Education Organizations and Events People

SCUP Update: National

Editor’s note:  “Institutions and Schools,” the focus of the upcoming March issue, includes a SCUP update. The following is a short preview.

From the desk of Mike Moss

Mike Moss._300dpi

Michael Moss

Welcome,

Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) members gather annually at their regional conferences to catch up on what’s happening at the college and universities in their region. They enjoy sharing stories about planning: what works and what doesn’t. In the spirit of collegiality, examples of both good and bad planning are shared (either as part of the program or in private conversations during social events).

SCUP members know that good planning not only saves a college or university time and money, it also can positively impact the institution’s reputation locally and worldwide.

Bad planning, on the other hand, needs to be shared and examined for lessons learned.

Everyone benefits from the honesty and transparency. In the end, the lessons learned boil down to this: Plan well and you increase your chances of producing a successful project.

Here is how SCUP defines “planning well”:

  • People. The ability to understand and identify the players who are or should be part of the planning process and their roles (in other words, everyone who is directly impacted by the project).
  • Language. The ability to use a common planning vocabulary to interpret and translate the ideas of all players.
  • Process. Learn how to create and facilitate an integrated planning process; provide guidance and leadership through all stages of planning, including managing change.
  • The plan. The ability to recognize and produce the elements of a collaborative plan that can be implemented and evaluated.
  • Planning context. The ability to collect and filter relevant information of the internal and external environment.
  • Resources. The ability to identify alternative and realistic resource strategies and align them to stated plan priorities, thus grounding the plan in fiscal realities.

SCUP believes in planning that is “integrated” (you can also use terms like “collaborative” or “coordinated,” whatever makes you comfortable).

It’s such a simple concept — sharing information during the planning process — but we all know that key conversations often don’t happen for a variety of reasons. Good planning is collaborative, transparent, and integrated!

You can learn more about integrated (collaborative, coordinated) planning by attending our annual, international conference in Chicago in July. SCUP-50 is a celebration of the society’s 50th anniversary. Our impact on higher education has been profound, thanks to our members, and we will tell the stories of the men and women who have changed education through their volunteer work at SCUP and on the job. Visit http://scupannualconference.org to learn more.

In addition to our annual, international conference, SCUP’s North Atlantic regional conference is April 12-14 at the Omni Hotel in Providence, R.I. The theme is “Plans Within Plans: Campus in Context.” The early-bird deadline for registration is February 26. Regional sponsorships are available, and walk-in registrations are welcome. Please join us!

Learn more about SCUP and how we can help you to improve your planning for the higher education environment. Visit www.scup.org.

Michael D. Moss, president at the Society for College and University Planning.