DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS

STRATEGIC: Organizational initiatives that serve to strengthen the University's effectiveness in response to environmental trends and internal strengths and weaknesses.  These initiatives are long-term and university-wide.  The Innovations for Affordability is aligned with the Five-Year Financial Plan.

Operational Plans: Action plans that respond to the strategic plan and ongoing needs of the University.  These plans are linked to the annual budget cycle and detail specific activities, responsibilities, and outcomes for departments and divisions of the University.

Strategic Indicators: Quantitative measures that allow an institution to compare its position, in key strategic areas, against its competitors, past performance, or already defined goals. (Taylor and Massy, 1996)

ASSUMPTIONS

• The ten strategic planning themes were an outgrowth of external and internal assessments.  Assessments included environmental scans completed in 1997-98 and the Middle States self-study and response completed in 1996-98.  Imbedded in these scans are assumptions about the University's environment, for example trends in demographics, population and technology.
• Goals and objectives relate to the strategic themes but should not be seen as inclusive of all ongoing planning at the University.
• The ten themes and their related goals and objectives will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and revisions made as necessary.
• Environmental scanning will continue as part of the ongoing strategic planning process.  Data collected regarding external trends, opportunities and threats will be analyzed on a regular basis.
• A series of strategic indicators will be formulated and become a component of the strategic plan.  Strategic indicators will be an early outgrowth of the approved strategic plan.