Update on Integrated Planning Following the August Joint President/Vice-President Executive Committee and Provost’s Planning Group Planning Retreat

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

From the Office of the Provost and Vice President Academic

Colleagues:

This update provides a brief review of the joint President/Vice-President Executive Committee (PVP) and Provost’s Planning Group (PPG) Planning Retreat held at the end of August 2010 to consider the content and next steps of the integrated planning process.

The Planning Retreat considered the 75 unit-level plans that were submitted from across the University in June 2010. As a new member of the university community I was impressed with the range of ideas and initiatives in these unit-level plans and the strong commitment to innovation and shaping of Trent’s future.  It is our responsibility now to do justice to the many good ideas, initiatives, and significant needs expressed in plans. Together with unit-level plans, three other major documents were considered at the Planning Retreat:

1) A synthesis document entitled Values, Vision, Renewal – to Action (see Update No. 7 on Integrated Planning from the President and Vice-Chancellor);

2) A draft Terms of Reference for Senior Administrative Committees document (see Update No 8 on Integrated Planning from the President and Vice-Chancellor); and

3) The Multi-Year Enrolment and Retention Plan (approved by Senate in April 2010 and the Board of Governors in June 2010)

The over-riding goal of integrated planning is to align the necessary resources and structures to guide the institution in making strategic decisions on actions and increase the potential to achieve a stable future. Trent now has an opportunity to commit to actions at the institutional and unit-levels that support our Vision, and will advance the Mission and Strategic Directions.

Outcomes of the Retreat:

1. An initial review of all unit-level plans was completed which identified several potential new initiatives. This initial review considered ideas in the unit-level plans that were consistent with the following broad criteria: initiatives that will have a positive impact on enrolment and retention; initiatives with positive financial implications; initiatives that provide new opportunities to support Vision, Mission and Strategic Directions.
2. In September, the deans will consult with departments and individuals on all initiatives that were identified in this initial review for possible further development. Deans will report back to PPG in early October, clarifying additional details regarding these initiatives.
3. Deans will also review all unit-level plans for a complete list of ideas that could be identified for further development. 
4. Concurrently, a review of administrative unit plans with appropriate management teams will be led by the responsible Vice-President in each of their portfolios.  Where academic and administrative initiatives appear to intersect, the appropriate executive team members will review these ideas together.
5. Overall unit-level plans will not be approved in this process, but initiatives and ideas that are considered appropriate for inclusion in the integrated plan will then be assigned to specific ad hoc working committees to be further developed with a goal of implementation in the coming years. 
6. A multiyear budget framework will be synthesised during the month of October, with the goal of finalizing this component of the integrated plan in advance of the usual detailed annual (2011-2012) operating budget discussions.
7. The draft institutional integrated plan will be prepared, for circulation in December, 2010.
8. Work toward the second round of unit planning will begin in spring 2011 for a submission date in late spring.

The integrated planning process has already made progress in identifying an overall strategic intent for Trent University – to foster our role as a university that offers high quality, challenging and distinctive academic programming; to continue to develop our national and international research record and reputation; to be financially stable; and to be organizationally and administratively responsive to changes in external and internal climates (Values, Vision, Renewal – to Action, pg. 4). It is our firm belief that an integrated plan for Trent will identify resources, prioritize actions, introduce business planning principles, and monitor measures of success for the next three years of this planning cycle.