As announced back in September, our College District has embarked on a strategic planning process this semester to be concluded in the spring. An initial strategy session held at Skyline College on September 30 focused on external trends.

Please join us for our next strategy session/ public forum at Skyline College:

Thursday, December 11, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Building 6, Rooms 6202-6206, Skyline College

This session will focus on internal data, and what we know about our students, programs, and students’ experiences within the District’s colleges. Topics for discussion including: changing demographics, student retention, student success, and more. Additionally, the December strategy session will provide an overview of instructional program trends and their potential connections to labor markets, overall enrollment scenarios, and the District’s competitor analysis. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the SMCCD student experience and to provide input on how the District and its colleges can improve that experience. Your participation is welcome and encouraged!

Additional background and upcoming meeting dates

The District’s Strategic Planning process has been endorsed by the Strategic Planning Taskforce and put the District on a “fast track.” It will conclude with a written plan for review by all members of the campus community in late April. The process includes strategy sessions at each college at which the data and information produced as part of this process will be considered.

The current calendar for the process is:

·        Tuesday, September 30: Initial Strategy Session at Skyline College to review Planning Assumptions, Environmental Scan and other documents – completed

·         October: Environmental Scan, Planning Assumptions and other information reviewed and posted to webpage http://smccd.edu/strategicplanning/index.php – completed

·         November/ December: Review internal and external data with Strategic Planning Taskforce

·         December:  Internal and external strategy sessions (external data). Public session at Skyline College on December 11 at 2:30 p.m..

March:  Internal and external strategy sessions (preliminary goals and strategies). Two public sessions on March 18, 2:30-4:00 p.m. and 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. (times to be confirmed)

·         Late April:  Draft strategic plan ready for review

·         Early May:  Feedback finalized. Final plan delivered. Public session at Skyline College on May 5, 2:30 -4:30 p.m.

Please join us for our upcoming sessions. Your insights, ideas and vision will help us develop a data-driven strategic plan that will allow the College District and its stakeholders to meet the challenges ahead.

If you have any questions, or would like additional information, please contact Aaron McVean, Dean of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness at (650) 738-4454 or mcveana@smccd.edu.

Article by Jennifer Owen-Blackmon with input from Rick Voorhees and Barbara Christensen