In the monogram on non-profits – a companion study of Good to Great, author Jim Collins
distinguishes between executive and legislative leadership. The CEO of
hierarchical military and for-profit organizations exercises executive power by
being able to command subordinates. Heads of other organizations, e.g colleges
and hospitals, do not have such authority and must seek to persuade employees
to follow her/his leadership. Those
organizations behave much like legislatures that require a majority of members
to agree before an action is taken. Much more work is required to move such an
organization although the end result may be better if there is agreement among
employees.
Strategic planning in these two types of organizations
differ substantially. In a hierarchical organization a plan devised by a small
group can succeed if it has the support of top officials. In a non-hierarchical organization, that approach
would spell disaster. Creating a plan in
the latter requires considerable input, conversation and review to have a
chance to be implemented.
With this as background, my college embarked last year to
create a five year plan focused on our core academic mission. Because of this orientation we named it the 2015-2020 STCC Student Success Plan to highlight that it was not a master plan or overall
college strategic plan. In particular,
the Student Success Plan did not address facility or financial issues.
The plan was based on a series of surveys of students,
faculty, staff and trustees. Out of
those surveys 17 key issues were identified. An implementation plan for the
first year of the plan, academic year 2015-2016 narrowed that list to five:
1. A lack of effective communication with students
diminishes their ability to succeed.
2. There is a race/ethnicity inequity in our 3-year
graduation rates.
3. New and prospective students often do not understand “how
college works.”
4. Very few students with developmental placements graduate
from STCC.
5. Not enough students meet their academic standards to
complete their courses successfully.
Addressing these issues is our work for this and next year.
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