What do you get when you combine an opportunity for a little camaraderie with a little strategic planning?

The “SWOT Gallery Walk…End-of-Year Social!”

The end-of-quarter gathering is open to all employees and light refreshments will be served from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 9, 2015, in Room 1402.

The event is a continuation of what is becoming a new tradition brought by President Roberts to schedule informal, end-of-quarter gatherings. Following fall quarter, the bookstore’s ice cream cooler was rolled into the Quiet Dining Room. For winter quarter, it was Shoreline’s version of March Madness in the Board Room.

With all the work that went into strategic planning this spring, including numerous focus groups on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), it seemed like an obvious theme for the spring-quarter version of the gathering.

The results of the various SWOT focus groups as well as the online survey, are being prepared for display on easels around the room. The SWOT results will be available as part of the ongoing strategic planning work. The “SWOT Gallery Walk…End-of-Year Social” is just another way of looping the information back to the campus.

As a reminder, the Strategic Planning Task Force process started with the SWOT meetings and survey, will continue through the summer with work groups, engage the campus again in September and through fall quarter toward a goal of adoption in late fall.

The Strategic Planning Task Force is off to a fast start and moving forward to gather information both externally and internally to the college. As part of the internal process, there will be a series of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) sessions that will last 90 minutes to receive input from all sectors of the college. All members of the campus community (students, faculty, classified staff and administrative exempt employees) are strongly encouraged to attend one of the sessions listed below. This is your chance to make a difference!

At these meetings, Tom Mesaros from the Alford Group will facilitate the discussion regarding the college’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in both large group and small group formats. The atmosphere will be informal, lively and collaborative.

Here are some sample questions that may be asked:

• What are college’s primary strengths in academics, scheduling, facilities, human resources, decision making, processes, student services, finances, etc.?
• What are college’s primary weaknesses in academics, scheduling, facilities, human resources, decision making, processes, student services, finances, etc.?
• What are the college’s key opportunities in academics, scheduling, facilities human resources, decision making, processes, student services, finances, etc.?
• What are the primary threats to the college?

Here are the dates and times for the SWOT sessions:

• Wednesday, April 8, Noon-1:30 p.m., Room 2305
• Friday, April 10, 8:30-10 a.m., Room 1402
• Monday, April 20, 3-4:30 p.m., Room 1402
• Friday, April 24, Noon-1:30 p.m., Room 1402
• Wednesday, April 29, 3-4:30 p.m., Room 1402

Please plan to attend one of these sessions. If you are able to attend only part of a session, your input is still very welcome. Thank you in advance for your willingness to participate and provide your input!