April 2016
Strategic Planning Monthly Update – April 2016
The Strategic Planning Committee has worked thoughtfully and diligently this past year, in conjunction with the entire college community, to map out the road ahead for Dickinson. In August, we wrote:
This is a pivotal moment for the college. Our strategic plan will determine what kind of institution we will become. How will we secure our future as a liberal-arts leader? What bold steps must we take to prepare our students to lead in a changing world? … This is our collective future.
During this period of presidential change, we are indeed at a pivotal moment for the college. We are an excellent residential liberal-arts college seeking to provide an even stronger education for our students and a more supportive community for all members of the college. We must not lose our momentum during this transitional period. To accomplish our strategic planning aims, the SPC this year has analyzed the college’s resources and capabilities, the external environment in which we operate and the challenges we face. We have been working to develop a strategic plan that builds on our unique strengths and our rich history to think in new ways about how we provide a useful education. But we are also now mindful that a new president may bring a new perspective to Dickinson and our mission. Thus, based on the work we have completed this year, the SPC will produce an Interim Report on Strategic Direction rather than a complete strategic plan. We feel very strongly that it is important to capture the extensive work that the SPC and the full college community have engaged in during the year. This interim report will provide direction for the college in the short-term and serve as a bridge until the college is ready to complete its next strategic plan. It will signal to all our strong position among liberal-arts schools and our continued commitment to enhancing our students' Dickinson experience in and out of the classroom.
The SPC will share our Interim Report on Strategic Direction with the college community and the Board of Trustees before the end of the academic year and invite feedback. Please share any comments or questions you may have at this time with the SPC via email at planning@dickinson.edu.