Creating a Roadmap for Success
in the 21st Century
Strategic Planning Process for MSSU
Fall 2009
1998 HLC Self-Study
• Previous strategic plan was titled Strategic Issues, Strategies, and
Goals for the 21st Century identified six overarching issues that
should be addressed by the college as it began to implement an
international approach to education.
– The entire campus community should focus on student satisfaction
and needs.
– The primary focus should be on teaching and learning.
– The institution needs to ensure that it has a high quality curriculum
that meets the needs of its students and their employers.
– The institution must become more marketing oriented.
– MSSC needs to fully implement and take advantage of the
distinctiveness of the international mission.
– Recognizing scarce resources and increased demands for
accountability, the college should continue to stress efficiency of
operation while recognizing that it may need to be more selective in
some of its initiatives.
http://www.mssu.edu/planning/
2008 HLC Peer-Review Team Comments
• “The campus has no comprehensive strategic plan and no process in
place to develop a plan.
– The planning culture on campus is restricted to specific offices or programs
that have developed a plan in isolation of the rest of the campus.
– Data to support institutional planning is limited and is often generated by
individual offices without a uniform definition of variables.
– Additionally, discussion with faculty and administrators indicate that data
analysis is conducted in isolation and that a number of offices do not rely on
data to guide decision making.
– Without a strategic plan and a culture of data driven decisions, the campus is
unable to systematically respond to the evolving environment in higher
education.”
• “The budgeting process is completed in the absence of a strategic plan
and in isolation.
– Unit budgets are determined without consideration of re-allocation
opportunities or unique budgeting needs.
– Given the historically limited budget levels, enrollment declines, and the
funding reduction in 2001, the absence of a plan to establish funding priorities
seriously jeopardizes the ability of the university to shape its future.
• It was noted that the net assets of the University have declined each of the past 2
years. This decline is particularly troubling in the absence of a strategic plan.”
2008 HLC Peer-Review Team Comments
• Although the team recommended that the institution be granted a
10-year continued-accreditation status with HLC, it also required
that a focused visit be conducted in spring 2011 to review the
status of institution-wide strategic planning and the institution’s
system of shared governance.
Chapter 1: Overview of the University
Chapter 2: Strategic Plan
Development and Implementation
Chapter 3: Institutional Shared
Governance
Chapter 4: HLC Assessment Academy
Projects
Chapter 5: Conclusions
Appendix
Steering Committee Goals Underway
• To create a greater sense of ownership and promote the accomplishment
of the Missouri Southern State University mission, values, goals, and plans.
• To identify and respond to the most fundamental issues facing the
university.
• To identify external trends and forces that are likely to effect the
organization and its mission.
• To implement a broad-based and highly-participatory process.
• To require a candid examination of critical issues by key participants in
order to develop common understanding and to build a commitment to
the implementation of the plan.
• To be action oriented and stress the importance of developing plans for
implementing strategies.
• To improve and reinforce the University’s system of shared governance
by reviewing and updating related policies and procedures.
http://www.mssu.edu/planning/goals.htm
Steering Committee Goals to be Addressed
• To ensure that the institution’s resource base supports its
educational programs and its plans for maintaining and
strengthening their quality.
• To address the subjective question of purpose and the often
competing values that influence mission and strategies.
• To be politically realistic by taking into account the concerns
and preferences of both internal and external stakeholders.
• To focus on developing and implementing strategies now in
order to position the university favorably for the future.
http://www.mssu.edu/planning/goals.htm
Strategic Planning Benchmarks
• http://www.nsuok.edu/strategicplan/index.html
– Outlines Northeastern Oklahoma State planning priority to enhance,
clarify, and simplify the original mission, vision and values statements.
• http://www.govst.edu/uploadedFiles/strategy2015/strat
egy_2015.pdf
– Governor’s State University Strategic Plan (Junior, Senior, and Graduate
program university)
• http://www.missouriwestern.edu/StrategicPlan/stratplan
.pdf
– Missouri Western State University Strategic Plan
• http://www.ucmo.edu/sprc/
– http://www.ucmo.edu/about/mission/documents/strategicplan.
pdf
– Central Missouri State University Strategic Plan
This Strategic Plan
Will Not:
• Stop global warming
• Fix the national debt
• Improve the local weather
• Fix the state budget
• Change the climate on
campus
• Fix MSSU’s financial
situation
Will:
• Give direction to
– Help change the climate on
campus
– Help direct available
resources
– Identify areas of focus for
development activity
– Give structure to the hard
work of developing specific
tactical plans to reach
objectives and move toward
fulfilling goals.
