Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee
January 17, 2011
11-12 a.m.
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 PRESENT:
Linda Schmitigal (Chair), Associate Professor of Management
George Denger, Communications Professor
Ron DeLap, Dean of Engineering
Colleen Barr, Secretary/ESP Union Executive Committee
Paul Weber, Engineering Faculty
Maurice Walworth, Provost
John Roese, Professor of Biology
William Eilola, Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing/President’s Council
Deborah Faust, Director of Financial Aid/Administrative Professionals
Sherry Brooks, Vice President of Finance/Presidents Council
Mary Jo Meehan, Assistant Professor/Counselor
 ABSENT:
Magen Umlor, Student Representative
Ramsey A’ve, Student Representative
Karizma Vance, Student Representative
December 10 minutes were approved.
Strategic Goals and Activities
Paul went over the work he had done on a “readme” document (history, process, intent) to
describe the process. Linda and Paul will create a draft to be reviewed at the next meeting.
The committee edited the Strategic Goals Document. The revised copy is included with these
minutes. This document will be distributed to cabinet members and their staff.
Budget
Sherry reviewed the Budget Development Guidelines she developed and asked for input. After
discussion, it was decided that the budget process represented a “bare minimum budget
proposal”. Departments will present the minimum budget they need to operate for the next fiscal
year. The committee members then discussed that any money left over will be earmarked for
strategic initiatives. A process to distribute the “strategic initiatives money” needs to be
developed. Please review the document again for discussion at next Monday’s meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 12:10.
Submitted by
Linda Schmitigal
January 20, 2011
Strategic Planning at LSSU
Beginning during the 2009-2010 academic year and continuing today, Lake Superior State
University has undertaken a university-wide strategic planning process. The process is seen as
one that is dynamic and will be reviewed on a regular basis. The steps to date can be summarized
as follows:
1. Formation of the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee in the LSSU Shared
Governance structure during the 2009-2010 academic year.
2. An intensive 2-day workshop facilitated by TMR Resources in July of 2010. The
workshop included a cross-section of campus constituencies. A strategic planning
document was produced that included 7 strategic directions for future planning.
3. Campus conversations held during September and October 2010. These small group
sessions led to the generation of a number of strategic initiatives and action plans to
consider.
4. An on-line survey to members of the LSSU community to gain perspective on the relative
priority of those suggestions gained during the campus conversations.
The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee has reviewed all of the documentation gathered to
date and determined areas of focus among the 7 major institutional strategic directions. They are
as follows:
1. Collaborative, committed campus community
a. Improving campus-wide communication and information sharing
b. Expanding collaboration across programs and departments
c. Promoting the strategic planning process
2. Competitive, desirable school of choice for students & families
a. Determining strategic recruitment and advertising initiatives
b. Enhancing Career and Placement Services
c. Determining appropriate institutional branding and marketing directions
3. Bridges to and from the community that create pride and prosperity for both
a. Investigating appropriate community education and enrichment programs
b. Determining appropriate university services to the region
c. Facilitating and tracking university and employee volunteer efforts in the region
4. Superior services & facilities for students designed to respond to changing student needs
a. Enhancing resources to improve information technology services
b. Determining needs and opportunities to develop and improve housing, food
service, and other facilities
c. Enhancing student services
5. Excellent programs that maximize regional assets & opportunities
a. Developing and implementing program review process for new and existing
programs
b. Investigating appropriate level of summer semester programming
c. Create a culture of high expectations
6. High value, up-to-date educational resources that work
a. Determining library needs of students and faculty
b. Addressing needs for support with instructional technology
c. Providing appropriate resources for faculty/staff educational development
opportunities
7. Strategy for long-term financial stability
a. Addressing business intelligence/data needs
b. Developing strategies for increased enrollment and fundraising
c. Strategically addressing needs for governmental relations activities
d. Developing a process for aligning university budgets with strategic planning
The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee has identified the following as high priority items
to address in the initial stages of strategic plan implementation:
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Business intelligence/data needs
Campus-wide communication and information sharing
The role of the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee will be to help facilitate, promote and
coordinate the strategic planning process from this point. The 7 strategic directions are guidelines
to assist all units as they strategically plan their efforts each year. In essence, they are a
framework for developing goals, objectives, action plans and measures of effectiveness for the
daily operations of the university for the near future and beyond.
Process?
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How each plan or strategy supports the strategic directions and area of focus
How success will be measured
What additional resources, if any, will be needed
If reallocating resources, briefly describe
Who is responsible for reporting
Describe strategic direction for this plan beyond Year 1