Operational Planning

The College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) conducts an operational planning (OP) process to align collective resources with our strategic plans. Each unit (department, program, administrative unit, or centers) prepares a separate OP to manage their respective resources in alignment with their mission and goals, objectives, and activities. The OP addresses annual budget, people, and space resources of the unit. It discusses (1) resource investments when there is growth and (2) the use of reserves or plans to develop efficiencies when there are resource gaps.

Unit leadership will oversee the operational planning for their units. For questions, consult your admin council representative or unit leadership.

Operational Planning Calendar

January

Strategic Planning

ÌýÌýÌý Jan. - Feb.: Strategic vision prioritization

Finance

ÌýÌýCollege budget driver data to units

Space

ÌýÌý Jan. - Feb.: Beautification, renovation, and space reallocation planning

February

Operational Planning Milestones

ÌýÌýSnapshots to units

Strategic Planning

ÌýÌý Jan. - Feb.: Strategic vision prioritization college and all units

Finance

ÌýÌýCampus budget projections to college

HR Staff

ÌýÌý Second round promotion and pay adjustments (from previous year)

ÌýÌý HR comp and equity analysis: Advise units

ÌýÌý Units develop new headcount requests: Begin descriptions up to approval step for operational planning submission

Space

ÌýÌý Jan. - Feb.: Beautification, renovation, and space reallocation planning

March

Operational Planning Milestones

ÌýÌý Units develop operational plan

April

Operational Planning Milestones

ÌýÌý Submissions to college

ÌýÌý Discussions

May

Operational Planning Milestones

ÌýÌý Responses from college

ÌýÌý May - June: Implementation

HR Staff

ÌýÌý Units finalize approved promotion and pay adjustment changes

ÌýÌý Units finalize approved headcount requests

Faculty

ÌýÌý Faculty metrics review, TT hiring requests, and instructional faculty plans

June

Operational Planning Milestones

ÌýÌý May - June: Implementation

Strategic Planning

ÌýÌý June - July:Strategic vision progress measurement college and all units

Finance

ÌýÌý Finalized budgets to departments

July

Strategic Planning

ÌýÌý June - July:Strategic Vision progress measurement college and all units

Finance

ÌýÌý Finalized budgets to programs and admin units

HR Staff

ÌýÌý July - Aug.: Promotion/adjustments process form (from current year)

Faculty

ÌýÌý Approval of TT requests and instructional faculty plans

August

Strategic Planning

ÌýÌý Strategic planning progress annual publication

HR Staff

ÌýÌý July - Aug.: Promotion/adjustments process form (from current year)

Faculty

ÌýÌý Aug. - Sept.: Launch TT and instructional faculty searches

September

Faculty

ÌýÌý Aug. - Sept.: Launch TT and instructional faculty searches

October

Finance

ÌýÌý Oct. - Nov.: Annual fiscal true-up

HR Staff

ÌýÌý Oct. - Nov.: ÌýHR routes second round promotion and pay adjustment changes (due to campus by Nov. 15)

November

Finance

ÌýÌý Oct. - Nov.: Annual fiscal true-up

HR Staff

ÌýÌý Oct. - Nov.: ÌýHR routes second round promotion and pay adjustment changes (Due to campus by Nov. 15)

December

Finance

ÌýÌý Data drivers from campus for next fiscal year

ÌýÌýMilestone Date

ÌýÌýProcess Task

Ìý

Operational Planning Components

Strategic Planning (Strategic Priorities goals and narrative)

  • The unit will provide its goals and an accompanying narrative that details how those goals tie back to the unit’s strategic plan.
  • In the narrative, the unit should indicate how it will measure success for each respective goal.

Budget

  • Review data from the financial section of the operational snapshot.
  • Units articulate how they will use their current and anticipated continuing budget to help them meet their yearly goals.
  • Units will indicate how the utilization of reserves and other funding sources will help them meet their annual goals.

Staff

  • Review and devise the current org chart from the operational snapshot.
  • Units will submit an updated unit org chart with requested positions.
  • Units will provide an accompanying narrative that speaks to the requested positions, the headcount ratio (the needed or wanted headcount to provide effective services), and how those additional positions will help the unit meet its annual goals.

Faculty

  • Review the department snapshot.
  • Units will provide a request and accompanying narrative that speaks to requested tenure-track faculty positions, and how these additional positions will help the unit meet its strategic goals.
  • Programs will provide a request and accompanying narrative that speaks to requested teaching faculty positions, and how these additional positions will help the unit meet its strategic goals and teaching needs.
  • Departments should articulate plans to hire teaching faculty with an accompanying narrative for awareness and planning by CEAS. Ìý

Operations & Facilities

  • Review your units needs for beautification and renovation construction project needs.
  • Review current space allocation from the operational snapshot.
  • Go to the SharePoint webpage for Operations & Facilities to download PDFs of form questions and prepare your submissions.
  • Units will use the linked forms on the SharePoint page to submit their beautification, renovation, space and other requests.
  • The college intends to partner with units on multiple beautification projects. The college will review renovation requests and intends to partner on one or more renovation projects. Renovation project selection will depend on available CEAS funds and factors submitted by the units. There is an aspect of this process that is for longer term planning and awareness of unit needs/desires.Ìý

Frequently Asked Questions

Operational Plan

The operational planning process provides a structure and consistency for the college to allocate resources in alignment with our strategic vision.ÌýIt provides an annual process for decisions regarding strategic planning, people, and space allocation.

The snapshot is a report that the college provides to each unit with the status of the strategic plan, finances, faculty and staff positions, and overall space allocation.

Strategic Plan

Based on your unit’s strategic vision and in alignment with the college’s strategic vision, describe your priorities for the upcoming academic year. Explain how success will be measured for each priority.