HTML Preview Project Charter Strategic Plan page number 1.
Strategic Planning April 1, 2014
UNIVERSITY OF REGINA STRATEGIC PLANNING: PROJECT CHARTER 1
University of Regina Strategic Planning
Project Charter
Project Principles & Objectives
The University’s 2009-2014 Strategic Plan mâmawohkamâtowin, Our Work, Our People, Our
Communities has served us well, but is coming to the end of its intended horizon. Moreover,
important changes
have occurred in the university and its environment since that plan was
initially created, such as
1
:
− Funding scenario uncertainty;
− Faculty concerns raised regarding the direction in our academic mission;
− The state of the physical infrastructure;
− Increasing demands for career-directed and professional education;
− Provincial Aboriginal population growth in terms of numbers and expectations;
− Technology advancement and adaptation challenges; and
− A new generation of students with different interests and characteristics.
These internal and external trends, combined with other development potentially affecting the
University, provide motivation and a sense of necessity for renewing the University’s Plan.
A strategic planning process can serve to unite the university community including our
students, faculty and staff, build campus spirit and collegiality, and foster a renewed sense of
commitment to institutional goals. The right type of inclusive process can also produce a
clearer sense of identity and university direction internally and with our external partners. It
can leverage our strengths and mitigate enterprise risk. It can bring forward fresh ideas from
various quarters and provide a reality check from external perceptions. As one member of the
university leadership team has put it, planning provides the opportunity for “transforming
creativity into community wisdom”.
The timing couldn’t be more needed and optimal for a new planning cycle. The strengths of the
current plan can be retained and built upon while the experience and knowledge gained over
the previous five years proposes new approaches and content. This will allow us to better meet
the changing needs of our students, faculty and staff, and adapt with the important changes
that have, and will continue to, occur within the University’s environment.
Objectives of the Strategic Planning Process
Planning theory and past experiences at the University of Regina suggest that the next
university planning process should aim to have the following characteristics:
• Planned: If planning has merit, then clearly the planning process itself should be well
organized. As well, an initial “planning to plan” exercise will ensure that all members of
the strategic planning Facilitation Team are familiar with the key elements of a planning
process.
• Value Based: Successful university planning depends on transparency, inclusiveness,
honesty, openness, trust, active listening, critical examination of ideas and evidence,
and constant communication.
1
Content pulled from Planning for the Next Strategic Plan, approved by the Board of Governors, February 14, 2014.