Lesson
The importance of having an institutional mission was the most compelling lesson I gathered from the reading this week. Specifically, several topics discussed in the second chapter of Planning and Assessment in Higher Education. The concept of a mission statement or guiding philosophy appears to be standard in higher education. Most of the jobs I’ve had and both of the colleges I’ve attended have had some form of a mission statement or guiding philosophy. Therefore, the importance of having a basic organizational philosophy, one that “anchors and provides context for strategic planning” (p. 23) is significant if an organization is trying to assess specific outcomes, establishing a proper mission statement provides a guide for individuals.
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23).
Each of the questions provides a basic template or starting point for institutions to use when creating a strategic plan. The questions require considerable reflection and will vary among institutions. Subsequently, institutions will need to adjust their focus depending on the market. More importantly, institutions need a “clear sense of purpose” before assessing its position within the marketplace (p. 25).
Expanding on institutional mission statements, it is also helpful for committees within an institution to have a mission statement or guiding plan. Literature aside, assessing the work of a group requires a goal or purpose to measure. Moreover, without a mission, a group or committee may never be as successful as it could be considering individuals in the group may not understand what they are aiming to accomplish. Currently, I am serving on a committee that is missing a group identified goal. Each member has their own an idea of the purpose of the committee, but there is no guiding principle for the group. The reading this week was a beneficial reminder and prompted reflection on possible ways to present to the committee to potentially move forward more productively. Subsequently, in evaluating this committee, I foresee opportunities for group and success by creating a mission that addresses the four questions Middaugh