To implement the changes recommended by a master plan for a college campus, strong leadership is required and good communication. These are some of the strategies that can be used to make these changes.
- Plan of Action: Leaders should develop a detailed action plan outlining the steps necessary to implement changes. The plan must identify the key stakeholders and timelines as well as resources required to finish the project.
- Communicate your plan. A leader needs to communicate their plan to everyone involved in the project, which includes faculty members, staff and students. The communication must be continuous and transparent. It should include updates and issues as they arise, and address any concerns.
- Securing funding is essential for a leader to be able to make the required changes. You may need to work with funders, apply for grants or reallocate resources.
- Leaders should keep track of progress and adjust as necessary. It may be necessary to adjust timelines, reallocate resources or address unexpected obstacles.
- Evaluation of outcomes: The leader must evaluate the outcome to see if the change had a positive effect or a negative one on the campus. The evaluation process should include input from all stakeholders, and be used as a tool to guide future decisions.
It is the responsibility of many people to implement changes that are suggested in a campus plan. Along with the campus leader, faculty, students and members of the community also share in this responsibility. They may all have different priorities and perspectives, so it’s important that they are included in the conversation to be heard.
It is not easy to determine whether changes made on campus have had positive or negative effects. This process can be complex and involve many stakeholders. In the end, success will be determined by the goals of the project. If the objective was to increase student retention then improvements in retention would measure success. In order to measure success, if the goal is to improve community engagement then improvements in outreach and community partnership efforts will be used.
References:
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organisations: Artistry. Choice. Leadership. John Wiley & Sons.
Kezar, A., Chambers, T. C., & Burkhardt, J. C. (2019). Understanding Change Processes in Higher Education: A Practical Guide. John Wiley & Sons.