Advancing Student Affairs: The Division Embarks on Strategic Planning with Huron Consulting

The Division of Student Affairs is working with Huron Consulting to revise and update the mission, strategic vision and organizational structure of the division.

"We have not revised our mission, vision, values and organizational structure in several years," said Jeremy Battjes, vice chancellor for Student Affairs. "Our goal with this process, we are calling Advancing Student Affairs, is to strategically serve our students in more effective and efficient means."

While the U of A as a whole works towards goals and objectives for the 150 Forward Strategic Plan, the Division of Student Affairs is working to create strategies and tactics to meet the desired objectives. Huron Consulting Group, which is already working with campus on various projects, has been engaged to help the division meet the needs of a growing and diversifying student population.

Desired outcomes of this project include: 

1. Having clear and unifying strategic vision, mission and goals that center the student experience articulated through a strategic plan;
2. Being intentionally aligned with the student success priorities of the university; and
3. Having a student-centered organizational structure that elevates responsiveness to student needs.

The process with Huron is being conducted in four phases. The first phase was setting up a steering committee and making data requests; phase two is taking a current assessment of the state of the division by conducting focus groups and individual interviews with staff and students; phase three is to develop a strategic planning framework for the division; and phase four will be looking at possible realignments within the division for greater efficiencies and ways to better serve students.

"We are entering phase three of the plan, as the consultants have conducted dozens of individual interviews as well as multiple focus groups in their information gathering portion of the plan," Battjes said. 

"I think a lot of people are excited about this project because we know it's an opportunity to determine where we should focus our efforts over the next five to seven years and how we should be aligned to maximize resources and collaboration," said Erin Butler, chief of staff for the Division of Student Affairs. "Our ability to impact the student experience and student success will be enhanced by having some specific themes to focus on. And we plan to identify metrics to help us know how we're doing, so we can adjust as needed."