Senate stragegic planning

Date: May 15, 2004

Senate stragegic planning

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: formerprof
"I have been thinking about the President's directive to the Faculty Senate to produce a strategic plan by July 5. If charged with overseeing this task, I would want to be sure that the Senate's strategic plan is consistent with the mission, goals, objectives, strategies, etc. of the University. Moreover, I would want the plan to be consistent with the recognized responsibilities of the Senate. Thus, before beginning work, I would request from President Thames a copy of the University's current strategic plan. The strategic plan available on USM's website is dated Spring 1999 and is signed by Horace W. Fleming. Surely, Dr. Thames's apparent penchant for strategic planning means that he has produced an annually updated plan for the time he has been president. I would also like to review the written organizational responsibilities of the Faculty Senate to assure that the plan is consistent with the Senate's charge. Unfortunately, the Faculty Handbook, which should supply this information, is not currently available. Thus, my response to the President would be that when the foregoing documents are available, the Senate would be glad to begin work on a planning process. "

I think your sage is advice coincides quite nicely with current thinking within the Senate. There are some excellent thinkers there and I know they are formulating a very measured response taking into account already existing mission statements, etc.

Ironic that Horace had a strategic plan process and then underway and up and running and we are currently "moving forward" lots of disconnected action that doesn't seem to have a coherant plan that has been shared in all sectors of the university.

Date: May 15, 2004

Formerprof apologizes for misspelling "strategic" in the thread title.

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: formerprof
"...I would also like to review the written organizational responsibilities of the Faculty Senate to assure that the plan is consistent with the Senate's charge. Unfortunately, the Faculty Handbook, which should supply this information, is not currently available.
... "

Good ideas formerprof, except the info for the FacSen IS available. I quote their conctitution below:

Article 1 Name and Purpose

Section 101
The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Senate, hereafter referred to in this document as the Senate.

Section 102
The Senate shall provide for the faculty both a forum and a voice and so allow it to assert for the general welfare of the University its distinctive viewpoint and principles.

So, as formerprof points out, all we need is Shelby's Strategic PLAN.

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Otherside
" Good ideas formerprof, except the info for the FacSen IS available. I quote their conctitution below: Article 1 Name and Purpose Section 101 The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Senate, hereafter referred to in this document as the Senate. Section 102 The Senate shall provide for the faculty both a forum and a voice and so allow it to assert for the general welfare of the University its distinctive viewpoint and principles. So, as formerprof points out, all we need is Shelby's Strategic PLAN. "

I knew the Faculty Senate information was available somewhere--just thought it worthwhile to make a point about the availability (or lack thereof) of a Faculty Handbook.

Date: May 15, 2004

RE: Senate strategic planning

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: NoGnome
"The current, in-effect faculty handbook is available at http://www.usm.edu/pubs/fachbook/index.htm ."

NoGnome,

Thanks for the link. I had accessed USM's website, looked at the Faculty Handbook link under "Publications," and found that there is presently no information available.

Is the current handbook "operational'? For example, the contents for the link you provided describes the old administrative structure, not the five-college arrangement that now exists. Of course, Thames announced the new structure "only" 15 months ago.

In any event, having an up-to-date and useful Faculty Handbook does not seem to be as high a prioity for the admistration as the senate strategic-planning process described in the memo.

USM in these and many other respects seems woefully short of meeting SACS's expectations for measuring and assuring "institutional effectiveness." As the IHL looks at Thames's performance, this situation should be of great concern.

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: formerprof
" . . . In any event, having an up-to-date and useful Faculty Handbook does not seem to be as high a prioity for the admistration as the senate strategic-planning process described in the memo. . . "

Actually, having an up to date and useful (for the administration) handbook actually was quite a high priority -- so high a priority it quietly got rid of the previous faculty handbook committee and brought in Jack Hanbury to rewrite the handbook. That was one of the sources of last spring's brouhaha when there was very serious talk of a no confidence vote in April.

Hanbury actually sat in an open Senate meeting and listened to 45 minutes of discussion among senators (many of whom did not know what had happened -- and no one knew who Jack Hanbury was). He finally was forced to identify himself when he stood to take issue with the Senate's going into closed session (and by forced I mean he had to be questioned and his identify dragged fromhim because he did not volunteer it.)

It was not an auspicious way for the new Risk Manager to start a relationship with the Senate -- but then again I'm sure he was delivering a not so subtle message about who was in charge (especially noteworthy in light of his leaked email to the Deans).

Date: May 15, 2004

RE: Senate stragegic planning

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"I still think it's ironic that Hanbury didn't even bother to rewrite the provision according to which Angie Dvorak is ineligible to evaluate anyone for tenure or promotion."

Because he didn't think anyone would split hairs between "tenured at" & "tenured under the auspices of", maybe?

Date: May 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: formerprof
Thus, before beginning work, I would request from President Thames a copy of the University's current strategic plan. The strategic plan available on USM's website is dated Spring 1999 and is signed by Horace W. Fleming. Surely, Dr. Thames's apparent penchant for strategic planning means that he has produced an annually updated plan for the time he has been president."

How is the SACS self-study proceeding without a strategic plan? How are all those questions about planning & evaluation going to be answered? Must be a tough row to hoe being a self-study director at USM right now.