strategically managing your office and planning for the future

Strategically Managing your Office and Planning

for the FutureEmily Lucio, DirectorEmily Lucio, Director

Disability Support ServicesDisability Support ServicesThe Catholic University of AmericaThe Catholic University of America

Program GoalsProgram Goalsto provide participants a foundation of information and best practices in managing a disability services program

to provide participants with information about how to plan for the future while maintaining the office and services on a day to day basis.

PlanningPlanning to Plan to PlanWhat is Strategic Planning?What is Strategic Planning?

Proactive problem solving done in Proactive problem solving done in advance of advance of taking action; is ongoingtaking action; is ongoing

Why Do Strategic Planning?Why Do Strategic Planning?

Provides a framework for actionProvides a framework for action

Provides development and organizationProvides development and organization

Provides better understanding of Provides better understanding of environmentenvironment

Provides focus on needs served versus Provides focus on needs served versus services offeredservices offered

Strategic Strategic Planning StepsPlanning Steps


Step II A: Develop Values StatementStep II A: Develop Values Statement

What values do you consider to be important- usually relate to performance, people, process

Decisions are values based (Personal values, Decisions are values based (Personal values, Team values, Departmental values, Team values, Departmental values, Organizational values)Organizational values)

What do we value? (Performance, People, What do we value? (Performance, People, Process)Process)

VALUES STATEMENTS

Example #1: The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) values providing an equal opportunity to all members of the CUA community.

Example #2: DSS staff adhere to the following values: Customer-focused. Students are the center of our service design and delivery, and allocation of human and fiscal resources.Anticipatory. DSS uses feedback from our customers and partners on all levels to guide our thinking, planning, policies, and practices.Collaborative. DSS values internal and external partnerships.Results-oriented. DSS emphasizes accountability and measures its work by the highest standards

Example #3: DSS values a diverse community and embraces the unique characteristics of students with disabilities. Through community partnership, academic accommodations, and services to students with disabilities, DSS excels at the inclusion of all students as they obtain their educational goals.


Step II B: Develop Mission StatementStep II B: Develop Mission Statement

Reason you are in existence-follows values statement, answers what functions are performed, for whom the functions are performed, how and why

Answers four questionsAnswers four questions

What function(s) are performedWhat function(s) are performedFor whom are these functions performedFor whom are these functions performedHow are these functions fulfilledHow are these functions fulfilledWhy is the group (organization) in existenceWhy is the group (organization) in existence

Mission Mission StatementsStatements

Example #1Example #1What: Evaluation, consultation, awareness, services, What: Evaluation, consultation, awareness, services, accommodationsaccommodationsWhom: Students with disabilitiesWhom: Students with disabilitiesHow: Direct Services, training and consultationHow: Direct Services, training and consultationWhy: Equal opportunity for all persons with disabilities. Why: Equal opportunity for all persons with disabilities. Programmatically and physically accessible campus Programmatically and physically accessible campus environment.environment.

Example #2Example #2The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) supports The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) supports the missions of the Dean of Students and the University by the missions of the Dean of Students and the University by providing programs and services designed to support and providing programs and services designed to support and encourage the integration of students with disabilities into encourage the integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream of the university community. DSS the mainstream of the university community. DSS coordinates support services for students with all types of coordinates support services for students with all types of diagnosed disabilities. diagnosed disabilities.


Example #3Example #3The mission of the Office of Disability Services is to The mission of the Office of Disability Services is to provide each student with a disability an equal provide each student with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in the university's opportunity to participate in the university's programs and activities. This mission is accomplished programs and activities. This mission is accomplished by: by: 1. Creating a physically accessible, programmatically 1. Creating a physically accessible, programmatically accessible and attitudinally accessible community accessible and attitudinally accessible community where people are judged on their abilities, not their where people are judged on their abilities, not their disabilities. disabilities. 2. Promoting the development of a climate for 2. Promoting the development of a climate for everyone at the university that is conducive to everyone at the university that is conducive to learning, personal growth, acceptance, and learning, personal growth, acceptance, and appreciation of everyone without regard to disability.appreciation of everyone without regard to disability.


