C E L E B R AT I N G
90 YEARS!
YOU. US. INDY.
MARCH 30-APRIL 2
Reinventing by Dreaming Big:
Strategic Planning at
UC Berkeley
Presented by Stephen C. Sutton, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor
University of California at Berkeley
@ssuttonacpa
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Learning Objectives
1. Program session participants will have the opportunity to
learn about the strategic planning process followed by a
large student affairs division.
2. Program session participants will have the opportunity to
learn what student and staff identify as key themes in
this process.
3. Program session participants will be able to discuss how to
launch a similar process on their respective campus.
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Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Purpose of the session – why we are here?
Context
Theoretical framework
Strategic Planning Initiative (SPI)
Where We Landed
Next Steps
Wrap Up
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The Context (i.e., Case for Change)
• Dramatically decreased state investment in higher
education
• 2009 Goal: reduce expenses by $75M annually through
“Operational Excellence”
– Staff cuts
– Centralization of services
– Improved student support (e.g., advising, one-stop shop)
• Need to be more nimble and efficient!!
• Student Affairs wanting to control its own destiny
– “Dream Big:” Where do we want to be in 10 to 30
years?
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The Transition Model (1991, William Bridges)
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Another version…..
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And one more…
SPI PROJECT APPROACH
The Stages
• Phase I
– Destiny
– Define Approach
– Data Collection
– Data Analysis
• Phase II
– Design Strategies (Fall 2013)
– Develop Plan (Spring 2014)
• Phase III
– Deploy Changes (Summer 2014)
9
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DREAM BIG GOALS
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STUDENT GOAL:
The #1 reason students select, value and remain
connected to Berkeley is for the incomparable out-ofthe-classroom experience.
STAFF GOAL:
Student Affairs (at Berkeley) attracts, develops, and
advances the best talent in the world by 2025.
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SPI PROJECT APPROACH
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The Pieces of the Process
• Objective
– Set direction, Prepare to Launch, Understanding Our Key Stakeholders
• Framing Questions
– Where do we want to be in 10-30 years?
– What is our process, approach and plan to accomplish both
student and staff strategic planning?
– What are the challenges and opportunities to enhance the student
and staff experience?
• Key Activities
–
–
–
–
Define long term vision and goals for student and staff
Define high level planning process and phases
Define planning steps and activities
Define how/when to involve key stakeholders from project team and
sponsors
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SPI PROJECT APPROACH
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Phase II
FALL, ‘12
FALL, ‘13
DEFINE
APPROACH
DESTINY
OBJECTIVE: SET DIRECTION
FRAMING
QUESTION:
KEY
ACTIVITIES:
Where do we want
to be in 10-30
years?
 Define long term
vision and goals
for student and
staff
PREPARE
DATA
COLLECTION
SUMMER, ‘14
DEVELOP
PLAN
DEPLOY
CHANGES
UNDERSTAND OUR
PERFORM GAP
DESIGN
ARCHITECT AN
MOBILIZE OTHERS
LAUNCH
STAKEHOLDER
NEEDS
ANALYSIS
PORTFOLIO OF
STRATEGIES
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
AND BEGIN
EXECUTION
What is our
process,
approach and
plan to
accomplish both
student and staff
strategic
planning?
What are the
challenges and
opportunities to
enhance the student
and staff experience?
What strategies and
initiatives should we
deploy to address
our critical priorities
and gaps?
How will we
execute our
strategic plan and
measure our
progress?
How will we involve
the division in
executing the
planned changes?
 Define high level
planning process
and phases
 Define planning
steps and
activities
 Define how/when
to involve key
stakeholders
from project team
and sponsors
 Define timeline
for both student
and staff plans
 Collect student data:
focus groups
 Collect staff data:
focus groups
 Collect internal data
Collect external data
including benchmark
and partner input
 Synthesize findings
into themes
TO
Where should we
focus our efforts
based on our
findings? Where are
we starting from
and how big are the
gaps?
 Define future
state –i.e.
“narrative”
 Conduct current
state assessment
 Perform gap
analysis
 Identify low
hanging fruit
•
•
•
•
•
Set strategic
priorities
Design strategies
to address
priorities
Estimate costs
Define initiatives
Assemble
strategic plan
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
12
SPRING, ‘14
DESIGN
STRATEGIES
DATA
ANALYSIS
Phase III
•
•
•
Create
implementation
plan
Define resourcing
requirements
Define
measurement
process
•
•
•
•
•
Staff initiatives
Define
milestones and
approach
Track progress
and measures
Report progress
and course
correct
Celebrate wins!
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Interim Steps
• State of the Division - announced 20 findings (eight staff priorities
and 12 student priorities) based on our pre-work (internal and
external research, and the focus groups and surveys)
• Validated findings with student and staff focus groups; feedback to
prioritize them. Based on the items students and staff ranked as
highest importance, the core team narrowed the list to six staff and
six student priorities.
• Student Affairs Cabinet – further reduced to three staff and three
student priorities
– Cabinet members used the research done to date and their individual and
collective expertise to vote on these priorities.
• Cabinet formed sub-teams to research six priorities to
– feasibility, scalability, and resource needs of each idea.
STUDENT KEY FINDINGS
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FINDING
DESCRIPTION
1.
Access to Personalized
Information
Students want easy access to integrated and personalized information to help them make choices (including
curricular, social, and career) and navigate the campus experience.
