1981-1982 Senate Document #35 EC Document #5 The UNCA Planning Council An advisory planning council plays a crucial role in any planning endeavor. This body is responsible for the overall critique and review of any and all proposals submitted by specific departments and programs and insures a planning process that is comprehensive. During the last twelve months the steering committee of the University's self-study for reaccreditation has served the defacto role of a planning review council. The Steering Committee of the long-range planning program initiated at the request of the Chancellor over two years ago also served a similar advisory role. However, both groups were ad hoc committees which were or will be disbanded when their charge is met. For strategic planning to be effective the process must be on-going and the membership must be relatively stable and consistent. Typically, a planning review council must oversee the development of three very important projects: the conducting of institutional studies, the development of a Strategic Plan, and thirdly the preparation of procedures for an on-going planning process. Once these three projects are completed the role of the advisory body becomes one of reviewing, evaluating, and finally recommending actions on an on-going basis to the Chancellor. Projects One project, the conducting of institutional studies, has already been addressed by both the long-range planning committee and the self-study group. The final report of the Steering Committee for Reaccreditation will serve as background data on all aspects of the institution. The annual HEGIS, NCHED, and OCR reports submitted to General Administration will also provide important baseline information. The "academic audit" annually prepared by the Office of Academic Affairs is another important source of data on the institution which will be available to the planning committee. With the institutional studies projects already developed the second and third projects will be the focus of the planning advisory council for the remainder of the present academic year. The second project noted above is the development of a Strategic Plan. The purpose of the plan is to outline the institutional directions and goals for the next 3-5 years. It forms the basis for the on-going evaluation and appraisal of program and department plans and the necessary resource allocations. The plan consists of a series of statements within the context of the University's overall mission which describes institutional objectives from various perspectives within the organization. Areas for which goal statements will be prepared at UNCA include, but are not limited, to the following: - General Education - Student Life - Community Service - Institutional Advancement - Enrollment Management - Academic Support - Faculty Development - Administrative Organization Special planning sessions will be convened on the various areas identified above. Participants will be selected on the basis of their knowledge and expertise of the area under review. A balance between faculty and administration will be included in each planning session. Selected participants will then draft statements as a consequence of the planning sessions. These individual goal statements will then be compiled and edited into a draft which will be reviewed by the planning session participants and then submitted to the Planning Council for evaluation. A revised draft will then be brought to the Faculty Senate for University-wide discussion. Any comments will then be incorporated into a formal statement which will be submitted to the top administration for consideration and finally to the Board of Trustees and, if necessary, to the Board of Governors for approval. Presently, the goal statement on Community is being drafted and will soon be ready for consideration by the Planning Council. As soon as the Council is formed additional planning sessions will be organized and conducted. The third project of describing and outlining the on-going planning process is the other issue which the Planning Council must address this year. Once outlined this planning process should be reviewed by members of the University Community in an open Senate meeting. The following factors should and will be a part of the planning process: - The Strategic Plan will serve as the criterion for critiquing program and budget proposals. - Identification of individual planning units, e.g. departments, programs, and administrative offices. - Designation of fixed institution-wide funds required for such items as salaries, utilities, etc. - Designation of funds for program development and innovation. - Inclusion of a feedback process to program proposers. - Time-line. On-Going Planning Process The Planning Council will annually review and critique all program and budget proposals forwarded by the various constituent units. The process should include the following: - Assessment of each proposal in accordance with the educational plan. - Decisions concerning the relative priority of each proposal. - A statement to the planning unit concerning the Council's action on their proposal. - The Council's recommendations will then be forwarded to either the Chairman of the Faculty Senate or the top administrators as appropriate. It should be noted that the functions of the Planning Council will in no way disrupt, alter, replace, or duplicate present duties and responsibilities of the Faculty Senate and its sub-committees. Membership The composition of the Planning Council is most important. Because the institution by its very nature seeks to educate students the majority of the Council should be comprised of faculty with the balance of the membership consisting of administration and staff. The University's chief planning officer is the only permanent member of the Council. A member of his staff should be included in an ex officio capacity to provide any needed technical advise or data. The formal composition of the Council should consist of four (4) elected faculty representatives from the Institutional Development Committee of the Faculty Senate, two (2) faculty appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Senate executive committee and two (2) administrators appointed by the Chancellor. The initial appointments of the two faculty and two administrators should be for two and three years with all succeeding appointments for three years. Initially, the Institutional Development Committee faculty member appointments should be with one-year appointments, 1 with a two-year appointment, and 1 with a three-year appointment. Each succeeding appointment would then be for three years. For the balance of the 1981-82 academic year the Planning Council should consist of the five elected Faculty Senate members of the Institutional Development Committee, one appointed faculty member and two appointed administrators. The initial meeting of the Planning Council should be prior to the end of the Fall Semester, 1981-1982.