Department of Psychology

 Strategic Plan (Spring 2017-2021 )

Strategic Planning Process

Approved August 14, 2000

Modified 2006, 2010, 2017

 

Strategic Planning Advisory Committee

A standing departmental committee is appointed at the beginning of each academic year to guide the implementation of the Department’s strategic plan. The five members of the committee will be elected by the faculty (3 members) or appointed by the Department Chairperson (2 members). The committee will elect a member of the committee as chairperson. The Department Chairperson will be an ex officio member of the committee.

Strategic Planning Document

Every 5 years the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee forwards a departmental strategic planning document to the Department of Psychology faculty for adoption. This document describes the Department’s Vision and Mission with corresponding Strategic Actions that guide departmental policy and management. Accompanying each Strategic Action is a set of suggested evaluations to determine current departmental performance in these areas. 

Strategic Actions

At the end of each academic year (April) the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee will prioritize the Strategic Actions to be addressed during the next academic year and seek feedback/approval from the faculty. The new Advisory committee, at the beginning of the academic year (August), recommends to the chair the formation of Strategic Action Committees based on the priorities adopted. Throughout the year, the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee acts as a resource for the Strategic Action committees.

Strategic Action Committees

Based on recommendations for committee structure from the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, the chair will appoint 3-5 faculty members to serve on the Strategic Action Committees. The role of each committee is to evaluate existing conditions related to strategic action(s) to determine whether discrepancies exist between the Department’s stated objectives and current performance. If a disparity is found, the Strategic Action Committee will propose changes in departmental policies and processes designed to improve performance in this area. The faculty and the department chair must approve proposals.

The Role of the Faculty

The Strategic Plan is developed, maintained, and implemented by the Department of Psychology faculty. The faculty elects members to the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee and receives a report from this committee at faculty meetings. The faculty approves the Strategic Planning Document and all changes to it, approves the prioritized inventory of the strategic actions, and votes on all motions forwarded by the Strategic Action Committees.

        

What Have We Accomplished from our Last Strategic Plans?

 Following each Strategic Goal (2011-2016) is a statement assessing our progress in the area, digested from written faculty comments and retreat discussions in January 2017.

 1.     Department of Influence: We will utilize our individual and collective knowledge, skills, and abilities as psychologists to make real contributions to the college, university, community, and profession. We want decision-makers in those areas to recognize the potential of our contributions and to call upon us or welcome our participation in activities for which we have expertise.

• 2017 Assessment: We do great work in our department, across campus, in our profession, and in the community. But we haven’t done a good job letting others know about our work. Significantly, we really do not know what each other are doing.

 2.     Culture: We want to be a department that appropriately and adequately supports, recognizes, and rewards academic excellence (broadly defined to include scholarship, teaching, and leadership).  We also want to protect and nurture the positive and collegial spirit of our department.

• 2017 Assessment: We are collegial, but this may be threatened by perceived inequity of rewards, narrow affiliations, and other factors. Without attention, these issues could arouse discontent and division.

 3.     Quality of Education: We will provide high quality educational experiences for our undergraduate and graduate students. We will continue to emphasize the scientific basis of Psychology and utilize our curriculum to provide students with superior depth of coverage and opportunities for experiential learning.

• 2017 Assessment: We are proud of our undergraduate curriculum, but we must continue to nurture it and let the broader Psychology community know about it. Our graduate programs are generally successful, but recruiting may be a challenge in some. If our quest for a doctoral program in rural clinical psychology is finally successful, we must be careful about its implementation.

 4.     Leverage our Strengths: We will expect faculty to seek and/or accept positions that might advantage the Department. The Department will reward such work. The Department will trade on its strengths to obtain the resources we need to ever improve what we do.

• 2017 Assessment: The Department enjoys a positive reputation on campus and we have people in significant roles. Our chairperson has obtained resources for the department. But many faculty are unsure of our resource position relative to other departments. The general impression is that we have not done well.

 5.     Resources: We will work actively to acquire the resources (e.g., time, money, space, personnel) required to accomplish our Departmental Mission and goals. We will seek to acquire resources for our research, training, and service activities. We will distribute and utilize our resources equitably.

• 2017 Assessment: Though we have increased grant funding and manage our small costs, we do not have adequate time, space, or funding.

                

Our Mission 

The mission of the Department of Psychology is to engage in teaching, scholarship, and service, in order to promote and advance understanding of the science of psychology, its application, and its utility to our students, fellow scholars, the University, and the public. 

Our Vision

 We will promote the value of the science of psychology.

• Our teaching will prepare students for their future.
• Our research will influence science and practice.
• We will be recognized for our excellence in education and scholarship. 
• We will serve as leaders in the University community. 
• We will make meaningful contributions to our local and professional communities. 

 Our Values: CLEAReR

             

Strategic Goals 2017-2022

 1.    Formalize Internal Communication

Goal A: To increase faculty awareness of their departmental colleagues' activities and accomplishments in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Goal B: To increase faculty awareness of departmental decisions and decisonmaking processes.

 2.    Create an External Communication Plan

Goal A: To identify our audience (university, community, potential students, etc.).

Goal B: To identify our communication goals (turn heads, have true impact, etc.).

Goal C: To specifically develop an alumni communication strategy (including who, how to contact, touch points, etc.).

Goal D: Partner with University Communications to develop content and deliver to target audiences.

 3.    Study the Undergraduate Psychology Degree

Goal: To examine, understand, and enhance the value of the undergraduate psychology degree at Appalachian

 4.    Resource Acquisition and Allocation 

Goal A: To create a data-driven plan that describes the resources (time, space, personnel, and money) that we need.

Goal B: To plan to acquire these resources.

Goal C: To plan to distribute the resources to facilitate departmental success.

Goal D: Based on Strategic Goal 2, develop a plan to generate funds in conjunction with the CAS Advancement Council and Director of Development.

 5.    Incorporate PsyD Program into Departmental Operations

Goal A: To develop a PsyD curriculum and program that is well prepared for APA accreditation.

Goal B: To give strategic attention to our undergraduate and other graduate programs.

Goal C: To enhance the department as a whole.

Goal D: To increase community service (through practicum and internships at our Psychology Clinic, ASC centers, ASU Counseling & Psychological Services center, and other agencies) that will enhance health care for individuals living in our region. 

 6.    Develop Innovative Projects and Programs

Goal: To explore and pursue ways in which the Department of Psychology may execute its vision and be responsive to the University Mission through the development of new projects and programs.

             

SPAC Recommendations

 The SPAC recommends that the department create three Strategic Action Committees to pursue the following strategic goals in the next year. 

1. Formalize Internal Communication
2. Create an External Communication Plan
3. Incorporate PsyD Program into Departmental Operations

 For each goal, the Strategic Action Committee will be charged with 

1. Developing an action plan, with timelines;
2. Indicating responsible parties for executing each step in the action plan;
3. Identifying measurable outcomes that will provide evidence of success; and
4. Measuring the outcome indicators. 

The SPAC notes that each of these goals will likely require multi-year efforts. Pursuit of the other Strategic Goals noted on page 5 will be evaluated annually by the SPAC. It is the responsibility of the SPAC to guide the implementation of the Department’s strategic plan. Thus, the SPAC will monitor the progress of Strategic Action Committees in their work. Additionally, in light of the conversations at our planning retreat in January 2017, the SPAC urges each of the Strategic Action Committees specifically to attend to our value of RESPECT in the pursuit of their charges.  Finally, the Committee cautions the Department that the Strategic Plan is a living document that should be used for departmental decisions, and that should be continuously evaluated as the Department and the environment change.