ACOE_Self-Study

1.5 The program engages in an ongoing, systematic process of planning and self-study and must review on a regular basis its program mission, goals, and objectives and revise them as necessary. Strategic Planning The State University of New York College of Optometry is strongly committed to the principle of strategic planning and assessment in the development of its organizational priorities and the allocation of resources. The institution’s strategic plan is informed by internal and external trends and guided by a core set of values. On a five-year cycle, the entire College community participates in a year-long strategic planning process that uses faculty meetings and a faculty retreat and culminates with a published five- year strategic plan that is informed by internal and external trends and guided by a core set of values. Organizational priorities and allocation of resources are driven by the mission, goals and objectives included in this plan. In fall 2016, as Creating a Legacy of Leadership , the College’s 2013 – 2018 strategic plan, was coming to a close, President Heath charged the Institutional Research and Planning Committee (IRPC) with coordinating the development of a new strategic plan. This process commenced in spring 2017 with the Co mmittee’s review of the strategic plans of comparable institutions, including schools and colleges of dentistry, medicine, optometry and pharmacy. Over the summer of 2017, a subcommittee comprised of members of IRPC and other faculty and staff members appointed by the president and director of institutional research and planning conducted an environmental scan and SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. An additional subcommittee reviewed and suggested modifications to the Colle ge’s mission and institutional values statements. After review and revision by the IRPC, vice presidents and president in fall 2017, these documents were adopted as foundational material for the development of the new strategic plan. As a first step in the development of institutional goals and objectives, IRPC asked the vice presidents of academic, clinical and student affairs and administration and finance to work with members of their governing councils and others to draft goals and objectives that reflected the mission, institutional values statements, environmental scan and SWOT analysis. In addition, the vice presidents were asked to revise and update the outcome measures in the College’s assessment plan that could be used to track implementation. The director of institutional research and planning assisted as needed to ensure an appropriate uniformity of style and rigor. The draft goals and objectives were reviewed by IRPC over a series of meetings, with comments and suggestions for improvement and clarification made to the vice presidents. Each of the vice presidents was also provided with opportunities to comment on the goals and objectives of fellow vice presidents. A draft strategic plan constituted of the revised goals and objectives was subsequ ently distributed to the faculty in preparation for the College’s annual faculty retreat.

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