Strategic Plan - University of Colorado Denver

II. STRATEGIC PLANNING: THE PROCESS
THE PROCESS
The strategic planning process began in spring 2007 with three primary purposes: to
guide and to drive our own strategic future; to respond to a request from the University
of Colorado Board of Regents for a strategic plan from each of its three universities;
and to serve as the foundation for the University of Colorado Denver’s renewal of
accreditation in 2010-11 by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).
The process was an inclusive one that invited participation by the entire university
community as well as external stakeholders. It began with the chancellor appointing
a permanent group, the University Planning and Accreditation Committee (UPAC),
consisting of senior university officers and elected leadership of the faculty, staff,
and students. It is co-chaired by the provost and the vice chancellor for university
initiatives and reports its recommendations directly to the chancellor. The UPAC
is served by an extensive Resource Council, comprised of individuals throughout the
university who have the information to assist the UPAC in its work. The convening
of the UPAC was followed by the appointment of seven task forces involving more than
200 faculty, staff, and students. Each task force focused on one of the following areas:
• Mission, Vision, and Values
• Learning
• Discovery, Creativity, and Innovation
• Health Care
• Engagement
• Institutional Image and University Communications
• Resource Needs, Infrastructure, and Development
Each task force organized its discussion by using a standard report template and
examined its particular assignment through the lens of the draft mission, vision, and
values statements. Each task force surveyed the external and internal environments,
examined extant literature on its topic, responded to a set of guiding questions, and
then developed specific goals and objectives. The university community received
regular updates about the strategic planning process through a biweekly letter sent by
the provost and multiple universitywide announcements dedicated entirely to UPAC
information. At key mileposts, input was sought from the university community
through a Web site with a feedback component and a series of open forums. Leadership
of faculty governance was intimately involved in the feedback process as members of
UPAC and specific feedback sessions were held with faculty governance groups at the
Downtown and Anschutz campuses. Input was solicited from alumni/ae and external
stakeholders through facilitated focus groups. UPAC was assisted by the Pappas Consulting
Group, which has extensive experience in higher education strategic planning.
Our process
was inclusive,
involving more
than 200
faculty, staff,
and students
in seven
task forces.
University of Colorado Denver
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