Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning Drives Decisions at DU
The University's strategic planning process incorporates environmental scanning, goal and target setting, establishing budgets, and developing action plans--all within the scope of the DU mission, vision, values, and key focus areas of Academic & Student Success, Financial Viability, Operational Excellence, and Workforce Engagement. Decisions are driven by data relative to these areas.

Continuous Improvement
Continuous process improvement is threaded throughout all initiatives. The University is integrating continuous quality improvement into its culture, language and mindset. There has been an emphasis on aligning existing systems around critical functions, using data on those critical functions to drive ongoing assessment and benchmarking, and to surface ongoing opportunities for improvement.
Continuous process improvement is threaded throughout all initiatives. The University is integrating continuous quality improvement into its culture, language and mindset. There has been an emphasis on aligning existing systems around critical functions, using data on those critical functions to drive ongoing assessment and benchmarking, and to surface ongoing opportunities for improvement.

Strategic Planning
Davenport University conducts strategic planning via a Five Year Cycle and an Annual Planning Process (APP). The APP addresses the short term planning horizon (1 year) and is designed to establish university-wide goals, targets, and action plans for each Key Performance Indicator (KPI) on the University Balance Scorecard.

DU is focused on the following four Visionary Objectives:
1. Delivering the highest quality education for students
2. Creating the best student and employee experience
3. Offering student greater academic flexibility
4. Continually challenging the status quo through innovation
INCORPORATE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Strategic Priorities direct DU’s long established standards >> Mission, Vision, Values
Davenport is committed to the following six Strategic Priorities which provides context for our annual planning process
* Maintain Academic Excellence (Strengthen the link between academic skills and possible careers)
* Enhance Student Access and Affordability (Recruit/retain talented students from all economic, racial, & ethnic backgrounds)
* Build an Inclusive and Empowered Workforce (Hire, retain and reward the best people)
* Promote Operational Innovations and Efficiencies (Foster a culture that embraces change and continuous improvement)
* Expand Community, Alumni and Partnership Engagement (Effectively identify and recruit a broader spectrum)
* Advance Student Success and Well-Being (The success of students is our highest priority starting with their recruitment and
ending with their transition to careers or further education)
REVIEW KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI's) aim to identify measureable progress towards targets >> KPI's >> KPI Trends
Davenport is devoted to the following Key Performance Indicators:
(Employee Satisfaction, Employer Perception, Employment Rate, Endowment, Enrollment, Giving, Graduation Rate,
Graduate Satisfaction, Retention, ROI, and Student Satisfaction)
1. Gather External & Internal Data
Internal Data, Institutional Research >> IR Profiles
2. Plan the Plan
Create a Diverse, multilayered Strategic Planning Council >> SPC Responsibilities >> SPC Members

3. Utilize SWOT documents to analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
SWOT Development of Organizational (within six Functional Areas) >> Completed SWOT's
4. Use relevant research and data to scrutinize and envision aspirational objectives
Review Organizational Vision, Mission, and Values for Outdated Statements
Draft Preliminary Modification to the Vision, Mission, and Values, as needed
Drafted Vision 2025, Present and Encourage Feedback from All Stakeholders
Finalized Vision 2025 >> Vision 2025

5. Apply SMART goals to define overarching Strategic Priorities
Strategic Priorities should align with the Visionary Objectives >> Strategy Map
6. Focus Areas develop strategies, action plans, and projects
Establish Action Plans to Achieve Visionary Objectives >> KAP Planning Document
Design metrics to track and monitor progress of Action Plans >> Project Intake Cycle Proposals

7. Assign Project Owners
Assign Project Owners based on the Key Action Plan >> Project Portfolio Snapshot
8. Prioritize, Deploy, Review, and Revise Action Plans
Prioritize and Deploy Active Projects after Owners enter Projects into Project Intake Cycle >> Project Intake Cycle >> PI Form
Track progress of Process Improvements and Active Projects >> Process Improvement Active Projects
Review Key Performance Measurements >> KPI Trends
Revise actions plans as needed to maximize desired outcomes