Strategic Planning

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” — Yogi Berra

Inver Hills Community College understands the importance of planning for the future to secure relevant and rewarding learning experiences and outcomes for our students. Our college engages in multiple planning processes as a forward-thinking institution of higher education.

A visual of the planning process components is displayed below followed by detailed descriptions and links to planning documents.

Strategic and Integrated Planning

External Accountability

Developed by external stakeholders, accountability plans provide a framework for long-term planning while delivering tools that make sure the college is making sound preparations for the future. 

Reports, Measures, and Overviews

• Performance Measures (May 2019)
• Student Success Accountability Metrics: Measures at a Glance (May 2019)
• Student Success Accountability Metrics: Report Guide (May 2019)
• Metro College Comparison (May 2019)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Assumed Practices
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Accreditation Criteria
• Minnesota State Long-Term Financial Sustainability Plan
• Minnesota State Strategic Framework

College Long-Term Strategic Plans

Long-term plans determine what Inver Hills embarks to achieve over the next three to five years. Another purpose for long-term planning is providing a framework for the college's annual plans. 

College Strategic Plans

• Strategic Plan 2021–2027 
• Strategic Plan 2017–2020 
• Strategic Communications Plan 
• Master Academic Plan 
• Master IT Plan/IT Strategic Plan
• Master Facilities Plan
• Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
• Strategic Goals & Directions 2017–2020 

Annual Operational Plans

Annual plans include specific objectives to accomplish for the year. The college has separate annual planning processes for instructional areas and non-instructional areas. Instructional areas develop annual plans through the Program Review process and non-instructional areas develop annual plans through the Annual Planning process.

Annual Planning Process

Inver Hills developed an annual planning process for non-instructional areas of the college in fall 2015 and spring 2016. The process was launched at the end of spring 2016. The process includes the development of two plans each fiscal year: 

1. Initiatives and Results Plan
2. Continuous Improvement Plan

The annual planning process cycle is designed with the idea that plans are dynamic living documents that require review and adjustment throughout the year. The annual planning process is also designed to be proactive in that plans for the next fiscal year are drafted 10 months in advance of the beginning of the fiscal year. This cycle and timeline calls for the development of fiscal year plans prior to/in conjunction with the development of fiscal year budgets.

The cycle of the annual planning process includes initial development of plans in October prior to the fiscal year, a spring review of plans in February prior to the fiscal year, a fall review of plans in September of the fiscal year, a review with the Cabinet in December of the fiscal year, and a closeout in April of the fiscal year.

Program Overview

Pursuant to Minnesota State system Policy 3.10, Inver Hills established a program review process to improve the quality of teaching and learning through review oversight. Program review is a five-year cohort based model. All departments and programs participate in a focused component of program review each year cycling through student success, partnerships, financials, curriculum, and planning over the five-year time period. The college's Program/Department Review Policy & Procedures.

To learn more about the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) that initiated the program review policy, visit Accreditation.

Program Review Information

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Academic Program Review Policy