Seton Hall recently released its third strategic plan ahead of the upcoming accreditation visit in 2014, according to Associate Provost Dr. Greg Burton. Burton, who also serves as dean for research and graduate studies, said the previous two strategic plans at Seton Hall were created and published in 1996 and 2006.
"While the University continued to operate strategically before we had the first plan and during times between plans, more and more often universities are employing strategic plans as tools to gather and organize thoughts, ideas, concerns and priorities, and focus energies and resources toward goals," Burton said. In addition, the accrediting body that will visit Seton Hall in 2014, the Middle States Commission, will likely want to see that the University has a method for judging progress on the strategic plan's goals, Burton said.
"To this end, there was a meeting a few weeks ago to discuss proposals for a regular assessment process for the Strategic Plan," Burton said. According to Burton Seton Hall will likely create a strategic plan on a regular basis due to the growing trend in academics. The current plan, which is called "From Strength to Strength," has six major categories.
Burton said all of the plan is really directed toward students.
Burton said because of the plan's focus on students, past Student Government Association presidents have taken part in plan's creation. "The President of SGA was a member of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee and three consecutive SGA presidents served during these phases of developing the plan," he said.
Some of the plan's specific goals also reveal a focus on students, Burton said, citing an intention to enhance the library and the "campus experience for both resident and commuter students." Another goal of "Strength to Strength," is to renovate the University Center, as previously reported by The Setonian.
According to an article on the Seton Hall website, the University's previous plan, the sesquicentennial strategic plan, was needed to identify the University's priorities. Catholic faith and the educational environment are focuses of both plans.
Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct the following error: Current SGA President Derel Stroud did not work on the strategic plan. The last SGA president to be involved with the strategic plan was Leonard Jones. The Setonian regrets this error.
Caitlin Carroll can be reached at caitlin.carroll@student.shu.edu.
