The University Planning and Priorities Council (UPPC) is comprised of 32 members representing faculty, staff, administration and the Board of Trustees who are knowledgeable about Appalachian's campus and higher education in general as well as creative in their approach to problem-solving. The council is chaired by Provost Lori Gonzalez.
The Council's Charge
The UPPC will participate in the strategic planning process by assisting and advising the Board of Trustees, chancellor, provost and vice chancellors in developing forward-thinking actions to achieve the mission and vision of Appalachian State University by:
- Identifying potential priorities for the campus to protect and enhance the academic core
- Revising the university-wide strategic plan
- Recommending criteria, principles and processes for resource allocation in support of the strategic plan
- Monitoring success in achieving intended outcomes, and recommending changes to the Strategic Plan as needed following annual review
Review Progress on Past and Future Plans
UPPC will review data from Appalachian's Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning office and identify areas in need of resources to meet the goals of the strategic plan.
The Council will:
- Identify strategies to ensure the university maintains ongoing focus on the plan
- Identify ways to integrate the planning efforts with assessment and budgeting processes
Assist in the Development of New Strategic Plan [2013 ~ 2018]
The Council will lay the framework for the development of a new strategic plan. Activities will include:
- Appointing committees to develop initiatives and indicators of success;
- Pre-selecting a limited number of strategic priorities (e.g. Learning | Scholarship | Engagement | Effectiveness);
- Determining the end product desired (e.g. whether a new plan should include core metrics; how the plan will be assessed in an ongoing way; what approach to mission/vision revision is needed; whether a SWOT analysis or statement of core values is necessary/helpful; where accountability for objectives will lie).
Assessment
The group should also develop a framework for assessing progress toward the Strategic Plan which emphasizes the importance of (a) multiple measures for any given objective or priority, (b) combining quantitative metrics and qualitative indicators, and (c) minimizing the staff time devoted to such measurements.