University Strategic Planning Council
In addition to the university’s interest in making progress on the new strategic plan and continuous improvement, the State Board of Education requires Boise State to report annually on strategic planning progress (State Board Policy III.I) and program prioritization continuous improvement (State Board Policy III.F). The university has developed a synchronized process for submission of required annual reporting and strategic budget requests. This synchronized submission process allows for aligned and integrated thinking about progress being made on the strategic plan, continuous improvement action items, and the funding needed to support them (both funded internally within college/division and funded through central budget requests).
University Strategic Plan Implementation Structure
The university strategic plan implementation structure is designed to ensure the strategic plan guides decision-making and prioritization within each division and cross-functional committees and activities on campus. The University Strategic Planning Council is positioned at the center of this structure and serves three essential purposes. First, it serves as a steward of the plan (not the author or decision-maker for the plan) and it facilitates a process to keep the campus responsible to the plan. Second, as the process matures, it will prepare reports based on the recommendations generated by the contributions to the plan from the divisions, cross-functional groups, and the executive team. Third, it provides regular communication to the campus about the developments and progress of the plan.
President and Executive Team | Makes prioritization and budget decisions related to the plan working with the University Strategic Planning Council and accompanying divisional and cross-functional committees. |
University Strategic Planning Council | Positioned at the center of this structure and serves three essential purposes. First, it serves as a steward of the plan (not the author or decision-maker for the plan) and it facilitates a process to keep the campus responsible to the plan. Second, as the process matures, it will prepare reports based on the recommendations generated by divisions, cross-functional groups, and the executive team. Third, it provides regular communication to the campus about the developments and progress of the plan. |
Divisional Implementation Committees | Divisional implementation committees have been formed to oversee the process by which each division organizes and prioritizes its strategic initiatives. These divisional committees track progress of divisional strategic plans as well as convene meetings with various divisional stakeholders to ensure the division's priorities and actions align with the strategic plan. Academic Affairs The divisional implementation committee is made up of the Provost, the Dean of each college, and the division's USPC liaison. All colleges, departments, Academic Affairs' units, and the Provost's Office have developed strategic plans that are reviewed and updated yearly. Progress on divisional strategic plans is communicated to all faculty and staff through the Provost's newsletter and at Deans Council meetings. Divisional priorities are identified at yearly retreats. Finance and Administration Members of the divisional leadership team meet throughout the year to establish quarterly, yearly, and 5-year goals for the division. New tactics are proposed from within the units and presented to the leadership team for review. Tactics prioritized by the leadership team are then mapped to the divisional strategic plan. Goals and implementation progress are reviewed at yearly retreats (planned structure and not yet fully implemented). Research and Economic Development The Vice President for Research and Economic Development and all direct reports make up the divisional implementation committee that meets weekly. Direct reports are responsible for tracking divisional-level tactics and metrics and unit leads are responsible for tracking unit-level tactics and metrics. Student Affairs Divisional subcommittees focus on implementation and progress on the strategic plan. Student anchors - student access, student success, student community, and employee experience - are mapped to the university's strategic plan and tactics are used to achieve the objectives of each student anchor. All units within the division submit annual reports that inform the division's strategic plan and program prioritization reporting. University Advancement The divisional implementation committee is made up of the Vice President for Advancement, Associate Vice President for Advancement Services, Associate Vice President for Alumni & Constituent Engagement, Associate Vice President for Development, and the Executive Director of the Foundation. Divisional initiatives and funding decisions are evaluated by whether they further the strategic plan. The divisional implementation committee communicates to the division at monthly divisional meetings. University Affairs The divisional implementation committee is made up of unit directors and the USPC liaison. Units within the division map priority initiatives to the university's strategic plan and report on implementation. The Vice President for University Affairs communicates regularly regarding strategic plan progress (planned structure and not yet fully implemented – University Affairs is currently undergoing organizational changes and rebuilding a structure for strategic planning implementation). |
Cross Functional University Committees | Multi-divisional teams or shared governance bodies that steward the work of the university by working across traditional “boundaries” of the university. Like the divisional implementation teams, they make recommendations to the implementation process and/or assess how their work will be shaped by the strategic plan. |
University Strategic Planning Council
The University Strategic Planning Council (USPC) is charged with the oversight for the implementation and execution of Boise State’s Strategic Plan: Blueprint for Success, 2021-2026. The USPC integrates and coordinates divisional and cross-functional committee work to provide a comprehensive approach and management of the university’s progress on the plan. The USPC aggregates data and reporting from these groups into summaries for and recommendations to President Tromp and the Executive Team. At regular intervals, the USPC updates the campus community on the progress of the plan.
USPC Membership
Andrew Finstuen | Dean, Honors College and Associate Vice President for Strategic Planning and Academic Initiatives (co-chair) |
Argia Beristain | Associate Vice President of Advancement, representing University Advancement |
Erika Anderson | Deputy Chief of Staff, representing University Affairs |
Jana LaRosa | Director of Research Development, representing Research and Economic Development |
Jeff Banka | Director of Finance and Leasing, representing Finance and Administration |
Renee Rehder | Senior Associate Director, Enrollment Services, representing Student Affairs |
Zeynep Hansen | Vice Provost for Academic Planning (co-chair), representing Academic Affairs |