AN INTEGRATED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR AUC

Planning and Budgeting for 2012-2014

Brian MacDougall, VP for Planning and AdministrationMonday, September 20, 2010

What is Integrated Planning?The process of effectively coordinating all planning,

budgeting, and assessment activities, throughout every level of the university, to achieve AUC’s mission and strategic goals.– It is participatory and includes all stakeholders and

departments.– It assumes accountability, continuous improvement, ongoing

communication and feedback, and regular system checks to monitor progress.

– Planning values: Accountability, Best Practices, Community, Consultation, Transparency

AUC’s Mission

The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a premier English-language institution of higher learning. The university is committed to teaching and research of the highest caliber, and offers exceptional liberal arts and professional education in a cross-cultural environment. AUC builds a culture of leadership, lifelong learning, continuing education and service among its graduates, and is dedicated to making significant contributions to Egypt and the international community in diverse fields. Chartered and accredited in the United States and Egypt, it is an independent, not-for-profit, equal-opportunity institution. AUC upholds the principles of academic freedom and is dedicated to excellence.

AUC’s Vision

• Our vision is to be a world-class university internationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in teaching, research, creative expression and service.– We will build on our existing strengths to become the

leading university in the Middle East and the destination of choice for students and faculty members from around the world seeking in-depth cultural exposure combined with outstanding academic programs, cutting-edge research and an ethically-engaged, diverse community of scholars.

AUC’s Values

• Excellence• Diversity• Social Responsibility• Integrity• Lifelong Learning

AUC’s Values (cont.)• Excellence

– We continually strive to be among the best in all we do: in teaching, research, creative expression, service to our communities and service to each other in our daily interactions.

• Diversity– We seek to treat all individuals with dignity and

fairness and to promote understanding and respect for diversity of perspectives, traditions, and experiences.

AUC’s Values (cont.)• Social Responsibility

– We are committed to exploring the challenges that confront Egypt, the region and the world and to using our intellectual and creative capabilities to address these challenges, serve our communities and have a positive and sustainable impact on development, business, the environment and society.

AUC’s Values (cont.)• Integrity

– We believe that individuals are accountable for their actions, and, as members of a community, our individual actions have an impact on others. We are stronger as a community when we reflect on the consequences of our decisions and actions, and uphold the principles of academic integrity, including fairness, accountability, and honesty.

• Lifelong Learning– We believe that the pursuit of knowledge,

understanding, and personal and professional development should continue throughout one’s lifetime.

AUC’s Five Strategic Goals

1. Educational Excellence2. Research Impact3. Global Experience4. Community Service5. Institutional Quality

Progress to Date• “Transforming AUC: A Strategic Plan for Excellence 2011-2013”

developed and made available on website and in hard copy.– http://www.aucegypt.edu/about/PlanBudg/Documents/TRANSFORM

ING_AUC_vMay2010.pdf• For each of the five strategic goals, key objectives and strategies

have been identified from school/area/unit plans and planning fora.

– Work is underway to identify benchmarks and assign responsibility for each objective/strategy.

– First progress report due at the end of Spring semester• Last year’s revised process more closely integrated planning,

resource allocation, and assessment.– More than 200 planning units participated.– Decisions were made to invest in areas that would help AUC achieve

its goals.

Progress to Date (cont.)• Critical areas at AUC are developing integrated strategic

plans to improve institutional effectiveness: Enrollment Management, IT, HR, Facilities and Operations/Space Utilization, Institutional Advancement, Finance, Assessment.

• The Provost is developing a faculty plan and setting academic priorities over the strategic planning period.

• The Board of Trustees has established three planning committees to look at AUC’s strategic positioning, faculty development, and community outreach.

Planning Assumptions for 2012

• Goal of this year’s cycle is to advance our goals and objectives, assess our progress, refresh budgets, and adjust the plan as needed.

• Outcome: Updated three-year plan, 2012 budget to execute the plan, community-wide affirmation of objectives.

• Need for sustainability

Planning Assumptions for 2012

• Review current budgets to reallocate/ rationalize resources to achieve goals

• Approved initiatives for 2011 that required only 2011 funding will be backed out for 2012 base budgets.

