Community colleges that utilize strategic planning allow the decision-makers to diligently reflect on the vitality of the college and its current and future relationship with all its stakeholders. However, locating committee members may pose a barrier when the position is a voluntary one. For the community college to move forward, it is necessary for the institution to create support for the committee's purposes. When asking community college members to volunteer on a strategic planning committee, the effectiveness of the committee relies on certain essential preparations:

Personal Level Preparations

• Be open-minded and ready to participate.
• Consider personal reasons for joining a planning team.
• Identify personal goals for strategic planning.
• Be willing to work beyond the departmental level.
• Understand that strategic planning is not an addition to the current job, but already an essential element of the current work.

Departmental and College Level Preparations

• Alert appropriate supervisors of staff participation and time considerations.
• Consider readiness of individual volunteers to participate.
• Determine timeline to complete process.
• Identify major opportunities and threats that could be encountered as part of the process.

This information was reported in ED 425 791, titled "A Strategic Planning Workbook" by William Austin. A full-text copy of this document may be obtained by contacting ERIC Document Reproduction Services (EDRS), 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153-2852; or by calling (800) 443-ERIC.

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