FAQs

Strategic planning is an ongoing process that enables an institution to define its vision, values and goals as well as the strategic initiatives and resources required to achieve its goals. This process includes an assessment component that enables the University to measure its achievements and to identify obstacles to success that must be overcome.

Academic Medical Centers have been and will continue to be challenged by extraordinary changes beyond our control: state budget reductions, competition for patients and students, changes in state and federal regulations surrounding health care and reimbursement, etc. The opportunities presented by expanding markets and the challenges of an environment characterized by increasing competition and diminishing financial resources require that we successfully position the University to build a sustainable, competitive advantage. We must also establish high aspirations for our University, focus intense effort on execution of our plans, and secure needed support and resources from our partners. The strategic planning process provides a venue in which we can thoughtfully address these and other critical issues facing the University.

President Smith initiated the strategic planning process when he launched Engaging Excellence in the fall of 2006. Following several months of preliminary research, Dr. Smith identified the need for cross-functional teams to create recommendations for a long-term strategic plan. In addition to charging the teams, he challenged the entire university community to "create the best place possible in which to work, learn, and serve." From the start, the process had a clear-cut direction: build on what works and fix what does not.

A wide range of university stakeholders—students, faculty, staff, emeriti, alumni, civic and social service leaders, corporate partners and neighbors—participated in the various phases of Engaging Excellence. Their involvement included team meetings, town hall meetings, retreats, surveys, interviews, web-enabled submission of ideas, site visits and research of best practices.

In six months time, the Engaging Excellence task teams presented 380 recommendations to the president and his executive team, which led to a review and assessment of the recommendations to determine if we had the human, financial and capital resources to implement the recommendations. In the late fall of 2007, all of the recommendations were approved for implementation, with approximately 65 of the recommendations already implemented as "quick wins." In February of 2008, six new Engaging Excellent Steering Committees and twenty-nine implementation teams were convened. These teams worked for nineteen months to implement over 450 process improvements.

Simultaneously, committees were convened to focus on the planning and implementation of the more strategically focused areas, many of which sprang from Engaging Excellence, and others that were already in action. Strategic focused groups include the Master Facilities Plan, the Practice Plan Task Force, the Strategic Enrollment Committee, the University Hospital Strategic Plan, the Research Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Task Force, the Regional Task Force, and the Information Technology Planning Groups.

In February 2009, the president convened the University Strategic Planning Committee to bring together all of the strategic planning efforts to create a focused, long-term strategic plan for the entire campus. Dr. Smith will launch the strategic plan to the university in late January 2010.

During the last three years, a wide range of university stakeholders—students, faculty, staff, emeriti, alumni, civic and social service leaders, corporate partners and neighbors—participated in the various phases of strategic planning through Engaging Excellence. Their involvement included team meetings, town hall meetings, retreats, surveys, interviews, web-enabled submission of ideas, site visits and research of best practices.

Currently, there are multiple levels of involvement to coalesce the work that has been done to date. The President leads the campus strategic planning efforts. The President's Executive Team and Leadership Council provide significant input into the university's strategic plan and the ongoing process. There is an Upstate Medical University Strategic Plan Committee, comprised of deans, faculty, and campus and hospital officers and administrators who oversee subcommittees developing the strategies and metrics of the plan. The Assistant VP for Strategic Planning coordinates the process.

The five broad goals and strategic initiatives serve as a "call to action" for all to participate. Together, the university-wide plan will enable individuals to see how they can develop unique collaborations within and outside of their areas to achieve strategic goals.

The results of our strategic planning efforts will be communicated twice annually. A six-month report will be presented to the President and his Leadership Council, and will be posted on the strategic planning website. An annual report for the campus and other internal and external audiences will be developed and posted on the strategic planning website as well.

Departments and individuals are invited to "see themselves" in the plan and determine for themselves how their own work can improve measurements and advance the goals and strategies. The plan provides guidance and focus to help make decisions that are relevant to specific areas of work. Departments are encouraged to hold meetings to discuss how their staff can achieve the strategies and improve the measurements outlined in the plan. Further communications regarding the Engaging Excellence Strategic Plan will be sent to all faculty and staff in the months to come.