2.
Ease of Transactions
Students want simplified processes and technologies to aid in completing administrative and enrollment
transactions.
3.
Orchestrated Advising
Students want increased access to “holistic,” individualized, high-touch and coordinated advising support to aid
their personal, academic, and professional development
4.
Belonging/ Community
Students want to feel an emotional sense of connection to, and affiliation with, the Cal community both at the
individual/intimate level with peers and more broadly with the entire campus.
5.
Career Success- Pathways,
Students want Cal to help them discover and capitalize on a career pathway by providing access to experiences
and resources that will further their career development and help them leverage their Cal experience.
Roadmaps, Ladders
6.
Inviting Living/Learning
Spaces
Students want physical spaces to promote an effective, connected and safe environment while at Cal
7.
Staff Service
Students desire a higher touch and more personalized level of service from Cal staff
8.
Wellness
Students want access to services, support, resources and facilities that address their holistic needs – mental,
physical, and emotional health – as well as their basic need to feel safe and secure in their physical environment
9.
Dining
Students want more, better and flexible on-campus dining options that allow them to exercise choice and control
over their nutritional needs
10.
Affordability
Students want to feel less burdened by the total costs of their Cal experience and feel a sense of choice around
how they spend their money.
11. Academics
Students want an enhanced experience characterized by greater access to classes and a high quality learning
experience
12. Diversity/Inclusion
Students want a greater degree of interaction, tolerance and inclusion on campus
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STAFF KEY FINDINGS
15
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FINDING
DESCRIPTION
1.
Systems and
technology
Staff want a stronger, more efficient, effective and accessible infrastructure to get their work
done, along with 21st century tools, systems, and technology to make their jobs easier and less
cumbersome.
2.
Consistent and
meaningful
rewards
Staff want to feel recognized and rewarded for their efforts from competitive market rate pay, to
perks and benefits, and visible recognition.
3.
Cohesive and
supportive culture
Staff wants to feel a deeper and more engaging sense of connection to the people, leaders and
ultimately the core purpose and values (collaboration, wellness, creativity and care of each other)
of their work in Student Affairs.
4.
Improved
processes and
practices
Staff want an increase of transparent and intentional communication across all levels in the
Division that would provide more efficiencies and productivity throughout the entire organization
of Student Affairs.
5.
Engagement
practices
Staff want training, community/networking events, cross departmental/faculty meetings,
intentional communication strategies for division-wide messaging would assist in staff
engagement and connections.
6.
Collaborative and
integrated
structure
Staff want more clarity regarding each department’s roles and flatter organizational structures in
order to lessen the silos and bureaucracy.
7.
Attract and retain
strong talent
Staff want Cal to attract new Student Affairs graduates, have one consistent onboarding for all
staff, and the ability to move staff within the division based on project needs and individual
strengths.
8.
Professional
development
opportunities
Staff want the university and the Division to invest in them as professionals to ensure growth and
development. Examples include: tuition discounts, increase in funding, international work
exchange, career development and mentorship opportunities.
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Student Validation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Of 12 findings, number of students who responded to Item in Top 3 of
importance/meaning
Academics (249 students)
Career Success (232 students)
Affordability (174 Students)
Belonging/Community (155 students)
Diversity/Inclusion (95 students)
Inviting Living/Learning Spaces (91 students)
These were rated lowest
Access to Personalized Information (36 students)
Staff Service (29 students)
Ease of Transactions (29 Students)
Based on a ranked point system (1=3 pts, 2=2pts, 3=1pt), these scored
the highest:
Academics (569 points)
Career Success (477 points)
Affordability (348 points)
Belonging/Community (310 points)
Diversity/Inclusion (182 points)
Inviting Living/Learning Spaces (169 points)
Student validation
shed light on the
relative
“importance” of
our findings and
points out areas
that may have the
most impact on
student
perception….
ASSESSMENT OF FINDINGS
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Staff Validation
Of 8 Findings, number of Staff Who Responded to Item in Top 3
of Importance/Meaning:
• Professional Development (55 people)
• Systems and Technology (54 people)
• Attract and retain strong talent (51 people)
•
NOTE: The following also scored high in the Top 3
• Improved processes and practices (50 people)
• Cohesive and supportive culture (49 people)
• Consistent and meaningful rewards
•
These were rated lowest:
• Collaborative and integrated structure (19 people)
• Engaged practices (5 people)
•
Based on a ranked point system (1=3 pts, 2=2 pts, 3=1 pt), these
scored the highest:
• Systems and technology (75 points)
• Improved processes and practices (73 points)
• Professional development (71 points)
17
Staff validation
shed light on the
relative
“importance” of
our findings and
points out areas
that may have the
most impact on
staff perception….
#ACPA14
Final Outcome – Six Themes
• Student Themes
– Belonging/Sense of Community
– Career Services
– Academics/Learning Experience
• Staff Themes
– Cohesive/Supportive Culture
– Systems & Technology
– Professional Development
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Next Steps
• By June - settle on 1-3 priorities to pursue in the first 18-24 months
as we build towards the Dream Big goals.
• Implementation of Dream Big priorities begins in Fall 2014.
• Quick Win - Coffee with Colleagues and the free lunch passes early results from our Dream Big Strategic Planning Initiative
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