However, to fit into the 1995-1996 budget process, for one cycle only the strategic and operational elements occurred in one phase, capitalizing on the preliminary information technology planning efforts. The individual operational plans were to be integrated into an Institutional IT Plan which would be reviewed and approved by the ITPC before forwarding to the President's Council for final approval and dissemination. Subsequently, the ITPC ceased to function and was ruled superfluous in the emerging structure. In 1996-97 it was officially eliminated as an intermediate body and the President's Council agreed to give direct final approval to all future information technology plans. Instead of a cyclic, product-oriented planning process, the CIO began to champion a truly dynamic, interactive approach.
Planning is everything.
In other words, it can be updated and changed as needed based on circumstances and discussions of the time . Long-term objectives that persist will remain constant. But new opportunities, initiatives and mandates can be dealt with in the most responsive way possible. The value-dimensions provided by the Web include the flexibility and ease with which changes to the plan can be made, and the immediate availability of the results to anyone who is interested. The current planning approach purposefully seeks and encourages broad involvement and representation from faculty, staff and students in the ongoing discussions of the various committees.