MU-Middle States Self-Study: Chapter 2. Institutional Planning: Mission, Goals, and Effectiveness

Chapter 2. Institutional Planning: Mission, Goals, and Effectiveness
The Millersville University Strategic Plan

Millersville's strategic plan consists of its mission, vision, and institutional goals. The mission (Appendix 2-1), approved by the Council of Trustees in 1993, describes our essential character, our values, our primary constituents, what makes us distinctive compared to peers and competitors, and our fundamental priorities. It is designed to last five to ten years. The vision (Appendix 2-2), approved by the Council of Trustees in 1998, describes our major aims. It is designed to be a work in progress under continual modification in response to a rapidly changing environment. It has six themes:

Strong, responsive student programs for academic and personal growth;
Information technology;
Equity, fairness, and inclusiveness;
Community service;
Effective management; and
Resource development.

Appendix 2-3 shows the relationship between the State System's Imperatives and our vision's themes.

The University mission and vision were developed by the Strategic Planning and Resource Council (SPARC), a broadly representative group of faculty, student, staff, administrative, and trustee leadership chaired by the President and assisted by the University's chief planning officer, the Assistant to the President for Special Projects. SPARC developed these statements in consultation with the University community and submitted them to the Council of Trustees for final endorsement.

The President's Advisory Council (cabinet) develops the University's institutional goals (Appendix 2-4), designed to achieve our vision. Since 1995, the University moved from an annual goal-setting process to a biennial process. In 1999, partly in response to input from the team drafting this chapter, the University moved to a "rolling" goal-setting process, in which institutional goals are revisited annually but not necessarily revised every year. Current guidelines for establishing institutional goals are given in Appendix 2-5.