The Time Frame: 3 Years
Expected State
Cuts @ 6%
Strategic
Planning
Tactical
Planning
2010 - 2011
Year One
Loss of Fed
Stimulus $
2011 - 2012
Year Two
Money falls like
manna
NO!from
heaven
2012 - 2013
Year Three
What is
in the
future?
Retreat Process
1. Evaluate the first map.
2. Display for strategic planning retreat group.
1. Evaluate and discuss
2. Breakout into discussion groups to discuss issues
3. Reconvene to discuss new map.
1. Evaluate and discuss
2. Breakout into discussion groups to discuss issues
4. Start with step 3 again.
Mission Clarification
Mission Statement
Missouri Southern State University is a state-supported,
comprehensive university offering programs leading to
undergraduate and selective graduate degrees. The University
has a statewide mission in international education granted to
MSSU by special legislation. Central to that mission is the
strong commitment to international education, to the liberal
arts, to professional and pre-professional programs, and to the
complementary relationship that must exist between liberal
and professional education in order to prepare individuals for
success in careers and lifelong learning.
Mission Clarification
Vision
Missouri Southern State University will be recognized as
a leader in offering undergraduate and graduate degree
programs that foster the total education of each
student. In order to remain loyal to the trust given to
the University by the people of the State of Missouri,
Missouri Southern State University will:
fulfill its mission and objectives in an honorable and
ethical manner;
periodically review its mission in light of contemporary
changes in society and in the needs of the people of
Missouri;
continually assess the effectiveness of its programs in
order to ensure their quality and integrity.
MSSU Mission Statement Values
International Education
The University desires to prepare its students to understand world affairs,
international issues, and other cultures as seen through their history,
geography, language, literature, philosophy, economics, and politics.
Knowledge and understanding of other cultures of the world also promote
better understanding of our own valuable cultural diversity.
Liberal Arts Education
The University commits to a liberal arts education that is reflected in a
comprehensive program of general education requirements for all students
to ensure that they have a breadth of educational experiences which will
enable them to develop communication and critical thinking skills and to
acquire and apply aesthetic, contemporary, civic, international, historical,
mathematical, scientific, and value-oriented perspectives.
Teaching and Learning
The University emphasizes quality teaching and learning as the most
important attributes of the institution, complemented by scholarly and
creative expression.
Community Service
The University is dedicated to responding to the needs of the Southwest
Missouri region as well as serving as the intellectual, creative, and cultural
center of the area.
Success?
Map #1
Team 5.3: Academic Affairs
Promoting Undergraduate Academic Quality (success?)
Success?
Teaching and
Learning
Goal 1: Emphasize quality teaching and learning as the most
important attributes of the institution.
Goal 2: Utilize comprehensive university information to
facilitate a data driven decision making model.
Promoting Quality Graduate Programs
Assess
Teaching and
Learning &
Community
Service
Goal 1: Provide graduate programs to meet the needs of the
region.
Team 5.1: Business Affairs
Opportunity1: Resource Usage
Success?
Assess
Ethical
International Education
International
To promote the student experience (success?), Southern
engages in effective stewardship of resources.
Goal 1: Southern will enhance, manage and maintain financial
resources to accomplish strategic objectives.
Goal 2: Southern will ensure that both existing and new
programs are either cost or mission justified.
Goal 3: Southern will value and respect employees by
providing resources to recruit, hire, support and retain
qualified faculty and staff.
Goal 4: Southern will allocate resources to meet the future
needs of technology, facility infrastructure and maintenance.
Goal 1: Provide an international perspective for students,
faculty and the community to prepare them for successful
roles in a culturally diverse world.
Team 5.5: Enrollment Management
Team 5.2: Student Affairs
Goal 1: Increase the enrollment of new students by 3% each
year for the next five years
Success?
Goal: Provide quality programs that promote student
success
Success?
Goal 2: Improve student success.
Ethical
Goal: Promote a culture that values employees
Leader
Goal 3: Enhance the image of MSSU.
Assess
Goal: Commit to provide excellence in student services
Team 5.6: Shared Governance
Ethical
To ensure appropriate governing bodies engage in thorough and meaningful deliberations within a framework that
provides for timely, educated decisions in support of the greater good of the University.
Map 1a:
Academic Affairs
MSSU Will Promote
Student Success
Goal 1: Emphasize
quality teaching and
learning as the most
important attributes of
the institution.
Business Affairs
Opportunity1:
Resource Usage
Goal: Commit to
provide excellence
in student services
To promote the
student success,
Southern will
engage in
effective
stewardship of
resources.
