Continuity of Strategic Planning and Evaluation During COVID-19

The pandemic has made abundantly clear the importance of good strategic planning to the advancement of an institution’s mission and goals, especially in times of crisis. In March 2020, New Paltz abruptly pivoted to remote instruction, sending college administrators, faculty, and staff into a heightened state of planning and rapid response that was simultaneously creative, innovative, and rigorous. Through the collective herculean efforts of the college community, we not only averted some of the disruptive effects of COVID-19 on our educational and operational pursuits, but also accomplished the core mission of the College – educating our students. The Strategic Plan Progress Report for 2019-2020 shows many of our accomplishments as a college community and describes several strategic goals and priorities that we are pursuing in AY 2020-2021.

At a moment when the pandemic continues to expose and exacerbate several of higher education’s pre-pandemic demographic, operational, and budgetary challenges, we must forge ahead to provide the best possible education for our students. How well we continue to plan and implement planning goals and priorities; utilize institutional resources to accomplish those goals and priorities; and collect, interpret, and use data will determine our success in accomplishing our mission and goals. As we navigate through challenging times, let us continue to plan strategically, evaluate our plans, and make adjustments toward achieving our goals. Our continued success rests on our continued engagement in these important actions.