2023-2029 University Plan

          A responsible plan takes key stakeholders into consideration as part of defining the planning environment. Key stakeholders are defined as those who are significantly affected by the initiative and whose participation is essential to make the initiative a success. 

           Implementation. Crucial to the effective implementation of the University Plan is an understanding among stakeholders of the connection between department, school, college, and division plans and the University Plan. The planning process has called for prioritization at all university levels, with ongoing conversations and feedback between academic departments, schools, and colleges, and administrative directors, unit heads, and vice presidents. These discussions have ensured a “living” plan where the best information and insight are available for the President’s Cabinet to make decisions about new initiatives and budget allocations. At Texas State, the budget process is driven by the University Plan.

           Assessment and Progress Reporting. As a part of the implementation of the plan, the university moves into the assessment of the plan. Assessment is critical to the successful implementation of strategic plans. However, it is believed that the point of assessment is not to gather data and return “results” that support our goals; rather, it is a process where stakeholders and decision makers begin by asking questions, become involved in the gathering and interpreting of data, and use that information to guide the process of continuous improvement. 

Texas State maintains the overall philosophy of open communication and dialog throughout the plan development, implementation, and assessment. To assure that all areas of the university have an opportunity to review and assess plan progress on key performance indicators, as well as to share useful feedback, quantitative and quantitative assessment results are gathered and shared on an annual basis. Specific units were assigned responsibilities for identifying and measuring annual progress toward key performance indicators and the achievement of university goals and initiatives. Institutional Research will compile quantitative results for the key performance indicators assigned to each goal while all colleges and divisions submit an annual plan progress report to Institutional Effectiveness outlining unit progress toward relevant university goals and initiatives. 

          Updates. Plans and progress at all levels are reviewed and revisited on an ongoing basis. A formal review of the University Plan is conducted every two years to reassess the university’s initiatives and priorities in light of ongoing changes impacting the higher education environment.    

          Budgeting Implications. An important aspect of integrating planning and budgeting is to provide enough information to ensure that all of these processes work well together and support each other. The strategic plan charts a department’s direction, while the budget provides the resources to implement the plan. A strategic plan that ignores fiscal reality will not be realized. Conversely, resource allocation without strategic thinking is shortsighted and will be unresponsive to future conditions.