I have been employed at schools where plans were made, some carried out others scrapped for expansions and one time even moving location due to space constraints. Well the move has not happened 3 years later, but the other campus did expand at their location. Cash flow had a lot to do with what gets done and when. With enrollments down at one campus they were unable to finance the move, at the other campus enrollments were better and so the monies to expand were provided. Also it cost more to move a whole campus as opposed expanding at an existing location.
Roselyn,
This is a very good example of the challenges of a Plan. Hopefully school leadership will have several brainstorming sessions to determine what went wrong and how to head off similar problems in the future. There are always surprises but these seem pretty big! Cash flow is usually a major issue. What can be done next time to budget more effectively? What can be done to put marketing plans in place to meet enrollment goals? We believe in looking briefly at what went wrong but spend most time on how to be sure things go right the next time. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Our current plan includes higher enrollment goals however these plans require additional human resources to support existing functions. Our budget is a constraint so we've had to adjust our plans. As a result, we've purposefully slowed enrollment by slowing our marketing so that our existing team can meet the needs of our existing student population, which contains less students than was planned for.
A contingency that a strategic plan may include is a dynamic staffing plan that adjusts to the current situation of the business.
A contingency may also be the level to which we market.
Lisa,
The focus on student enrollment is important. This means admitting only qualified students who have a clear understanding of the workplace and job demands. You are correct that there needs to be sufficient faculty and staff to support student success. You might look to alumni to provide the missing time and talent. Alumni love to volunteer their time to schools they love. MaxKnowledge has a course to tell you how.
Dr. Susan Schulz
I have worked with a few organizations that have developed a comprehensive plan that required more resources than originally or initially expected. In those situations, we strategically condensed the size and scope of the project and isolate it to the variables and essentials that would positively impact regulatory or necessary organizational needs. This strategy allowed for improvements and continual productive and progressive momentum without deterring the organization from taking profound action.
One and a half years ago I was thrust into the position of interim program director for massage therapy at a community college in Illinois. One of the first meetings I had to attend was a committee already in place to develop a comprehensive plan to increase enrollment for the massage therapy program. It is interesting that the meeting was funded by a grant called Pathway to Results. The grant provided for the necessary resources that were determined by the committee to be required that were not covered by the existing budget. The committee was comprised of high school counselors, local employers, public members, faculty members from other successful health career programs, the health careers dean and me. Data regarding the demographics of massage therapy students from our program was gathered and analyzed in many different ways using manpower from our in house Six Sigma team. My experience with the Pathway to Result grant process would persuade me to say that it is a great contingency which would allow for adjustments especially in unforeseen expenses as a plan is implements. Furthermore, the PTR process is very helpful in practical application of developing a comprehensive plan if one does not have experience developing a plan.