Example #4

The Center's mission is to assist in creating an accessible university community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of the educational environment. We cooperate through partnerships with students, faculty, and staff to promote students' independence and to ensure recognition of their abilities, not disabilities.

Example #5

The mission of The Office for Disability Services is to collaborate with and empower students who have disabilities in order to coordinate support services and programs that enable equal access to an education and university life.


Step II C: Develop Vision StatementStep II C: Develop Vision Statement

Idealized self-imageIdealized self-image

Forward lookingForward looking

View of the futureView of the future

Provides sense of pride and purposeProvides sense of pride and purpose

Instills sense of uniqueness and Instills sense of uniqueness and teamworkteamwork

Promotes growthPromotes growth

Vision StatementsVision StatementsExample #1

Disability Support Services strives to provide •A universally accessible environment to all members of The Catholic University of America (CUA) campus community. •An environment where all offices and departments share the responsibility of providing an equal opportunity to students with disabilities. •A community where everyone is recognized for their ability to be a contributing member.

Example #2Our vision is a university community where a disability is neutral; a community where services are integrated throughout the university such that only unique and uncommon accommodations and services are provided through the Center. We envision a university where the enrollment of students with disabilities is comparable to the occurrence of disability in the general population.

Example #3The Disability Resource Center envisions a university community that values disability culture and ensures full participation.


Step III Performance ReviewStep III Performance Review

Identify services providedIdentify services provided

Identify stakeholdersIdentify stakeholders

Analyze internal strengths and Analyze internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities weaknesses and external opportunities and threats (SWOT)and threats (SWOT)

What is the reality of todayWhat is the reality of today

SWOT Annalysis SWOT Annalysis Use this tool to help analyze internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats of and to your department

Strengths:What advantages does your office have over other DS offices?What do you do better than anyone else?What unique or lowest-cost resources can you draw upon that others can't?What do people in your market see as your strengths?

SWOT AnnalysisSWOT AnnalysisWeaknesses:

What could you improve?What should you avoid?What are people in other DS offices likely to see as weaknesses?What factors impact your retention of students?

Opportunities:What good opportunities can you spot?What interesting trends are you aware of?Useful opportunities can come from such things as:

Changes in technology and markets on both a broad and narrow scale.Changes in government policy related to your field.Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle changes, and so on.

SWOT AnnalysisSWOT AnnalysisThreats

What obstacles does your office face?

What are your competitors doing?

Are quality standards or specifications for your job, products or services changing?

Is changing technology threatening your position?

Do you have bad debt or cash-flow problems?

Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your business?

PEST AnalysisPEST AnalysisWhen looking at opportunities and threats, PEST Analysis can help to ensure that you don't overlook external factors, such as new government regulations, or technological changes in your industry.

PEST AnalysisFirst, brainstorm the relevant factors that apply to you, using the prompts below.Second, identify the information that applies to these factors.Third, draw conclusions from this information.

PoliticalEconomicSocial-CulturalTechnological


STEP IV: Gap AnalysisSTEP IV: Gap Analysis

Compare the reality of today with the Compare the reality of today with the visionvision

Can the gap(s) be closed?Can the gap(s) be closed?

What is needed to close the gap(s)?What is needed to close the gap(s)?

Establish goalsEstablish goals

Consider impact to stakeholdersConsider impact to stakeholders

Develop initiatives or strategies to meet Develop initiatives or strategies to meet goalsgoals


STEP V: Action PlanningSTEP V: Action Planning

Prioritize goalsPrioritize goals

Develop timelines for goals and Develop timelines for goals and initiativesinitiatives

Make assignmentsMake assignments

Educate entire groupEducate entire group

Encourage participationEncourage participation


STEP VI: ImplementationSTEP VI: Implementation

Present and market plan with due respect Present and market plan with due respect of its importanceof its importance

Anticipate potential reactions and prepare Anticipate potential reactions and prepare responsesresponses

Establish monitoring or tracking of progressEstablish monitoring or tracking of progress

Keep plan in the forefront with scheduled Keep plan in the forefront with scheduled progress reportsprogress reports

Review regularly and adjust as neededReview regularly and adjust as needed

How Do I Use Strategic Planning How Do I Use Strategic Planning

to Implement Best Practices to Implement Best Practices

on my Campus?on my Campus?

