community support. Robust development and community engagement projects are underway. Improvements in marketing and University communications are also under review for rapid deployment.
Though some of the hard work that has been accomplished over the past year has not been celebrated, make no mistake it was all appreciated.
Strategic planning has long been criticized as a process that generally ends with a plan in a file, or a plan on a shelf. Organizations often embark on robust strategic planning ventures, but then fall short when it comes to deploying the processes required to actually change the future of the organization. We know, however, that we can't change the future without carefully crafted goals and the action steps necessary to accomplish each goal. Much like teaching a course, terminal goals are developed along with the enabling objectives necessary to achieve the intended outcomes. KSU's plan has been developed much the same way. Its ultimate success rests in the accomplishment of each strategic objective. This plan then is different from other plans in that each goal includes carefully crafted objectives with detailed strategies to move toward the future.
As with any good planning processes, stakeholders must have the freedom to think strategically and embrace agility. The landscape of higher education is a rapidly changing scene that has become increasingly more competitive. To meet the demands of today's marketplace, KSU must move quickly to realize the goals and objectives of this strategic plan. As the landscape moves and changes, so must KSU. This plan is a call to action that requires collegiality and consensus, transparency and communication. Our future depends on what we do, not just what we say.
Typical strategic planning processes include an assessment of institutional Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats. This is called the SWOT process. Most strategic plans include this analytic process up front. It is from this process that goals and objectives are crafted. Strengths and Weaknesses are internally focused, while Opportunities and Threats are externally focused, each is defined below:
Strengths: KSU characteristics that give it an advantage over others Universities.
Weaknesses: Characteristics that place KSU at a disadvantage relative to other Universities.
Opportunities: External elements that the University could use to its advantage given its strengths.
Threats: External elements that could impact KSU success if not strategically managed.
After the early SWOT process, which included an analysis of institutional and market data, KSU stakeholders reviewed the history of KSU knowing it was not wise to move forward without an
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