Planning Principles

ECU's strategic planning process builds upon the university's model of shared governance. The Strategic Planning Executive Committee has established the following planning principles:

1. Quality Enhancement: Key to our success is the development of clear and targeted strategies that are aligned to performance metrics. Establishing realistic goals that are based on institutional knowledge and the utilization of external benchmarks, where appropriate, provides the basis for assessing our effectiveness.

2. Broad Involvement: Successful strategic planning efforts require stakeholders to be involved in the plan's development and to have a clear understanding of their responsibilities for achieving desired outcomes. Participation of faculty, staff and students is encouraged in both the development and implementation of our planning process. Inclusion of broad perspectives is further aided through active participation in the development of each division, college and unit's strategic plan, via presentations and forums, and the use of social networking strategies (link to IPAR).

3. Continual Planning: Strategic planning is a continual process. In a rapidly changing environment, the university must be cognizant of both internal and external influences to ensure we stay focused on achieving the university's mission. Strategic planning is therefore an on-going process that requires regular review and assessment towards accomplishing goals. This process is led by the Office of Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research, planning and assessment committees, and aided by generating and analyzing reports stored in TracDat®.

4. Data-Driven: The process is data-driven, using qualitative and quantitative data, routinely reviewed as the plan is implemented, with the aim of continuous improvement.

5. Formative and Summative: The plan includes formative and summative evaluation components that evaluate the planning process itself, as well as the implementation of the plan, using agreed upon performance indicators.

6. Well-timed: The process has a clear cycle of activities, with a beginning and an end, and timed and structured to coordinate well with SACS accreditation requirements.

7. Transparency and Trust: The university is accountable to its stakeholders and needs to ensure that all are knowledgeable of the university's mission, strategies for achieving the mission, and how successful the institution is in implementing these strategies. In collaboration with University Marketing, a communication plan has been developed to support a culture of transparency.

8. Alignment of Resources to the Plan: The plan serves as a roadmap for allocating resources, both financial and non-financial to ensure that the university is focusing efforts that enable us to achieve our mission and to strategically focus the university.

9. Integration to Related Plans: The process will support the integration of fiscal, learning and facilities plans with the strategic plan of the university. The plan will be grounded in the work published in Phase I and Phase II of UNC-Tomorrow and informed by other Foundational Plans including the diversity plan, enrollment management plan, Carnegie Engagement Plan, the Second Century Campaign, the Master Plan, the financial plan, the space allocation plan and UNC-Tomorrow.

10. Useful: The strategic plan will be useful to and therefore used by Colleges and Units and Departments as they prepare their plans, and will encourage a future orientation to their work.

Incorporating these principles in the strategic planning process ensures a focused approach and encourages stakeholders to take ownership in the plan's success. Through continual communication, transparency is achieved and the university is held accountable for achieving its mission.