AHEAD Program AHEAD Program Standards and Standards and Performance Performance

IndicatorsIndicatorsThe standards present a consensus among The standards present a consensus among experts in the field regarding minimum experts in the field regarding minimum essential services. essential services.

These standards are intended to enhance These standards are intended to enhance service provision for college students with service provision for college students with disabilities bydisabilities by

directing program evaluation and directing program evaluation and development efforts, development efforts, improving personnel preparation and staff improving personnel preparation and staff development, development, expanding the vision of disability services at expanding the vision of disability services at the postsecondary level.the postsecondary level.

AHEAD Program AHEAD Program Standards and Standards and Performance Performance

IndicatorsIndicators11. Consultation / Collaboration. Consultation / Collaboration

2. 2. InformationInformation Dissemination Dissemination

3. Faculty / Staff Awareness3. Faculty / Staff Awareness

4. Academic Adjustments4. Academic Adjustments

5. Counseling and Self-Determination5. Counseling and Self-Determination

6. Policies and Procedures6. Policies and Procedures

7. Program Administration and Evaluation7. Program Administration and Evaluation

8. Training and Professional Development8. Training and Professional Development

CAS StandardsCAS Standards1.1. MissionMission2.2. ProgramProgram3.3. LeadershipLeadership4.4. Organization and managementOrganization and management5.5. Human ResourcesHuman Resources6.6. Financial ResourcesFinancial Resources7.7. Facilities, Technology, and EquipmentFacilities, Technology, and Equipment8.8. Legal ResponsibilitiesLegal Responsibilities9.9. Equity and AccessEquity and Access10.10. Campus and External RelationsCampus and External Relations11.11. DiversityDiversity12.12. EthicsEthics13.13. Assessment and EvaluationAssessment and Evaluation

http://www.cas.edu/standardshttp://www.cas.edu/standards

Principles of Good Principles of Good Practice Practice

Assessment begins with what we valueAssessment begins with what we value

Assessment is most effective when it reflects Assessment is most effective when it reflects an understanding of organizational outcomes an understanding of organizational outcomes as multidimensional, integrated, and revealed as multidimensional, integrated, and revealed in performance over time. in performance over time.

Assessment works best when it has clear, Assessment works best when it has clear, explicitly stated goals.explicitly stated goals.

Assessment requires attention to outcomes Assessment requires attention to outcomes but also, and just as important, to the but also, and just as important, to the processes that lead to them.processes that lead to them.

Assessment works best when it is ongoing, not Assessment works best when it is ongoing, not episodicepisodic

Principles of Good Principles of Good Practice Practice

Assessment is most effective when Assessment is most effective when representatives from across student affairs representatives from across student affairs and the institution are involved.and the institution are involved.

Assessment makes a difference when it begins Assessment makes a difference when it begins with issues of use and illuminates questions with issues of use and illuminates questions that people really care about. that people really care about.

Assessment should be part of a larger set of Assessment should be part of a larger set of conditions that promote change. conditions that promote change.

Through assessment, student affairs Through assessment, student affairs professionals meet responsibilities of professionals meet responsibilities of students, the institution, and the public.students, the institution, and the public.

Upcraft and SchuhUpcraft and Schuh

How Do I Use Strategic How Do I Use Strategic Planning to Implement Best Planning to Implement Best Practices on my Campus?Practices on my Campus? Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes Cost Cost Staff Staff Number of StudentsNumber of Students Should’s and Should Not’sShould’s and Should Not’s

Learning Learning OutcomesOutcomes

What does assessment do for us?What does assessment do for us?

Defining Assessment and EvaluationDefining Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment ProcessAssessment Process Identify Mission/Objectives/OutcomesIdentify Mission/Objectives/Outcomes List Activities/Programs/Services (Strategic List Activities/Programs/Services (Strategic

Plan)Plan) Measuring ImpactMeasuring Impact Interpretation of Data/EvaluationInterpretation of Data/Evaluation Decision Making/ImplementationDecision Making/Implementation ReassessmentReassessment

(Brescianti,Zelna and Anderson 2004)(Brescianti,Zelna and Anderson 2004)

QuestionsQuestions

DiscussionDiscussion

strategically managing your office and planning for the future

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