IMPROVING INSTITUTIONAL CREDIBILITY - COMMUNICATION AS THE CENTERPIECE OF PLANNING IN THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw

Higher education institutions face rising pressure from federal oversight, regional accreditation agencies, and state legislatures to demonstrate transparency and accountability. The essay argues that strategic planning must be authentic and embraced by internal and external stakeholders, because plans often fail to move institutions forward. Using organizational principles and theory, it positions communication as the centerpiece of the planning process and presents a case study showing how communication-centered planning strengthens institutional credibility.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Changing Times

IMPROVING INSTITUTIONAL CREDIBILITY: COMMUNICATION AS THE CENTERPIECE OF PLANNING IN THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY Cathy A. Fleuriet M. Lee Williams Texas State University – San Marcos ABSTRACT Each year institutions of higher education receive greater pressure from the federal level, regional accreditation agencies, and state legislatures, to become more transparent and accountable for their actions. It is more important than ever, then, for colleges and universities to engage in authentic strategic planning that may be embraced by both internal and external constituents. Unfortunately, strategic plans often do not work to move an institution forward. Using organizational principles and theory, this essay reframes the university strategic planning process with communication as its centerpiece. A case study is presented that illustrates how communication centered strategic planning can lead to the most meaningful and successful plan, thus improving the internal and external credibility of the institution. “In the absence of communication from leaders, the organization will seek information from other sources, whether those sources know what they’re talking about or not. Your silence doesn’t stop the conversation; it means you’re not participating in it.” Jeanie Daniel Duck The Change Monster (2001) INTRODUCTION Whether an institution engages in strategic planning due to governing board or administrative mandates, accreditation criteria, or because “everybody else is doing it,”strategic plans have historically been part of organizational life that will not go away. It is something we do. But far too often, once it is completed, we rarely look at the plans again. Even worse, when our institution happens to have successes in areas not in our plans, we add them in after the fact as sort of a “plan addendum”. Many institutions have not taken planning seriously because the perception is that strategic plans have rarely worked to move them forward. Why is this true? The organizational structure and culture of higher education institutions make strategic planning particularly problematic. Whereas many private sector organizations may reflect a more collective society, colleges and universities mirror the individualistic nature of our society. Academic departments, for example, exist due to their expertise in a particular discipline. Faculty members work as independent agents who carry out their teaching and research duties relatively untouched by larger organizational issues (Willson, 2010) . It is no wonder that they cringe at the very thought, much less the creation and implementation, of a strategic plan. In colleges and universities around the country, even administrators often breathe a sigh of relief when the plan is completed and placed as a link on the homepage. Rowley and Sherman (2001) note that,“In the postmortems [of strategic planning], Educational Planning 67 Vol. 22, No. 1 faculty, administrators, staff, and members of the governing board all blame the general [strategic planning] process”(p. 5) . On many campuses, academic departments quietly go their own way, disregarding a plan for which they know they will not be held accountable. CHANGING TIMES In education circles, the infamous 2006 Spellings Report was a major wake up call. It chastised postsecondary education by stating that “the quality of student learning at U. S. colleges and universities is inadequate and, in some cases, declining” (U. S. Department of Education, 2006, p. 3) . It initiated a new era for strategic planning and assessment. With pressure from the federal level, regional accreditation agencies, and state legislatures, we have entered an age of“accountability,” and now it is even more important for institutions of higher education to take strategic planning more seriously. In short, it is time to shake the dust off the plan and begin an authentic process for engaging in planning and assessment. Noting changes in region

FAQs

How does communication-centered planning improve institutional credibility?

The essay reframes strategic planning with communication as the centerpiece, showing through a case study that this approach supports more meaningful, successful plans that strengthen internal and external credibility.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw