Draft Strategic Issues

Strategic issues are those issues that must be resolved if the College is to achieve its mission. The strategic goals are aimed at helping to resolve the strategic issues and to move the College toward its vision and the achievement of the Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Strategic issues that Valencia faces in 2007 are:

1. Many students from diverse backgrounds do not have equal access to college.
2. Many students whose stated goal is to obtain a certificate or a degree are not successful in reaching critical milestones in their educational plans.
3. Gaps in student achievement exist among student cohorts related to ethnicity and income.
4. The composition of the group that graduates each year does not match the diversity of entering cohorts.
5. Diversity is not fully utilized as a strength throughout the curriculum and the College.
6. While the College does not control all factors that lead to student success, many students fail to complete their courses with a grade of C or better for reasons potentially under the control of the College.
7. Not all students receive academic support tailored to their needs as they move through the curriculum.
8. The college lacks the human, fiscal, technological, and physical resources to meet all of the current needs of students and all who want to be students.
9. Students, faculty and staff do not always have access to up-to-date, effective technologies that support learning and professional success.
10. Many of the issues that stand in the way of our students’ success require resources and expertise from other organizations with complementary missions, if the issues are to be resolved.
11. Valencia can expect delays and challenges in hiring due to the highly competitive market for key positions.
12. Current faculty and staff have unrealized potential that should be developed to further the College’s goals.
13. College staffing levels, systems and processes can sometimes lead students to feel as if they are “numbers” rather than persons to be served.
14. The College’s operating, technology and capital budgets do not always align clearly with the strategic plan.

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August 2, 2007 Draft

Draft Strategic Goals for 2008-2013

1. Build Pathways:
• Remove barriers to college.
• Create connections that raise personal aspirations of students and enable them to achieve their aspirations.
• Develop and renew programs.
2. Learning Assured:
• Create optimal conditions for student learning.
• Partner with students to improve their contribution to achieving their potential.
• Close achievement gaps.
3. Invest in Each Other:
• Strengthen our collaborative institutional culture to foster deep stewardship of our work.
• Support the professional development, career growth and healthy lives of Valencia’s employees.
4. Partner with the Community:
• Cooperate with community partners in meeting students’ needs and College goals.
• Involve the college in meeting the community’s needs and goals.

Next Steps

This document will be shared College-wide and with the College Planning Committee. The Committee will take action in August 2007, and once approved by the Committee, it will be presented to the District Board of Trustees for its consideration.

Goal teams for each of the four strategic goals will draft measurable objectives that name the results that we want to change during 2008-13 if we are to achieve each goal.

Members of the goals teams will collaborate on essays that clarify the meaning of each goal.

The objectives and the essays will be shared College-wide for comment in late October or early November 2007, and edited based on feedback received. The final version will be incorporated into the 2008-13 strategic plan in November 2007. The strategic plan will be presented to the College Planning Committee in November 2007, and with the approval of the Committee, to the District Board of Trustees in December 2007.

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