• No cost center should submit a budget in SAP whose total is in excess of FY11 allocations.

Planning Process: Setting Priorities

All units will be automatically allocated FY11 budgets.

All units will be in one of three categories:1. Steady State:

Base budget is FY11, automatically entered by Budget Office. Do not add inflation – Budget Office will do that. Budgets are capped at FY11 levels. Units are encouraged to reallocate funds within service and

supply lines and between cost centers to achieve goals. Reallocations between cost centers must be documented in a

planning matrix. No new (add’l) capital equipment requests. Try to defer

replacement. No new staff position requests

Planning Process: Setting Priorities

2. Invited Submissions Can submit well-documented proposals for new

allocations that further AUC’s strategic goals. May request funds through planning matrix. Must have strategic plan and assessment plan (on

file with OIR) to be eligible. Units invited to submit proposals:

Institutional Advancement International student recruitment Office of the Provost – faculty salaries and benefits Human Resources – staff salaries and benefits Office of Institutional Research Office of the Core Curriculum School of Global Affairs and Public Policy

Planning Process: Setting Priorities

3. Generators of External Revenue Units with sources of external revenue and which

generate income External sources must cover the cost of the

allocation or fall within revenue retention policy Must submit through planning matrices, must

further AUC’s strategic goals Must have a strategic plan and an assessment plan

(on file with OIR) to be eligible.

Web Interface for Planning Matrix

Authorized users log on with their AUC email username and password.

Comments or suggestions?

Click here.

Web Interface for Planning Matrix

All the units for which you are authorized to enter budget information will appear here.

Web Interface for Planning Matrix

Planning Process1. Refresh and review your cost center’s planning priorities (top 3

is a good start)2. Update your strategic and assessment plans3. Brainstorm proposals for new initiatives, ways to strengthen

current programs, areas that can be reduced or eliminated4. ID opportunities to reallocate existing funds to support these

initiatives5. Adjust your budget in SAP as needed. DO NOT increase your

overall budget, DO NOT add inflation.6. Document adjustments and proposals through planning

matrices7. Submit your SAP budget and, if required, planning matrices

according to timeline8. Await approval, provide add’l documentation to your chair or

unit director, dean, or area head as needed.

TimelineActivity Deadline

Communication of Planning and Budgeting Guidelines, Planning Kickoff September 20, 2010

Information sessions/training/consultation September 23 – 30, 2010

Unit-level deadline (VERSION 5) October 18, 2010

Planning Forum for community input into directions for the strategic goals October 31 – November 4, 2010

School-level deadline (VERSION 4) November 15, 2010

Area-level deadline (VERSION 3) December 14, 2010

Initial Budget Committee reviews January 9-13, 2011

New initiatives move into SAP January 23, 2011

Iterative Budget Committee review February 1 -- March 15, 2011

First draft of updated strategic plan March 17, 2011

Budget aligned with strategic goals and initiatives shared with BOT April 2011

Approval of strategic plan and budget by the BOT May 2011

Communication of approved plan and budget for the 2011 year June 2011

Beginning of the new academic year September 2011

Review of plans and progress – planning cycle repeats

Planning Resources Integrated Planning and Budgeting Committee

Representatives will meet with planning units to review the planning process and answer questions.

Institutional Research Will provide data and technical assistance in planning and assessment as

needed. AUC Planning and Budgeting Central website

Located under “About AUC”, “Governance and Administration” , “Policies” on AUC’s website.

Budget memo, planning assumptions, downloadable templates, links to blog http://www.aucegypt.edu/about/PlanBudg/Pages/Home.aspx

AUC Planning blog -- FutureTalk For community input into activities and directions related to our six strategic

goals – tell us what you think AUC should do to achieve its goals: http://aucplanning.blogspot.com/

planning@aucegypt.edu Email us if you need assistance or have questions.

AUC Planning and Budgeting Central

FutureTalk

Questions?

• If you have any questions or need any assistance, contact us at:– planning@aucegypt.edu