Strategic Planning

Phase I – Research and Discovery, January – March 2023

After kicking off the strategic planning process at our convocation meeting in January, faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to participate in various listening sessions to share their thoughts on priorities in the next strategic plan. For those who are unable or not interested in sharing feedback in a live session, there are additional opportunities for participation through surveys and individual feedback forms.

How to Get Involved

• Participate in a listening Locations, dates, and targeted audiences are listed below.
• Complete the Gaston College Strategic Planning – General Survey that was sent out in late January.
• Students will complete the Student Satisfaction Survey between February 1 and February 15, 2023.
• Invite a member of the Strategic Planning Committee to facilitate a brief conversation at your advisory board, department, committee, or division meeting
• Facilitate a strategic planning discussion or activity (examples in this booklet) within your department and share feedback with the Email feedback from this discussion to strategicplan@gaston.edu
• Email individual suggestions to strategicplan@gaston.edu

Phase II: Mission and Vision Evaluation – April – May 2023

In April, the Strategic Planning Committee will begin a review of the College’s Mission and Vision statements. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) core requirement 2.1 requires that: The institution has a clearly defined, comprehensive, and published mission specific to the institution and appropriate for higher education. The mission addresses teaching and learning and, where applicable, research and public service. In addition, Principle of Accreditation 4.2.a states that: The governing board ensures the regular review of the institution’s mission. To meet these standards, Gaston College reviews the mission as part of every strategic planning process.

How to Get Involved

• Continue to send ideas and feedback to strategicplan@gaston.edu. We will monitor the email for feedback during the entire planning
• Invite a member of the Strategic Planning Committee to facilitate a brief conversation at your advisory board, department, committee, or division meeting concerning the College Mission and Vision statements.

Phase III: Identify Themes and Drafting, June – August 2023

In June, the Strategic Planning Committee will begin to organize and analyze the information gathered in the research and discovery phase. We will identify themes and begin drafting the strategic plan based on the ideas and feedback from Gaston College community. At this stage, we will also share data and analysis with the Board of Trustees to gain their insight into our planning and drafting process.

How to Get Involved

• Continue to send ideas and feedback to strategicplan@gaston.edu. We will monitor the email for feedback during the entire planning
• Invite a member of the Strategic Planning Committee to facilitate a brief conversation at your advisory board, department, committee, or division meeting that was not able to be scheduled in Phase I.

Phase IV: Feedback and Revisions, September – October 2023

Once the first draft is written, the Strategic Planning Committee will share it with the Gaston College community for additional feedback. In this second round of feedback, faculty, staff, students, and community members will be asked to read the draft and identify areas the committee has missed, overemphasized, or underemphasized in the drafting process. The committee will also share the areas where we heard feedback from the community that are not included in the plan draft and why they may not be a strategic priority at this time. After receiving additional feedback from the community, we will make revisions and finalize the plan.

How to Get Involved

• Read the draft when it is shared with the campus
• Participate in a feedback session to share thoughts on the draft and areas for improvement.
• Complete the online draft feedback form and submit it to the
• Email individual suggestions to strategicplan@gaston.edu.

Phase V: Final Plan Approval – November 2023

After multiple rounds of feedback and drafting, the committee will present the final version of the strategic plan to the Board of Trustees for approval. Upon Board approval, the College will share the plan with the community and prepare for implementation.

How to Get Involved

• Share the plan with your team and begin having discussions about the ways your team will work towards the objectives of the new plan. Our goal is for every area to see themselves in some parts of the new plan, but not that every area will be working on each individual theme or objective. You may also start thinking about ways to align your area’s annual planning with the strategic plan.