Beginning fall 2020, the College engaged in the development of its 2021–2026 strategic plan. The goal of this process is to identify Durham Tech’s priorities, initiatives, and metrics to ensure equitable student success, the upward economic mobility of our graduates, and the prosperity of our region.  As part of this process the Aspen Institute, Achieving the DreamTM, and the Belk Center will collaborate to conduct an external assessment, which will provide the framework and inform the focus for the strategic plan. For current information on the strategic planning process, please visit the Durham Tech Strategic Planning blog.

Aspen Institute, Achieving the Dream, and the Belk Center to conduct assessment of Durham Tech 

Durham Tech requested that the nation’s premier higher education student success organizations – the Aspen Institute’s Center for Community College Excellence and Achieving the Dream (ATD) support this effort. The Belk Center at NC State will join this collaboration to develop a joint approach to:

  1. assess our institutional efforts to close equity gaps and significantly increase student success outcomes and
  2. provide recommendations to inform the College’s strategic planning process.
     

Strategic Planning Timeline

Timeframe Principal / Target Audience  Activity
September 2020 Administration Identification of external strategic planning resources – Aspen Institute, Achieving the Dream (AtD), Belk Center at North Carolina State University
September – December 2020 Internal Data Sources (REAP)/ Internal Stakeholders
  1. Data collection - ICAT survey dissemination, student focus groups, student achievement data, dept-level assessment data (planning briefings), System Office dashboard data collection and analysis.
  2. Identify internal strategic planning team.
October – November 2020 Specific Internal/External Stakeholders Data collection – executive and mid-level management, faculty, advisors, students, Board of Trustees, and community partners (educational and youth-serving/economic development).
December – January 2021 Aspen/AtD/Belk Center (Collaborative) Data analysis
February 2021 Collaborative / College Administration Preliminary assessment findings and recommendations.
March 2021 Collaborative and College Community Present assessment findings/recommendations. College-wide virtual townhall (recorded for future reference).
April – May 2021 Collaborative and Strategic Planning Team Draft objectives, goals, and strategies using logic models to ensure that appropriate assessments are embedded within the plan.
May 2021 Strategic Planning Team
  1. Present draft plan to both the Collaborative and College community via virtual townhall
  2. Send survey to receive feedback and additional considerations.
June 2021 Board of Trustees Approve revised mission, vision, and core values. Approve the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan.
July – August 2021 College/Administration Strategic plan implementation.