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The Role of Strategic Planning in Academic Departments

by Diana Kardia, Ph.D.

The strategic planning process in an academic department can be useful for a variety of organizational goals.  In general, most strategic planning processes focus on a vision of an intended future (although the specific focus and timeline on that future varies). However, departmental strategic planning can achieve a number of other important goals either as a means to achieving this primary goal, or as an end in themselves. 

  • Create a focused vision of an intended future, including consideration of the "long view" and the "big picture" (typically applied to faculty hiring goals, curriculum review and revision, how to improve rankings of the department, etc.)
  • Give collective consideration to the relevance, priority, and current health or status of department activities
  • Bring the faculty up to date on information and factors influencing the current reality of the department including:
    • facts, figures, statistics, comparisons
    • a clarification of underlying assumptions and shared agreements
    • demonstration of cause and effect relationships (regarding policies, procedures, and practices within the department) and the articulation of intended and unintended consequences
    • putting specific issues and processes within a larger context
    • relaying or addressing requests, guidelines, or imperatives from the larger organization (e.g., the Dean, Provost, President)
  • Promote creative exploration of futures, strategies, and interpretations (of the discipline, the department's particular strengths, educational goals, etc.) that the department has not considered or included before, including:
    • possible directions, choices and outcomes,
    • upcoming challenges or threats,
    • changes in the terrain and direction of the discipline, the university, or the department
    • possible or probable risks associated with various courses of action
    • possible or probable resources
  • Foster a more unified, engaged, productive group dynamic (increase morale, address existing tensions, promote interaction); this goal includes attention to the ways a diverse faculty (in terms of identity, theoretical foundations, rank, etc.) develops a cohesive group identity
  • Create a detailed implementation plan that addresses what is to be done, when, and how (and thus tests the viability of the larger vision)