I've seen too many beautifully written plans that were put in a desk drawer the day after they were finished, and that was the last anyone thought of them. Centre's new plan includes a time line for completing the various components and names the specific people responsible for completing each section. Many of the plan's objectives are already well under way. Curricular review has already led to a new calendar with a shorter winter term, for example. The endowed lecture series called for in the plan was announced in March.
Alumni can help keep the plan vital by checking in from time to time.
What you do in history is gather large amounts of data and draw conclusions. And that's what you do in planning. She drew on her experience, including 15 years as a strategic planner for Monsanto Chemical Corp., to help guide Centre s two-year effort to determine its direction following the conclusion of its 1991 plan. The process involved nine working groups made up of faculty, students, alumni, and trustees, who looked at every aspect of the College, from academics, to student life, to cultural activities, to how to pay for it all. More than 200 people participated, says Clarence Wyatt '78, who teaches history at Centre.