November 2005

Test All Things. Hold fast to that which is good. - Thessalonians 5:21

The Board of Trustees approved the current Albright College strategic plan in early 2002. Although much progress has been made, in the intervening years, the College has gone through dramatic changes, and the environment in which we carry out our mission is rapidly changing as well.

In this sesquicentennial year and the first of my presidency, it seems appropriate for us to take stock, to review and evaluate our existing plans, and to consider how to move the College forward in increasingly challenging times. The last two years have seen record incoming classes. After a number of years of financial struggles, we have achieved balanced budgets and have gained the important external endorsement of a Moodys' bond rating. We have recently completed a new stadium and received the largest gift in the history of the College, which will enable us to create a new center for fitness and well being. We are planning to break ground in the near future on a new science building and are developing plans for other much-needed facilities improvements. We continue to be recognized for our distinctive emphasis on interdisciplinary education, the strength of our academic programs, and the special relationships between our students and our faculty.

These accomplishments and strengths set the stage for the review of our current strategic plan. Much time and effort went into developing our current plan. The Commission on the Future involved input from all of our constituencies. We are currently expending much effort in the Middle States review. In any institution there is a danger that too much effort is spent in planning and not enough time in implementing the plan. Accordingly, our task is not to start with a blank slate, but to review and update the existing plan.

Our goal is to present an updated plan to the Board of Trustees for its endorsement at the October 2006 meeting. Since we strive for continuous improvement, this committee will become a standing committee charged with advising the president and the Board of Trustees on strategy.

I view this process as interactive and collaborative. There are no sacred cows. We want to build excitement and momentum. We seek to define and pursue an excellence that is uniquely our own, an excellence that is rooted in the distinctive character and historic strengths of Albright College. In order to do this we must first do the following:

• Prepare an analysis of our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.
• Identify obstacles to the strategy and solutions.
• Answer the question: Does our strategy differentiate Albright?

In addition, we must complete the following tasks:

• Review and revise as appropriate the current strategic plan adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2002.
• Develop a clear process for connecting the annual operational and capital improvement budget-making process to the priorities articulated in the strategic plan.
• Align the strategic planning process with our Middle States Review and Report.
• Develop a process and benchmarks for continuing assessment and revision of our plan.
• Engage the on-campus community as well as alumni and friends in the development, implementation, and assessment of the plan.
• Keep the Board of Trustees informed of progress through their regular meetings in March and May of 2006.
• Present the proposed completed plan to the Board for endorsement at its October 2006 meeting.