Strategic Plan - for the Students, Employees, and Community of the Alamo Colleges
Vision
The Alamo Colleges will be the best in the nation in Student Success and Performance Excellence.
Mission
Empowering our diverse communities for success.
Values
The members of Alamo Colleges are committed to building individual and collective character through the following set of shared values in order to fulfill our vision and mission.
Integrity: We act ethically, building a culture of trust and respect.
Communication: We engage in open and transparent communication, information sharing, and collaboration.
Community: We collaborate through a culture of learning and service, where unity in diversity occurs with mutual respect, cooperation, and accessibility.
Academic Freedom: We value creativity, growth, and transformation through vigorous inquiry and a free exchange of ideas.
Accountability and Innovation: We accept responsibility for our actions and strive for continuous learning and improvement through a safe and secure environment in order to achieve our vision.
Goals
Goal I. Access
The Alamo Colleges provide a gateway to a quality higher education experience.
A. Recruit and enroll students from the eight-county service area with an outreach focus on under-represented populations, such as low income students of color
B. Leverage K-12 partnerships to facilitate the smooth transfer of students into the Alamo Colleges
C. Continue to expand and strengthen all distance education courses and programs
Goal II. Success/Completion
The Alamo Colleges provide the academic and student support to facilitate the successful completion of student academic goals.
A. Engage in improvement and alignment of institutional systems and practices to improve student success (Achieving the Dream, Foundations of Excellence, MyMAP)
B. Provide students with degree planning and academic advising, resulting in roadmaps for success
C. Provide a comprehensive approach to developmental instruction and support that accelerates the completion of requirements and ensures the movement of students toward their academic goals, such as flexible options and integrated occupational/DE program (I-Best)
D. Identify, implement, and continuously improve student learning outcomes for each course and program offered
E. Provide professional development for faculty and staff to create greater student engagement and learner-centered instruction
F. Continue to collaborate with secondary school partners on issues of joint interest (i.e. testing, advising, instructional offerings, etc.)
G. Continuously measure and improve outcomes as outlined in the student success policy
H. Develop a student-tracking and intervention system to monitor and promote student academic progress from enrollment to completion
I. Redesign the student "orientation" model, develop a peer mentoring program, and implement an early alert process to better support student completion and success
Goal III. Pathways to Success
Develop coherent educational pathways in partnership with universities, businesses, and community-based organizations with a focus on student completion and life-long learning.
A. Create coherent, structured pathways to certificate and degree completions based on high demand occupations
B. Provide a core curriculum that ensures students will gain the knowledge and skills required for success in college, in careers, in their communities, and in their lives
C. Collaborate with area universities to provide transfer programs that align with baccalaureate degrees
D. Build internship and practicum experience into all workforce programs
E. Strengthen the advisory committee relationship between business and industry partners and the colleges
F. Provide articulated academies for high school students to enter into careers such as Aerospace, Information Technology Security Assurance, and Nursing
G. Provide workplace and continuing education training that results in opportunities to enhance workplace skills and further education
Goal IV. Performance Excellence
Continuously improve our employee, financial, technological, physical, and other capacities with focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and agility.
A. Deploy the Alamo Way using data to build a culture of evidence and efficient and effective systems to ensure sustainability
B. Build talent and engage employees with a focus on learning, collaboration, and performance
C. Ensure sound financial management
D. Maximize technology for student and employee success with a focus on innovation
E. Develop long- and short-term facilities plans for colleges and district, including upgrades to master plans, deferred maintenance, and scheduled maintenance
F. Develop safety manuals, plans, and protocols and the associated student and employee training
G. Identify and implement strategic environmental sustainability procedures and initiatives throughout the district
Goal V. Organizational Communication
Foster integrated organizational communication to consistently promote the positive impact and value of the Alamo Colleges to the community of Bexar County and the surrounding service area.
A. Develop and deploy a marketing plan for the Alamo Colleges that addresses dual credit curriculum, transfer curriculum, workforce curriculum, continuing education curriculum, and developmental education curriculum
B. Develop, measure, track, and improve communication approaches and outcomes
C. Develop and deploy an internal communication plan focusing on transparency and two-way communication
Integrated Planning
Integrated denotes that no part of the planning process takes place in isolation from the other parts. The integrated planning process depicts an organization's complete planning and control system. The three components of the integrated planning process are the strategic plan, the operational plan, and the results management process.
The integrated planning model for the Alamo Colleges points all colleges and district units to strengthen the connection between the strategic plan, the action plans, and the budget. The model requires the integration of strategic and operational planning with a systematic results management process where performance outputs and outcomes are evaluated, controlled, and reported. Taking corrective action involves improving actual performance, adjusting the performance standard (target), or both. Performance reports, including scorecards and dashboards, bring closure to action plans.
The alignment and integration of strategic planning, performance budgeting, and performance measurement are critical to ensure student success at the Alamo Colleges.
Integrated Planning Model for the Alamo Colleges