WSU Strategic Planning Committee Begins Two-year Assignment

PULLMAN, Wash. — An eight-member committee has been established to develop a framework for strategic planning for Washington State University.

The Strategic Planning Oversight Committee, named in late September by President V. Lane Rawlins, also will coordinate the planning activities of WSU’s major units and oversee planning for activities that cut across multiple organizational areas.

“WSU is about to embark on a major effort to plan its future,” Rawlins said when he asked the committee members to serve on the two-year effort. “…the SPOC will face numerous difficult issues and hard choices…Together we have the opportunity to significantly influence and enhance the future of Washington State University.”

William Fassett, dean, College of Pharmacy, will chair the committee. Provost Ron Hopkins and Rawlins will serve as ex-officio members.

SPOC members include JoAnn Asher Thompson, Karl Boehmke, Barbara Couture, Hal Dengerink, Fassett, Bob Greenberg, Sally Savage and Mike Tate.

The committee, at its first meeting, reviewed and began to update the university’s statement of mission, its list of critical values and the institution’s planning process. By November 2001, the committee is to submit to Rawlins a strategic plan that includes a clear statement of “our purpose and direction, our core of values and distinctive strategies for enhancing WSU in the vital areas.”

The SPOC will review and establish guidelines for each major budget area to engage in formal strategic planning. Area plans should be completed by March 2001, the president stated.

The SPOC has also called for nominations for members of several design teams covering existing prominent objectives. The role of the teams will be to assess the university’s current status, set benchmarks and goals, and identify the steps and resources to attain desired levels.

Design teams will be appointed soon in the following areas: the undergraduate experience; the research, graduate and professional education environment; diversity; efficiency and effectiveness of university processes; the role of the arts at WSU; development and use of information technology; focus on biotechnology; developing and maintaining a strong, consistent public image; and university outreach. Reports from the design teams will be due in March 2001.

Nominations should be submitted by faculty and staff to their dean or vice president or to Fran McSweeney, psychology, Faculty Senate chair, fkmcs@mail.wsu.edu or branson@wsu.edu by Oct. 20.

Nominations sought for design teams

The SPOC is seeking nominations of candidates for the design teams.

Each team will have six to eight members. “While members will bring a variety of perspectives to the group, each member will be expected to represent and to act for the benefit of the entire university in the planning process,” said chair William Fassett. Candidates may include faculty, staff and undergraduate, graduate and professional students from any WSU location.

Nominations should include the name and title of the nominee, name of the design team and a short description of why the individual was nominated. Nominations should be submitted by Oct. 20.

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