Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning Committee
Minutes/Notes - Wednesday, November 14
Teague Library

Present: Margaret Hampton, Wes Miller, Sara Penhale, Doug Bennett, Newell Pledger-Shinn, Rick Foreman, Bob Southard, Tamara Clark , Monteze Snyder, Paul Ogren

Agenda

1. Approval of 10/31 and 11/07 minutes
2. What have we accomplished? What lies ahead?
3. Scheduling further consultation sessions
4. Further issues for familiarization discussions: What issues? What preparation?
5. Progress on the White Papers
6. A comparison group for Earlham

Discussion

1. We corrected and approved minutes of the 11/07 meeting, and agreed that minutes of the 10/31 meeting (already on the web) would stand approved if we heard no objections from committee members in the next 24 hours.
   
   
2. We reviewed our progress to date, and discussed what we hoped to have done by the end of first semester:
   (a.) Completion of most first round consultation sessions
   (b.) Completion of a round of meetings to familiarize ourselves with major issues
   (c.) Preparation of draft 'White Papers' on about a dozen topics, for distribution to the Earlham community
   and discussion in early second semester
   
   In second semester, we will
   (d.) Carry through thematic lunchtime discussions open to faculty, students and staff
   (e.) Use committee meetings to discuss major issues
   (f.) Prepare and discuss draft sections of the report
   (g.) Identify commitments and priorities for the next five to ten years
   
   
3. We reviewed and approved a proposed schedule of further consultation meetings for the next two months with:
   Religion/Philosophy
   Hourly staff
   Students
   Admin faculty
   Members of the Richmond/Wayne County community.

   We agreed that we should also schedule some consultation session with Athletics, and with ESR & Bethany folks.

4. We agreed that among the topics we should focus on in the next few meetings (familiarization) are (a) issues in community and student life, and issues concerning budget, fundraising, and facilities. We also discussed who we might invite to help us with these issues: Deb McNish and the outgoing and incoming co-Presidents of student government for student life, Tom Kirk for community life issues, Dick Smith for finance and facilities issues, and Avis Stewart for fundraising issues.

   We also noted that we had not yet discussed the reports of the (a) IQS and (b) learning and technology aspiration groups.

5. Doug distributed very early drafts of two White Papers: one on the budget (prepared by Doug) and one on fundraising (prepared by Kirsten). Committee members discussed whether these white papers should be primarily factual and identify issues for discussion, or whether they should (also?) present a perspective on where we should be going. Committee members expressed confidence that we could complete drafts of the White Papers before Christmas.
   
   
6. We discussed meetings of the committee over the next few weeks. We agreed we will have regularly scheduled meetings on November 28, December 5 and December 12. On December 18 we will meet for 3 hours from 1:30 to 4:30, and on January 10 we will meet from 9 to noon. We'll resume regular meetings on January 16.
   
   
7. Doug and Monteze distributed two different data arrays that should Earlham in comparison with a number of other colleges and universities. We discussed the criteria on which we should select colleges to include in a comparison group. Drawing on the discussion, Doug will bring a proposal back to the committee for further discussion.