Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning Committee
Minutes/Notes - Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Teague Library

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

Board Workshop
We reviewed plans for a workshop (Feb. 21) with an ad hoc strategic planning committee of the Board of Trustees (Mark Myers, Howard Mills, Shorty Birenbaum, Leona Mirza, Sybil Jordan Hampton, George Eshelman, Steven Smiseck). Committee members will gather at 2:00 p.m. at Norwich Lodge on Thursday, Feb. 21 for this workshop; and many will also attend the Board's opening session presentation focused on strategic planning on Friday, Feb. 22 at 8:30 a.m. in the ESR Dining Room (in the ESR Classroom Building). Some, in addition, will attend the College Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 22 in the DeCou Room in the ESR Classroom Building.

The Thursday workshop will focus on bringing a group of Board members up to speed on the work of the committee so far - and seeking their input. We'll also talk with the ad hoc committee about how they can be involved as the strategic planning process continues this spring. (The Friday session with the full Board on strategic planning is briefer and may focus on process.)

We reviewed a proposed agenda and set of handouts for the workshop with the ad hoc Board committee. These included a draft outline of the strategic plan; a summary of key insights from the strengths/weaknesses exercise conducted with many groups, and from alumni and parent letters; and a packet of materials on enrollment issues.

We made many revisions to the proposed handouts. To do before the workshop: Doug will prepare a revised agenda; Kirsten will make sure we have copies of the "enrollment/resources" packet; and Paul will prepare a revision of the draft report outline (strengths/weaknesses on one side of the page, commitments on the other).

White Papers
We received 3 new versions of white papers, which we did not discuss: Financial Aid, Student Life, and Community.

The minutes of February 13 were approved.

Kirsten offered a set of Faculty Retreat discussion summaries (in a binder) to be circulated among committee members to review. (Sara will read these first.)

Next Meeting
Next meeting will be Wed., Feb. 27 from 3:00 till 6:00 p.m. in Teague Library. [Editor's note: will we discuss drafts of all remaining white papers - see list below?]

-Financial Aid (Monteze)
-Faculty and Staff (Sara)
-Curriculum (Bob)
-Student Life (Newell et al.)
-Community Life (Sara)
-Budget (Doug)