Planning is a crucial process by which the college accomplishes its mission. This online Glendale Community College Integrated Planning Handbook describes the processes for long-term and short-term planning, evaluation, and resource allocation. The flowchart below describes the processes.

Mission/Vision. The mission statement describes how the college helps students achieve their goals. It serves as the foundation for college planning, evaluation, decision-making, and resource allocation. The vision statement describes what the college aspires to be.

Comprehensive Plan. The college’s Comprehensive Plan includes the Institutional Strategic Plan as well as supporting institutional plans such as the Facilities Plan, Technology Plans, Distance Education Plan, etc. These plans define the college’s institutional long-term goals.

Program Review. Program review is the primary mechanism for departmental self-evaluation. These reviews allow for long-term and short-term planning at the departmental level. They also provide an avenue for and support resource requests. Beginning in 2015-2015, the program review cycle moved to a three-year cycle. Each year, one-third of programs undergoes a full program review while the remaining programs review and update their program review document.

Resource Allocation. Resource requests are validated and prioritized through the hiring allocation committees and governance committees. These committees make recommendations for funding at the end of the annual cycle.

Evaluation. Every year, the integrated planning process is evaluated and improvements are made for the next cycle.

Integrating Planning, Program Review, and Resource Allocation

Accreditation Standard 1.4.  The institution’s mission directs resource allocation, innovation, and continuous quality improvement through ongoing systematic planning and evaluation of programs and services.  (ACCJC Guidance on Evidence:  Institutional systems for planning are integrated such that information from program planning/program review informs processes for resource allocation, decision-making, and short- and long-term operational planning.  Evidence of prioritizing and funding resource allocations that arise through program review.)

Accreditation Standard 3.5.  The institution’s mission and goals are the foundation for financial planning. Financial information is disseminated to support effective planning and decision-making and provide opportunities for stakeholders to participate in the development of plans and budgets.  (ACCJC Guidance on Evidence:  Documentation of how the budget development process ties resource allocation to the mission, institutional goals, and/or program review and planning. Examples of how budget proposals, resource allocation decisions, and/or financial decisions are reported to institutional stakeholders.)

Historical Note: Planning processes changed in 2010-2011 in response to recommendations from the accreditation team that visited in March 2010. Three major changes were made: program review became an annual process for all instructional, student services, and administrative services programs; the resource allocation process was simplified and tied more directly to program review and planning; and the evaluation of the planning, program review, and resource allocation processes became a formal, annual process. The result of these changes is an integrated model that links planning, program review, and resource allocation in a continuous cycle of quality improvement. The following list shows the outcomes that the college expected to achieve in revising its processes:

• Processes will be more transparent. The planning, program review, and resource allocation process will be documented more clearly than in the past. Furthermore, a single integrated process will describe planning, program review, and resource allocation. More information about the process will be shared with all stakeholders.

• Processes will be more fair. Resource requests from different departments and offices will be treated the same in the integrated process. Decisions about funding will be made as fairly and equitably as possible.

• Processes will be well understood. The college will make a concerted effort to publicize the integrated process to all stakeholder groups.