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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Planning Process

SCSU’s Strategic Plan 2007-2012

In May 2005, the Strategic Planning Committee completed its two-year journey of revising its strategic planning documents and identifying performance measures to be used to measure its progress toward goal achievement. The strategic plan consists of five strategic themes:

  • Academic Distinction
  • Service Community
  • University Community Relations
  • Diversity & Social Justice
  • Technology

The planning committee identified goals, objectives and performance measures for each theme. Together, the five theme documents make up St. Cloud State University’s strategic plan.

In Fall 2006, the planning committee began using a balanced scorecard process to evaluate the plan and to identify those strategic objectives that were most critical for success.

What is a balanced scorecard?

A balanced scorecard is a tool that organizations can use to continuously improve its programs and services and ensure that it is responding to the changing needs of those it serves. More specifically, the process:

  • Is a strategic management system for establishing and communicating an organization’s vision, mission, and strategy to stakeholders and employees, and for aligning day-to-day work to the strategy.
  • Provides a disciplined framework for planning and measuring strategy, as viewed from different dimensions, or perspectives, of organizational performance.
  • Uses performance measures to monitor progress, provide guidance in budgeting, and better inform strategic decision making.

Source:  Balanced Scorecard Institute

Balanced scorecard process

The balanced scorecard process was originally developed in the early 1990s as a model for businesses to monitor financial and non-financial performance. The process has been fully adapted to help government and non-profit organizations and universities both manage their strategy and focus on continuous improvement.

The SCSU planning committee elected to use the process because it helped them maintain a balance between strategy and operations. It will allow the University to:

  • Align its mission and vision with the needs of our students and external stakeholders
  • Manage and evaluate our strategic priorities;
  • Monitor our operations;
  • Link our strategic priorities with budget;
  • Build our organizational capacity for innovation and growth
  • Improve programs and services; and
  • Communicate our priorities and performance with our internal and external communities.