ESU Strategic Plan Will Include Community Input
Michael R. Lane
Thursday, September 13, 2007
AS A NEW academic year begins at Emporia State, we also embark on a year-long strategic planning process. Reflecting on my General Assembly remarks that I made prior to the beginning of the fall semester, it occurred to me that to those outside of higher education, the management of a university may appear somewhat overly complicated and perhaps a bit mysterious.
One of the unique aspects of any university is the composition of the people who work there. Yes, at ESU we have a staff, just like most businesses: support staff, facilities management, student support services, financial and many others.
However, the people responsible for delivering our primary mission are our faculty. Consider the typical background of a faculty member. She/he spends approximately 20 to 21 years in the educational system, culminating in a doctoral degree. She/he is very passionate about and committed to her/his discipline.
This is a very intelligent individual who has developed multifaceted ideas about a variety of things including the best ways to share her/his vast knowledge and expertise with peers as well as students.
Without going into too much detail, there are some aspects of the university which are rightfully the purview of the faculty, such as curriculum. However, there is a tradition in higher education that whenever significant decisions are to be made on the campus, the administrators will discuss those decisions with the faculty and other constituents, and consider their input prior to making a decision.
Collaborative sharing of ideas and decision making is one of the basic principles of a university. This “shared governance” is the process by which faculty and staff have input into the decisions of the institution. The mechanism used at ESU and at most universities is an elected body of representatives; in our case the Faculty Senate and the Classified Assembly. Ultimately, the responsibility for the success and operation of the university lies with the president.
Consulting with our constituent groups often results in more diverse and higher quality ideas. Yes, it is a bit messy, slow and inefficient at times, but solutions are often better as a result. So when you sense that things may not move as fast at a university as they do in a corporate environment, you are correct and now you know the good reasons.
Another area that is different from the corporate environment is that state regulations dictate many of our personnel processes. Additionally, faculty evaluations and considerations for promotion and tenure are in-depth and comprehensive. And the truth is; we usually get it right.
We are in the beginning stages of a year-long, multi-phase strategic planning process. It may appear at first glance to be rather complex, but be assured that it is considered best practice in higher education. I am confident that the process will ensure a broad and inclusive approach to a document that will set the course for ESU for the next five years.
A variety of work groups, comprised of community members, faculty, staff, alumni and students will contribute a wealth of ideas, opinions and suggestions to be integrated into the finished plan. These Work Groups are a reflection of ESU and Emporia, and their significant recommendations require the involvement of representatives of each of the constituents.
I expect the same exchange of multifaceted ideas and suggestions that I have witnessed with our faculty and staff, only on an even broader scale that involves the entire campus and community.
As I look forward to the results of the planning process and implementation of the completed plan, I see an institution that is larger, greater and a leader in the community and in higher education.