Michael Mercier | UAH
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is embarking on a strategic planning initiative during 2020 and spring semester 2021. The plan will give the campus a direction for the future through 2028, according to President Darren Dawson.
"Devising a strategic plan is an important activity for our University for it is essential to the future of our institution," Dr. Dawson said. "Through the strategic planning process, we will carefully consider the future vision, mission, and direction of our institution, we determine our goals and objectives, and we will decide upon the actions that we will take to achieve those goals."
The strategic planning initiative will be developed under the leadership of UAH Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Christine Curtis.
The process began at the division/college/unit level on January 6. The divisions, colleges, and units will develop their strategic plans and then submit those plans to the University Strategic Planning Committee to develop the "UAH Strategic Plan 2028."
The divisions, colleges, and units will have the opportunity to provide input and feedback on the UAH Strategic Plan 2028 to the University Strategic Planning Committee.
Upon completion of the strategic plan, the divisions, colleges, and units will select metrics from the 2028 plan for inclusion in their strategic plans and finalize their plans in concert with the UAH Strategic Plan 2028.
A university-wide strategic planning committee will be appointed by President Dawson during the 2020 spring semester. That committee will start its work in June 2020. The University Strategic Planning Committee will write the University’s vision and mission statements, core values, and the value proposition.
"Our strategic planning process is timely because our institution is facing a proposed new budgeting mechanism by the Alabama Legislature called Outcomes-based Funding," Curtis said. "Outcomes-based Funding as applied to higher education in our state is still in its formative stages. However, at this point it is apparent that the Alabama Legislature wants higher education in the state to be highly effective in all aspects of our mission and accountable to the taxpayers of Alabama."
The timeline for the strategic planning process is given below. Please note that division/units are hereafter referred to as units.
Timeline
- January 6, 2020: Initiate strategic planning process.
- May 15, 2020: All strategic plans are due to the Office of Academic Affairs.
- May 16 to June 1, 2020: Strategic planning materials from the units and colleges are distributed to the University Strategic Planning Committee.
- June 2020: University Strategic Planning Committee begins its deliberations.
- September 2020: University Strategic Planning Committee completes a draft of the UAH Strategic Plan 2028 for distribution back to the colleges and units.
- October 2020: UAH Strategic Plan 2028 is sent to the colleges and units for review.
- November 2020: Colleges and units submit comments to the University Strategic Planning Committee regarding the UAH Strategic Plan 2028.
- January 2021: UAH Strategic Plan 2028 is complete and submitted to the University of Alabama System Office for approval at the Board of Trustees April meeting.
- January 2021: Colleges and units will select metrics and finalize their strategic plans in concert with the UAH Strategic Plan 2028.
- March 2021: Colleges and units submit their strategic plans to the Office of Academic Affairs for final review by the University’s Strategic Planning Committee and posting on the University’s website.
- April 2021: Present Mission of the UAH Strategic Plan 2028 to the Board of Trustees.
- April 2023, 2025, 2027: University Strategic Planning Committee reviews, updates, and monitors the progress on key performance indicators of the UAH Strategic Plan 2028
