LEVEL I and II STRATEGIC PLANS
In April 2003, ULM President James E. Cofer initiated the strategic planning process with a two-day strategic planning seminar, which was facilitated by a national strategic planning expert. Afterward, and in consultation with the college Deans and the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the President appointed a Steering Committee to lead the fourteen task forces that were planned. Two ULM students were also named to the Steering Committee itself. In the days following these appointments, total membership on the strategic planning task forces grew to more than 125 members. Each task force then received its charge in successive meetings with the President and the outside facilitator, and the process was underway.
With the completion of the Level I and II Strategic Plan, the University has a primary guide for the next five years. This plan will provide direction for many institution initiatives, the allocation of resources, and University assessment.
The plan itself is not the end result. Under the leadership of President Cofer, ULM has formalized a broad, inclusive, public process that is to be ongoing, comprehensive, and dynamic. ULM now possesses a participatory planning process that will connect decision-making on every level to a larger plan. This process will be repeated in five-year increments, thus ensuring a consistent pattern of involvement in university planning.
2007 - 2012 STRATEGIC PLANS
The development of 2007-2012 strategic plan began in September 2007 in a meeting with Dr. Cofer. A drafting committee of five individuals (Eric Pani, Jeff Cass, Richard Hood, Stan Williamson, and Ken Clow) was formed to begin work on the new strategic plan. Input was provided from each of the Vice-Presidents. Using this information and material from the previous strategic plan, an initial draft was developed.
When the first draft was completed, the drafting team met with the President’s Cabinet to review the plan with each of the administrators at the division and vice-president level. Modifications were made. The strategic plan then went to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee for further refinement.
The next step was to develop action plans and tactics for each objective that would begin at the division level and filter all the way down to individual faculty and staff. Five subcommittees were formed in November 2007 to develop the initial list. This initial list is now being refined through various meetings with faculty and staff.
