The University Planning Council (UPC) is responsible for writing, implementing and assessing the strategic plan by establishing measurable goals, objectives and indicators of institutional effectiveness.  The assessment of the strategic plan is an ongoing endeavor rather than a summative activity at the end of the planning cycle.

The Council’s primary function is to ensure that all major plans, decisions and initiatives are consistent with the mission of the University and the current strategic plan.  As such, the Council has access to documents and reports generated by the greater Kean community.

The work of the UPC creates linkages between assessment and resource allocations that will serve as a foundation for establishing an integrated, community-based planning process. 

The UPC reports its findings and makes recommendations in an annual report to the President, a verbal report to the Board of Trustees and through an open forum to the Kean community. 

The UPC is responsible for posting all minutes from general and special meetings.

Work of the University Planning Council

Strategic Plan Standing Committees:  In addition to the general strategic plan (currently, the 2013-2020 Kean University Strategic Plan), additional sites at Kean Ocean and Wenzhou Kean develop individual site-specific strategic plans.  The Kean University Strategic Plan Review Standing Committee, the Kean Ocean Strategic Plan Review Standing Committee, and the Wenzhou Kean Strategic Plan Review Standing Committee will establish cycles to identify accomplishments, and revise goals, objectives and timelines as needed.

Annual Score Card Standing Committee: Building upon previous work and incorporating the Federal Scorecard indicators, this committee oversees the Kean University scorecard.  The scorecard is designed to reflect institutional measures of effectiveness and is instrumental in showcasing the unique opportunities offered by Kean University as well as identifying future initiatives.   (Recommended membership includes Director of Institutional Research.)

Responsibilities of Standing Committees: Each standing committee will have a convener who is responsible for updating the general body of the UPC on the status of their work according to a specified timeframe and will provide a written annual end-of-year report for distribution to the President and Board of Trustees.

University Planning Council members perform other important duties:

Working with the Office of Accreditation and Assessment (OAA), all members of the UPC review summary reports generated by Division Vice Presidents; these summary reports are based upon annual assessment reports and program review documents available on the OAA webpages.  Requests for resources which emerge from the Division reports are considered at an annual “Closing of the Loop” meeting; the UPC prioritizes these requests and submits all requests to the President.  The President reviews and presents his recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

Budget permitting, the UPC participates in an annual Quality First Initiative (QFI). In consultation with the President, funding amounts and initiatives are identified and may represent a single goal or several goals of the current Strategic Plan.  Innovative initiatives must require funding beyond customary budgets.  All UPC members review submitted project proposals, and make recommendations to the President for funding.    

MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the UPC is as follows:

• 8 members appointed by the President (including the UPC Chair and Vice-Chair)
• 8 members appointed by the University Senate (one from each college, New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics, and the School of Fine and Performing Arts)
• University Senate Chairperson or designee
• 3 student representatives (one undergraduate, one graduate, one part-time student)
• 5 bargaining agent representatives, one each from KFT, KUAFF, CWA, IFPTE, and PBA
• 12 members representing the major University divisions:  the VP (or designee) and one member from Academic Affairs, Administration & Finance, Planning, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and University Relations.
• Kean University Foundation CEO (or designee) and one appointment from the Foundation.
• Ex Officio members (Director of Accreditation and Assessment, Director of Institutional Research)

UPC membership is representative of the many constituencies of the large and diverse university community.  At the monthly General Meetings of the UPC, members share information about relevant new directions and initiatives.

Terms of service will be for a period of three (3) years with the exception of student members and bargaining unit representatives. Two consecutive appointments will be followed by a one-year hiatus with exception of Vice Presidents and Ex Officio members. 

The UPC has adopted the following attendance policy effective fall 2012:

A UPC member who is absent from UPC meetings in one semester for either three (3) consecutive regular meetings, or a total of five (5) regular meetings, shall be considered as having resigned from the position unless a reason is presented to and accepted by the Chair of the UPC. UPC members must notify the Chair of the UPC of an expected absence and provide the name of the person attending in their absence. The UPC member is expected to be updated by the person attending on their behalf, review the meeting’s minutes, and contact the Chair of the UPC for an update if needed.

TIMELINES[1]

All council appointments will be in place by September 1 of each academic year.

• All subcommittee assignments will be identified by the first meeting in October.
• The UPC general body will meet the first week of each month. Subcommittees and special meetings will be scheduled as necessary.
• All subcommittees will provide a preliminary report in January.
• Annual reports will be available on June 30 of each academic year.
• Reports to the Board of Trustees will take place each academic year at a minimum.

[1] The work of the UPC is dependent upon the timely submission and distribution of all routine and non-routine documents from all levels of the organization, such as the annual unit reports.