| Bethany College President Edward F. Leonard III began development of the strategic plan when he took office in August 2007. Since that time, he has gathered broad community input through numerous retreats, listening sessions, forums and task forces.
President Leonard convened a Strategic Planning Council, asking the students, staff and faculty on that council to reexamine and recommend priorities for Bethany. Council members also recruited members for four task forces: mission, values, promise and vision. These task forces were joined by an additional task force of the Bethany College Board of Directors.
The college hosted the Bethany Leadership Retreat and the Bethany Community Retreat, bringing members of 19 constituent groups together to share their ideas for Bethany’s future.
President Leonard conducted more than 100 listening sessions with people on and off campus, and Bethany hosted Future Forums with alumni, friends, and prospective students in 20 cities around the country, as well as two forums on campus.
As a foundation for the strategic plan, the Bethany community revised and reaffirmed its mission and values statements, and affirmed new promise and vision statements.
In October 2008, the Bethany College Board of Directors affirmed these guiding principles and the plan developed by the Strategic Planning Council.
The strategic plan was shared with the Bethany College community at the President’s annual State of the College address in October 2008 and in the spring 2009 issue of Bethany Magazine.
Currently, Bethany is using its guiding principles and strategic plan to build and execute its operational plan. |
