget
Student Satisfaction
Community Satisfaction
Objectives and Indicators
Year 2008-09 Objectives
5.1 – Improve curriculum
offerings in English as a
Second Language (ESL)
5.2 – Enable degree and
certificate completion in a
timely manner
5.3 – Reduce transportation
barriers for students
5.4 – Improve K-12 outreach
5.5 – Increase programs for
senior citizens (age 55+)
Performance Indicator
Number of course sections
offered
Time to degree or certificate
Time to degree or certificate
for evening/weekend
students
Student satisfaction
Number of high school
students concurrently
enrolled
Number of high school
graduates who enroll at CR
Number of enrollments
among seniors
5.6 – Increase distance and
online educational
opportunities
Number of distance ed
enrollments
Number of hybrid courses
offered
5.7 – Reduce or remove financial
barriers for students
5.8 – Increase program
opportunities in public
safety and health care
Student satisfaction
5.9 – Increase student
participation in campus life
Number of degrees and
certificates offered in these
disciplines
Number of enrollments in
these disciplines
Number of students in ASCR
Number of students serving
on district committees
Student satisfaction
Baseline Target