WHEREAS, Winthrop University, unique in the combination of its values, accomplishments,
and historic character, has since 1886 attracted a high-achieving and socially responsible
student body through offering a national caliber curriculum and an educational experience
rooted in service, excellence, diversity and community; and
WHEREAS, Winthrop has consistently followed a planning process in the Vision of Distinction that sets forth its long-term goals, consistent with the values of the University,
to direct the allocation of resources into annual initiatives; and
WHEREAS, in 1996, the Board of Trustees reviewed the impact of higher education reform
legislation on Winthrop's mission and goals, and authorized the President to initiate
a comprehensive review of the mission and to develop an updated strategic planning
process that would continue to move the University forward while meeting the requirements
of the new statewide performance funding model; and
WHEREAS, four campuswide planning teams were formed which included members from throughout
the University community, who were charged to study the areas of academics, enrollment,
facilities/ support services, and community relations; to gather information via public
forums, surveys, discussions and other means in order to design recommendations for
strategic directions over the next three to five years; and to report their findings
to a broader Coordinating Committee which represented every division of the University;
and
WHEREAS, the first stage of these efforts resulted in a revision of the mission statement
for Winthrop University, to reflect the requirements of performance funding, which
was adopted by the Board of Trustees in June of 1998; and
WHEREAS, after including goals from the Board of Trustees' Distinctive Directions initiative begun in spring 1998, the Coordinating Committee designed a plan which sets forth the University's enduring strategic values, three-to-five-year strategic directions, and annual strategic initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the Coordinating Committee shared multiple drafts of the complete strategic
plan with the campus community for comment; the final draft was then endorsed unanimously
by the Faculty Conference in the spring of 1999; and the president then endorsed the
strategic plan and forwarded it to the Executive Committee with his positive recommendation;
and
WHEREAS, the Executive Committee has reviewed the strategic plan and finds that it
represents a carefully articulated plan of action to maintain and enhance the program
array, faculty and staff development, and technological infrastructure that will best
serve Winthrop's needs; and furthermore commends the administration for a process
characterized by extensive communication and widespread involvement;
THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Executive Committee recommends to the full
Board of Trustees that the Winthrop University Strategic Plan be adopted as the formal
planning document for the University.
April 16, 1999