Goal 2: Utilize
comprehensive
university
information to
facilitate a data
driven decision
making model.
Student Affairs
Goal: Provide
quality programs
that promote
student success
Goal 1: Southern will
enhance, manage and
maintain financial resources
to accomplish strategic
objectives.
Goal: Promote a
culture that values
employees
Shared Governance
To ensure appropriate governing
bodies engage in thorough and
meaningful deliberations within a
framework that provides for
timely, educated decisions in
support of the greater good of the
University.
Objectives: Review, and adjust
where appropriate, organizational
structures and processes to respond
to a changing environment.
Goal 1: Provide quality
graduate programs to
meet the needs of the
region.
Goal 2: Southern will ensure
that both existing and new
programs are either cost or
mission justified.
Recognize and value the different
levels of authority, responsibility,
and expertise within the University
community.
Goal 1: Provide an
international perspective
for students, faculty and
the community to prepare
them for successful roles
in a culturally diverse
world.
Goal 3: Southern will value
and respect employees by
providing resources to
recruit, hire, support and
retain qualified faculty and
staff.
Utilize the collective intelligence of
the University community through
genuine, inclusive deliberations in
the decision-making process.
Goal 4: Southern will
allocate resources to meet the
future needs of technology,
facility infrastructure and
maintenance.
Encourage open dialogue and candid
communications to create an
atmosphere in which constituents
may speak freely.
Enrollment
Management
Goal 1: Increase
the enrollment of
new students by
3% each year for
the next five years
Goal 2: Improve
student success.
Goal 3: Enhance
the image of
MSSU.
What is Missing?
• Student Success
– The University provides support services and
programs that contribute to the academic success,
personal growth, and career development of its
students so that they may realize their potential as
both individuals and prepared, responsible members
of society.
• Community Service:
– Regional Economic Development
– METS – regional, state, federal concerns
– KCUMB – Impacts Economic Development and METS
What is the Charge?
• Review the linkage between the mission, vision, values, and
goals.
• Discuss the change in wording substitution for success in
both AA and BA.
• Determine the role of enrollment management and shared
governance.
• Review Map 1a to determine what is super-ordinate and
sub-ordinate (goals vs objectives).
• Review the other stated goals for each area to be sure your
agree with Map 1a (are some stated objectives tactics, or
tactics objectives).
• What goal(s) should be identified for economic impact?
– What objectives are related to this goal?
• What is the final list of goals that are super-ordinate?
Clarified Mission
Missouri Southern State University
Mission Statement
Missouri Southern State University is a state-supported, comprehensive university offering
programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. Central to our mission is a strong
commitment to international education, liberal arts, professional and pre-professional programs,
and the complementary relationship that must exist among them to prepare individuals for
success in careers and lifelong learning.
Vision
Missouri Southern State University will be recognized as a leader in offering undergraduate and
graduate degree programs that foster the total education of each student. In order to remain
loyal to the trust given to the University by the people of the State of Missouri, Missouri Southern
State University will:
 fulfill its mission and objectives in an honorable and ethical manner;
 periodically review its mission in light of contemporary changes in society and in the needs of
the people of Missouri and our communities;
 continually assess the effectiveness of its programs in order to ensure their quality and
integrity.
Mission Values
Values
• International Education
– The University prepares its students to be global citizens in fulfillment of
its statewide mandate.
• Liberal Arts Education
– The University commits to a comprehensive program of general education
requirements for all students.
• Teaching and Learning
– The University provides exemplary teaching and learning as supported by
scholarship and creative expression.
• Student Success
– The University commits to the academic, personal and career success of
its students.
• Community Service
– The University leads the intellectual, creative, cultural, and economic
advancement of our communities.
Once We Decide On Our Strategic Plan:
KPI:
Obj 1
Individual objectives and tactics set by
International Task Force Report
Obj 2
Obj 4
KPI:
Obj 6
Tactic 2
Tactical
Step 1
Tactic 1
Obj 5
Tactic 3
Tactic 3
Tactic 2
Obj 3
International
Aspect of
the Mission
Tactic 1
Tactical
Step 2
Person
Responsible
Tactical Step
KPI
Due Date
Tactical
Step 3
Tactical
Step 4
MSSU Goal 1: Ensure quality academic programs to
achieve student success.
(Liberal Arts Education, Teaching and Learning, Student Success)
• Objective 1.1: Provide undergraduate programs
to meet the needs of our communities
• Objective 1.2: Provide graduate programs to
meet the needs of our communities
• Objective 1.3: Sustain and increase institutional
and program accreditation.
