Chancellor Betz announces strategic planning process to the UW-RF community

Dear Campus Community,

As we head into the end of finals week and the twin commencements on Saturday, it is gratifying to look back across the 2005-06 academic year.  It has been a time of transition, change and progress.  At this juncture, it is important that we prepare well for the coming year and beyond. This means our collaborative work on strategic planning.

Now that our core values, mission and vision (http://www.uwrf.edu/vision/ ) have been established and recognized, we now proceed to the strategic plan as our blueprint for the near future.

The strategic planning group (click on Leadership Council at http://www.uwrf.edu/administration/ to view membership) has been established and it includes representation of all our shared governance groups.

Planning is central to our success over time, and we will be using the outcome of the planning process to inform and drive resource allocation and the budgeting process in the coming years.

This is a different strategy that has been used here, but it is clarifying as it guides us in both setting priorities and attaining them.

The objectives that will emerge for the planning efforts will be directly linked to our core values, mission and vision.  Some of our goals will be short term, while other will require a multi-year commitment. The key is establishing and following the plan.

I am pleased that Dr. John Dew will be joining us to initiate and guide our university-wide efforts.  One of the founders of the National Consortium for Continuous Improvement (NCCI), John is the director of Planning and Quality for the University of Alabama and one of the bright lights in higher education planning in the country. I have had the good fortune of working with him for several years during which he has been a valued advisor to many institutions.

A key to planning and improvement is the continuing on-campus training.
Planning is dynamic, not static.  It will evolve and change over time at UW-River Falls, just as we will.  We will look forward to assisting one another in learning and applying the principles and lessons of sound strategic planning.  In this way we create a broader coalition of planners here at the university.

 All of us are stakeholders in the institution's direction.  Involvement and active participation from the broad spectrum of our campus constituencies is essential to our success.  Together we can keep our eyes on the prize.

All existing governance committees and bodies have roles to play in the planning process.  Together we will foster readiness, receptivity and a shared sense of the need for change.

Change is inevitable; it will occur.  Our goal is to lead, guide and contour change to meet the needs of those we serve and to realize our mission, pursue our vision with passion and conviction always guided by our core values.

The stage thus is set for the next phase of our intentional efforts to plan our future.  Many of our colleagues will be working to these ends through the summer, including inviting John Dew to join us.  Please join with our Steering Committee, Connie Foster, Bob Baker, Valerie Malzacher and Gregg Heinselman, and our Strategic Planning Group, in actively creating the strategic plan that will meet the needs of the stakeholders we serve, and will inspire us to pursue our goals with creativity, imagination and persistence.

My best to you throughout this important week at UW-River Falls.

Sincerely,
Don Betz

Originally published in Falcon Daily Special Edition, May 11, 2006