Understanding the Educational Master Planning Process

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Last year the Peralta Community College District celebrated its fiftieth anniversary of service to the San Francisco East Bay Area. The District embarked on a robust assessment of the current economy and higher education needs of the East Bay region and state, establishing the Peralta District 2015 Strategic Plan, and an annual set of 2015-16 Strategic Goals and Institutional Objectives was adopted by the Board of Trustees. The four colleges of the District – Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College – are now engaged in the development of five-year Educational Master Plans (EMPs) that will provide a framework for service to the region and achievement of these District Goals and Objectives.

At the heart of this data-driven review and planning effort is the intended outcome of student access and improving student success. The District has engaged the services of the Collaborative Brian Trust, a California-based firm providing technical support services to higher education and the private sector, to support development of the four colleges’ EMPs. A comprehensive internal and external scan is underway. Data analysis and the development of College Goals and Objectives will serve as a blueprint to be used in the Integrated Planning and Budgeting process at each college. The resulting four EMPs will be developed in alignment with the 2015 Peralta District Strategic Plan and its annual Strategic Goals and Objectives. Each College’s Educational Master Plan will be customized to its student population and service area, aligning resources to maximize student access and success. Both current and future needs of the region over the next five years will be considered. The EMP project will conclude Summer 2016.