• Objective 1.4: Expand and enhance learning
opportunities through distance education.
• Objective 1.5: Pursue and support High Impact
learning experiences.
MSSU Goal 2: Ensure a total University Experience through
quality services and programs.
(Liberal Arts Education, Teaching and Learning, Student Success)
• Objective 2.1: Commitment to excellence in
academic advising.
• Objective 2.2: Build programs to support
students’ success and academic progression.
• Objective 2.3: Provide a distinctive Honors
Program that recognizes and promotes
academic excellence.
• Objective 2.4: Increase student engagement.
MSSU Goal 3: Ensure an international perspective for our
communities to foster success in a culturally diverse world.
(International Education)
• Objective 3.1: Sustain and create programs
which ensure a global perspective for students.
• Objective 3.2: Sustain and create programs which
ensure a global perspective for our campus
community.
• Objective 3.3: Provide international opportunities
to promote a global perspective for our external
communities.
MSSU Goal 4: Promote effective stewardship of resources to
support the University’s mission.
(Supports: all aspects)
• Objective 4.1: Ensure that existing and new
programs are either cost or mission justified.
• Objective 4.2: Allocate resources to meet the
future needs of technology, facility
infrastructure and maintenance.
• Objective 4.3: Ensure human resources fulfill
the mission of the university.
MSSU Goal 5: Promote a culture that values all members of
our campus communities.
(Supports: all aspects)
• Objective 5.1: Recruit, hire, support and retain
qualified employees.
• Objective 5.2: Engage in meaningful
deliberations in a framework of shared
governance.
Goal 6: Promote the intellectual, economic, cultural,
and creative development of our communities.
(Community Service)
• Objective 6.1: Promote Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs and
professional development opportunities to satisfy
regional workforce demand.
• Objective 6.2: Promote the intellectual
development of our communities.
• Objective 6.3: Promote the economic
development of our communities.
• Objective 6.4: Promote the cultural and creative
development of our communities.
MSSU Strategic Planning Matrix
Parties:
Dean of Graduate and
Lifelong Learning
MSSU Goal 1: Ensure quality academic
programs to achieve student success.
Objective 1.1: Provide undergraduate
programs to meet the needs of our
communities
Objective 1.2: Provide graduate
programs to meet the needs of our
communities
Dean’s & Department heads
Roles
Identify plan for future needs
Develop advisory/funding
boards
Coordinate programs and
faculty
Develop graduate and
professional studies dean’s
position.
Identify plan for future needs
Objective 1.3: Sustain and increase
institutional and program
accreditation.
Objective 1.4: Expand and enhance
Coordinate programs and
learning opportunities through
faculty
distance education.
Objective 1.5: Pursue and support High
Impact learning experiences.
Need framework for
sustainable accredited program
evaluation.
Implement master faculty
model.
MSSU Goal 2: Ensure a total
University Experience through quality
services and programs.
Objective 2.1: Commitment to
excellence in academic advising.
Honors Director
Vice President for Student
Affairs
Support area 5A
Evaluate class and program
pedagogies
Work on model for online
Work on model for
and graduate model.
freshman/sophomore/
departmental advising model.
International
program director
and International
Taskforce
High impact
learning through
travel seminars and
semesters abroad
Work with
departments to
identify honors
advisors
Identify and develop
additional high impact
learning opportunities
Develop and publicize
effective campus-wide
advising model
WORK BREAKDOWN SCHEDULE
Action Steps: 1.1.1
Issue: Need to have training facility in order to maintain safety
levels and meet accreditation standards.
Objective: Have training facility built.
Strategic
Action
(actions/objecti
ves/method)
Support/
Resources
Needed
Responsible
Party
Others
Participating
Target
Completion
Date
Method of
Measurement
Status
Have plan for
facility
City Engineer
& Accountants
Fire depart.
Team
Dennis
Aaron
Al
Kevin
September 1,
2005
Finalized Report
In process
Obtain city
funding
City Public
Information
Fire dept.
public
information
Don
Mike
Mike
Mkie
July 1, 2006
Council action
on funding
Pending
Need To Develop Gantt Chart
To Follow:
• Timeline
• Dashboard
– http://www.dashboardinsight.com/articles/digitaldashboards/building-dashboards/dashboards-foruniversity-administration.aspx
– http://www.gsu.edu/18338.html
– http://www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/dashboard/about.ph
p
– http://www.ilstu.edu/reportcards/dashboard/index.p
html