Scenario planning is a tool which can help organisations and people to think about, and plan for, the long-term future. In basic terms, it involves creating a number of in-depth scenarios (stories), each of which tells of a different possible future for an organisation or issue, and considering how each different future might influence…

The diverse planning approaches used by the five institutions of higher education described in the previous five articles (HE 527 556-560) discuss the role of differences in institutional cultures and issues. Such differences must be taken into account in the design of the planning process, implementing plans, and evaluating benefits. (DB)

Planning maintenance operations for the seasons ahead results in financial benefits. (Author/MLF)

Guidelines are offered for carrying out a long-range campus improvement plan. (MLF)

Strategic planning enables colleges to direct discretionary dollars into high-impact areas that can enhance critical core activities, improving output. When the institution can disinvest financial resources in weak or noncritical core areas and redirect them through careful budgeting, it improves its chances for success. (MSE)

Offers a nine-step program to colleges and universities for selecting a consultant, including: (1) deciding what is needed; (2) evaluating in-house skills; (3) using what is available; (4) conducting research; (5) asking consulting firms key questions; (6) evaluating the information; (7) interviewing people; (8) selecting the consultant; and (9)…

Describes the process which was used at Emporia State University in the development of a five-year plan. Included are a discussion of the factors and conditions which instigated the planning, the process used, faculty involvement, and the components which were included in each department's plan. (Author/SJL)

This article presents reasons for and against in-house master planning of major college campus facilities. Examples of the in-house planning process are from Mesa State College (Colorado). Guidelines offered for in-house planning include: plan for interruptions, plan for change, identify areas where additional help is needed, get consistent data…

Offers guidelines to help colleges and universities ensure a course of telecommunications network growth and renewal, provide continuous network upgrades, and maintain a position of flexibility. Discusses focuses on principles that guide network planning and design; how to apply principles to standard building blocks and network design; voice,…

The article describes how planning was used to transform the University of Twente (The Netherlands) from a regional to an entrepreneurial national institution. Noted are contexts of Dutch higher education and history, developments since 1964, strategic development for the 1980s, planning since 1980, a strategic plan for the 1990s, and the present…

Different models of academic governance and their implications for management and leadership are examined. It is argued that the United Kingdom's universities and polytechnics have relied on increased managerialism rather than the essentially collegial cybernetic model in recent years and may have sacrificed long-term goals for short-term success.…

The second part of a two-part article addresses four key issues for higher education administrators to consider as they investigate real estate opportunities. They are (1) market feasibility; (2) development strategy; (3) financing; and (4) governance. Guidelines for innovative real estate projects even during the potentially difficult early 1990s…

In the interest of understanding the role of Chief Planning Officers (CPO) in gaining broad support for planning within an institution of higher education, this paper used a national survey of administrators to examine that role. This study, conducted by the National Center for Postsecondary Governance and Finance, involved a survey of 3,333…

Over the past 15 years, most colleges and universities have engaged in institution-wide long-range planning efforts to examine missions and future expectations. More recently, higher education institutions are adopting strategic planning approaches that move beyond setting goals and objectives to creating specific strategies to accomplish them. To…

This paper describes how various formal planning approaches were developed and applied at Pennsylvania State University. Phases (horizontal reduction, vertical reallocation, strategic planning, and strategic management) are identified as are principles including planning for change on the margins and continuity, providing for feedback, and…