Guidance and Questions for Thematic Teams

As shared in the May retreat to launch our strategic planning effort, UTSA 2016, the University of Texas Board of Regents and UT System have charged each institution with creating a long-term strategic plan, to be submitted by May 2007. The vision, mission, values and overall goals in the plan will serve as the major drivers for operational and budget decision-making. This plan will also provide the basis for UTSA's annual compacts with UT System, as well as ensure alignment with System and Regents goals. The plan also will be an important element by which we will be held accountable by UT System and will serve as an important component of the reaffirmation (reaccreditation) process with SACS/COC. Your team's contribution to this plan will be invaluable.

Your first task will be to assess where UTSA is currently in regard to your thematic area, where you believe UTSA should be in regard to this area by 2016, and what steps UTSA will need to take to get there.

Your second task will be to develop a set of strategic goals for your thematic area based on the steps you have identified in task one. These goals should be broad, general statements of expected outcomes in your area. Each goal should be accompanied by:

More specific objectives that identify clear outcomes to be achieved.
Strategic initiatives that must be undertaken to achieve these goals. (Strategic initiatives are action-oriented steps needed to implement the goals in your portion of the plan.)
Determination of the sequencing, if necessary, of these initiatives.
Identification of resources that each initiative will require.
Measurements or indicators of success to be used to determine if each objective is being met. UT System and SACS both provide suggested metrics.

As you complete your assessment and develop your goals, one of the first steps you will need to take is to get feedback from others at the university, and, if related to your theme, from constituents outside the university. Therefore, you need to determine what tactics should be used to include others at the university (and other community constituents) in addressing the issues your group is focused on. For example,

Should you solicit specific individuals to provide feedback, and, if so, how?
Should you ask for volunteers to provide feedback, and, if so, how?
Should you have open forums to provide feedback, and, if so, how should these be conducted?
How will you ensure that all constituencies are given the opportunity to participate?

There are several other steps you should take early in your planning process:

What methods will you use to record and gather the information from these individuals and groups so that you can consider it appropriately in your formulation of goals, objectives, strategic initiatives, and indicators?
How will you work to consolidate the information you receive from those with whom you consult?
Who in your group should be charged with writing/editing drafts of the documents you will need to produce?
Who in your group will be charged with bringing the results of your work to other forums, including the strategic planning working group, the ELC, the executives, and President?

We will be working with each group to develop timelines and drafts to ensure that we complete our plan by May 2007. We envision a draft by the end of the fall semester incorporating the efforts of all of the groups. This way, we can continue our dialogue with the UTSA community and our constituent groups and refine the draft during the spring semester, incorporating the results into our budget process.

We will be convening the group that met at the retreat again in the fall and President Romo has asked that each group make a presentation in the fall to the Executive Leadership Council. These sessions will be to report on progress and ensure that dialogue continues throughout the process and that plans across groups are compatible.

We appreciate your dedication to this important effort - your contributions will leave a long-lasting legacy for UTSA.

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