From a galaxy far, far away. . .

The Compact Process

A View from 40,000 feet

Laura Coffin KochAssociate Vice Provost University of Minnesota

Benefits

The compact process can increase the trust and shared goals among colleges/units and between colleges/units and the administration.

The process is one of cooperation, negotiation, and information sharing, where each person in an organization becomes a stakeholder in its unit's compact.  All compacts are public documents, there are no hidden agendas or investments, further heightening trust and accountability.

The compact process can be extremely helpful in the public accountability realm.

The compact process can be used to help establish priorities for a major capital campaign.

Benefits

The compact agreements impose obligations on both sides, building relationships that are more horizontal, cooperative, and reciprocal, rather than hierarchical. It is both bottom up and top down.

The inherent flexibility of the process means we look for ways to strengthen the alignment of service units with the University's academic mission.

The compact process integrates planning, budgeting, and assessment to improve academic and service programs at the University.

The compact process can be used to further the long-range capital improvement plan and the university master plan.

Goals of the Compact Planning Process

Assure standards of excellence

Align goals and priorities with budgets, departments and colleges, and other university-wide units

Promote long-term planning and alignment within units

Improve alignment of broad University goals with unit strategic directions, investments, and actions

Create a shared University vision and plan

Alignment of Institutional Processes through

Assessment of strategic issues, priorities, and directions

Consistency of institutional directions, programs and processes

Policy development and framing strategic issues

Enhanced academic excellence

Improved services

Possible Themes and Priorities

Enhancing academic excellence

Excellence in undergraduate education

Excellence in graduate and professional education

New interdisciplinary directions

Compact Strategies Initiatives For UAlbany

Enhance the university’s reputation by promoting excellence in learning, discovery, and engagement

Enhance programmatic excellence

Encourage interdisciplinary activities

Enhance diversity and build an inclusive campus climate

Enhance the recruitment, retention, graduation , and placement of students

Develop new fund-raising strategies

Possible Themes and Priorities

Expanding educational access

Improving services

Building a supportive community

Learning resources and technology strategy community building

Improving campus environment

Compact Elements

Introduction to the unit – mission, goals, core activities, nationalrankings or locally derived benchmarks

Clearly articulated initiatives

Upcoming challenges and commitments

Current standing of academic programs relative to peers

Describe the unit vision for the next three to five years

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

Introduction:

“The College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the Universityof Minnesota and home to the social sciences, humanities, and arts. As the college of enrollment for more than half of the undergraduatestudents on the Twin Cities campus, and as home to most of the disciplines that form the traditional arts and sciences core of the University, CLA is central to the University’s educational mission...

CLA’s faculty are committed to excellence in each are of endeavor-teaching, research, and service. Of those CLA programs evaluatedbut the National Research Council, two-thirds rank in the top 25nationally. Although CLA faculty comprise 20% of the University’s faculty, they comprise 35% of the University’s Regents Professors, …”

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

Update-Major Long-term Goals/Priorities from Previous Compacts

1. Maintain and Build the Excellence of CLA’s Top-Ranked Departments

2. Build the Arts and Humanities3. Internationalize CLA4. Enhance Undergraduate Education5. Enhance faculty Research and the Mentoring of Graduate Students6. Integrate Human and Social Perspectives into Health Education7. Enhance Diversity

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

New Long-Term Goals/Priorities

1. Establish Competitive Support for Graduate Students to EnsureGraduate Program Excellence

2. Expand Undergraduate Research Opportunities3. Presidential Initiatives on Arts and Humanities

1. Create the University of Minnesota Institute for Advanced Study

2. Transform the Humanities by Embarking on Cluster Hires in the Humanities

3. Launch an Interdisciplinary Program in the Arts4. Diversity Assessment and Planning5. Outreach and Civic Engagement

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

Facilities Issues:

1. Compact Initiative Impact and Space Management

2. CLA 2004-2010 Major Capital Investment Priorities

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

Financial Issues:

1. Tuition, State fund allocations, and ICR agreed upon amounts.

*http://www.academic.umn.edu/img/assets/11842/CLA%20compact%200405.pdf

Compact for the College of Liberal Arts FY 2004-05*

Enrollment Management:

1. Overview2. Guiding Principles for CLA Enrollment Strategy3. Strategies for Ensuring Timely Graduation Among

Students with 90+ Credits4. New Degree Programs and Minors

Compact Elements

Describe aspirations in terms of the next higher level of performance and standing

Articulate the formal mechanisms used to ensure that departmental assessment plan implementation occurs, and (department assessment plans should be appended to the school/college or divisional compact)

Summarize how the unit will contribute to the institutional mission of the University.

Compact Data Profiles and Outcome Measures

Descriptive Data

Instruction, Retention, and Graduation Data

Sponsored Research Productivity

Student Diversity

Faculty and Staff Diversity

Financial Analysis

Unit-specific Measures

Create a shared vision for UAlbany

Improve the alignment of broad University goals with the directions, investments, actions, and results of departments, colleges, and units   Move from a model that depends on regulation to one that focuses on accountability and outcomes