About MCC

President's Message, October 2009

Good morning students, faculty, and staff. First, thank you for launching another successful Fall Semester at Muskegon Community College. Last month I noted that the MCC community would receive information on how we all may work to assure that MCC remains a vibrant and innovative institution. This month’s message provides you with a key opportunity to be involved. Specifically, I will discuss the upcoming Muskegon Community College Strategic Planning Process.

The Strategic Planning Process will be led by a Committee organized along four discrete and related dimensions of MCC.  These include subcommittees on Academic Programs and Policies (what happens in the classroom), Non-Academic Programs and Policies (what happens outside of the classroom), Community Relations, and Infrastructure/Master Planning. The Committee will include staff, faculty, students, trustees, and community members.

Here are ground rules of the Strategic Planning Process:

  • You will be directly involved in the process and your involvement will be meaningful. If you are interested in serving on the Strategic Planning Committee, please send a note to strategy@muskegoncc.edu. Your participation will drive the process and I commit to you that, as President, I will listen.
  • Your time will not be wasted.  Specifically, we will not reinvent the wheel. During the past year the College has accumulated much of the data needed to accommodate the planning process, so we will not ask you again for those data.
  • I expect that we will ask ourselves tough questions, and accordingly, I also expect that honest responses will be forthcoming.
  • We will not promote change just for the sake of change itself.
  • The College will function better for having gone through this process.
With the release of this President’s Message, the process is hereby begun. The timetable is as follows:
  • October 1, 2009 – Commencement of the Strategic Planning Process
  • November 1, 2009 – Master Planning Process Begins
  • January 1, 2010 and Forward – Implementation of Strategic Planning Recommendations as Approved
  • March 31, 2010 – Completion of Master Planning Process
  • April 30, 2010 – Completion of Strategic Planning Process
As you may note, this is an ambitious timetable.  However, I am confident that we are capable of accomplishing these tasks in a timely fashion.  Again, if you are interested in serving on the Strategic Planning Committee, please send a note to strategy@muskegoncc.edu. Diana Osborn will chair the committee along with a member of the faculty. I thank you, in advance, for your participation as we work together toward what is sure to be an exciting year.
 
Best regards,
Dale Nesbary, Ph.D.
President

Strategic Planning Committee Detail

This list comes from a variety of groups, including students, faculty, staff, trustees, and the community. The list is not exhaustive and is a starting point for committee discussions.

Full Committee

  • Process Coordination
  • Program Cost Estimation
  • Determination of Proper Governance Direction for Proposals (approval process) 

Subcommittees

Academic Programs and Policies

  • Integration of 2010 HLC Recommendations
  • Integration of Existing Plans (Academic Master Plan, Existing Strategic Plan)
  • Integration of Items from President's Investiture Address (New Media, Instrumental Music, Center for Green Technology, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Natural Sciences Support, Allied Health Support, Sports Management, Professional Golf Management, Professional Tennis Management, Lifeguarding [Ellis, Red Cross])
  • High School Dual Enrollment and Direct Credit Program Expansion
  • Autism Program
  • Bioterrorism Program
  • Fire Safety Program

Non-Academic Programs and Policies

  • International Student Recruiting
  • Campus Security
  • Varsity Sport Expansion
  • Student Housing Options
  • Student Meal Plans – Community Declining Balance
  • Advancement (Foundation, Alumni Relations)

Community Relations

  • Community Survey/Environmental Scan
  • Downtown/Off Site Campus
  • Transportation
  • Integration of MCC Programs in the Community
  • MCC Services in Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties

Infrastructure/Master Planning

  • Master Planning Process Oversight
  • Downtown Campus
  • Planetarium
  • Visual Arts Facility
  • Natural Science Facility Upgrade
  • New Media Center Development
  • Fire Safety Academy
  • Security Infrastructure