Last year, the College Governance Council approved the merger of the Institutional Planning Council and the College Budget Committee starting with the 2014-2015 academic year. The Strategic Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee (SPARC) held its first meeting on September 11, 2014.
This committee will coordinate, integrate and communicate college-wide planning and budgeting, and will make integrated planning and budget recommendations to the College Governance Council. It will meet on the second and last Thursdays of the month. The first meeting will focus on planning and will be co-chaired by Aaron McVean (Dean of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness) and Kate Browne (Academic Senate President). The second meeting will be budget focused and will be co-chaired by Kate Browne and Eloisa Briones (Vice President, Administrative Services).
District Strategic Planning
The District has embarked on a year-long strategic planning process, using the consultant services of the Voorhees Group, headed by Rick Voorhees who worked with Skyline College in 2006 on our strategic plan. A campus forum will be held on Tuesday, September 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Now perhaps more than ever, it is important for the strategic priorities of Skyline College to be communicated and reflected in the District Strategic Plan. The eventual plan should reflect the strategic direction of each of the Colleges, and at the same time will be used to provide direction to the Colleges on the strategic priorities of the District with funding aligned to the latter. The revised resource allocation model is being developed with implementation of the District Strategic Plan in mind. Additionally, when the District Strategic Plan is finalized, it will be imperative for Skyline College, and the SPARC, to review its own Strategic Plan with an eye toward any gaps in alignment. That work will be done beginning in Spring 2015 as the District plan begins to materialize.
Accreditation Follow-Up Report
Skyline College was required to submit a Follow Up report based on the Site Visit from last fall, and subsequent Reaffirmation Letter from the ACCJC. One deficiency was noted and has been addressed. The Follow Up Report will be brought to the SPARC at the Sept. 25 meeting.
Resource Allocation Model Update
Over the past year and a half, the District Committee on Budget and Finance did a thorough review and analysis of the new resource allocation model. Executive Chancellor Kathy Blackwood presented the model to various district and college governance committees to gather feedback with the goal of implementing the new model in FY 2015-2016. Last year, Kathy came to several CBC meetings to present versions of the model that Kathy changed as she received feedback and suggestions. Kathy will come to SPARC on Oct. 30 to present the most recent version of the model. The goal is to implement the new model in FY 2015-2016, so once approved by the various constituency groups, this will make be presented to the District Participatory Governance Council in late fall.
Next meeting: October 9, 2014 from 2:10 to 4:00 p.m. Room 6-203
