The Institutional Strategic Planning Council is responsible for gathering data and suggestions from all relevant stakeholders and reviewing previous planning documents (once developed) and prepare a report that recommends integrated five and ten year plans for the Academic direction of Ferris State University, with the relevant action steps to realize those goals, for the review and approval by the Academic Senate at the August retreat at two year intervals to, once approved, be submitted to the President of the University and the Board of Trustees.

1. The Academic direction of Ferris State University is to include all matters related to the Academic mission of the institution including but not limited to the expansion of existing programs to meet external opportunities, the establishment of new programs, the development of off campus sites, the evaluation of the projected changes in methods and the mix of educational delivery, suggestions of possible Ferris/Industry partnerships, and recommendations for facility improvement and new construction.

2. The initial committee will be responsible for generating an initial planning document. Subsequent committees will review and previous document to ascertain progress toward established goals and amend or change the plan as necessary to meet changing conditions as well as establish plans for the next designated period.

3. Data sources for developing the long term plan for the university may consist in but not be restricted to material from program review documents, as well as information and suggestions from planning elements with Colleges, UCEL, Ferris Grand Rapids, advisory boards, external experts, the Higher Learning Commission and other accreditation bodies, the President, the Board of Trustees, the Big Rapids City Council, and other stakeholders.

4. The Planning Council will be responsible for providing for the review of any developed planning document by key stakeholders including but not limited to the planning units of the respective Colleges, any affected programs, the Deans of each College, the President, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Such a review must be completed and planning document based on the feedback before a final version of the planning document is submitted to the Senate.

Contact Paula Hadley: hadleyp@ferris.edu