Strategic Plan

2005-2006
The American Council on Education (ACE) is a national organization dedicated to advancing access and quality in American higher education. In 1973 the Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE) was established as a program of ACE. OWHE provides information and advice to higher education constituencies regarding policies, issues, education and research that influence women's equity, diversity and advancement. One of OWHE's goals is to advance women to executive positions on campus.

LONG RANGE GOALS

Identifies emerging and successful women leaders.
Develops their leadership abilities through state and national programming.
Encourages the use of those abilities.
Advances them through nomination to appropriate positions.
Links them to one another and to mentors.
Supports the tenure of mid-and senior-level women administrators and presidents throughout their career cycles.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

1. Provide diverse programming that addresses the professional development needs of mid-level women, women of color, and faculty interested in moving into senior positions in higher education.
2. Increase knowledge of NJ ACE Net on the state level and on individual campuses.
3. Expand network by making connections to other women's organizations.

OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

Strategic Planning Committee
Maintain planning and administrative documents and dialogue with national office to provide consistent leadership to state chapter.

    Activities:
  1. Review strategic plan biannually to maintain currency
  2. Review/revise Bylaws and benchmark with other state boards
  3. Develop committee structure and job descriptions for board members
  4. Maintain relationship with national office to solicit advice and support
  5. Use presidential sponsor Dr. Barbara Gitenstein to network with Presidents Council and high ranking college administrators
  6. Involve women and men at state level who influence and shape educational policy (breakfast, luncheon, conference) to influence legislators about specific educational policy issues of interest to women.
  7. Engage in planning specifically designed to meet the professional development needs of younger women, women of color, and faculty.
  8. Partner with other women's organizations.

Campus Chapter Development Committee
Strengthen connections between state and local campuses.

    Activities:
  1. Encourage formation of strong ACE Net chapters on NJ campuses
  2. Formalize the regional structure
  3. Create regions
  4. Identify board members to develop the region
  5. Identify Board members to attend their regional meetings and on a rotational basis attend new chapter meetings within their regions
  6. Implement ACE Net road show at regional meetings and new campus chapters meetings
  7. Within each region, identify campuses that do not participate in ACE Net activities and develop a plan to engage such campuses
  8. Identify prospective women at non-participating campuses to act as Institutional Representatives (IRs)
  9. Create teams to personally solicit prospective IR candidates
  10. Support IR candidates in the creation of campus networks and facilitate communication among all participants by volunteer member of team
  11. Hold a joint meeting for active IRs and Board Members to take part in enlisting non-participating campuses
  12. Implement Outstanding New Chapter Award
  13. Encourage maintenance of strong ACE Net chapters on NJ campuses
  14. Identify campuses that participate in ACE Net activities and current list of IRs
  15. Develop and distribute the NJACE Net mission and strategic plans to IRs
  16. Develop a recruiting plan/manual to assist IRs in developing their membership
  17. Hold workshops where IRs can share ideas with one another on recruiting new members
  18. Have a membership drive with prize incentives
  19. Implement Outstanding Chapter Award

Program Development Committee
Provide professional development opportunities related to leadership for women in higher ed in NJ.
Activities:
*Continue holding fall and spring statewide workshops
*Plan and sponsor regional conferences through collaborative efforts of a committee consisting
of IRs and Board members from the region
*Develop evaluation tool to use at all ACE Net sponsored events
*Develop surveys to obtain ideas on programs and activities to include at all ACE Net sponsored
events

Professional Growth Committee
Create opportunities/mechanisms to advance women into higher level positions.
Activities:
*Identify the number and percentages of women at different administrative and academic levels;
identify goals
*Support/sustain women in administrative positions in NJ; assist them in networking among selves
*Advertise professional development opportunities and encourage wide participation, including
those sponsored by NJ ACE NET-WORK, ACE, and other organizations
" Hold statewide forums, modeled on the national OWHE Forum, for identified candidates and
senior level administrators
*Maintain web site
" Develop a roster of women interested in advancing in higher education
" Form teams of Board members and IRs to collaborate on
identifying candidates
*Invite former ACE Fellows to join these teams in an advisory capacity
*Create a formal system to inform women in ACE Net of job opportunities
*Publicize available positions
*Establish a process to recommend/ nominate women for job opportunities
*Recommend women to statewide task forces, committees, and similar networking opportunities

Marketing and Public Relations Committee
Support goals of NJ ACE Net through regular communication with stakeholders
Activities:
*Maintains web site
*Develops e-mail lists for specific constituent groups
*Assure that press releases about ACE Net activities go out to state/regional newspapers
*Implement recommendation from Finance Committee for fund raising opportunities

Finance Committee
Recommend practices to insure long-term fiscal stability of NJ ACE Net
Activities:

*The Finance Committee shall be responsible for overseeing all matters pertaining to the finances of NJ ACE Net and making applicable recommendations to the Board
*Establishing and making recommendations regarding an annual budget for submission
to the full Board
*Identifying the immediate and long-range financial needs of NJ ACE Net
*Seeking ways and means of providing the funds necessary for the fulfillment of NJ ACE
Net's Strategic Plan
*Making recommendations to the full Board regarding use of reserve funds and fundraising
opportunities
*Monitoring the reserves of NJ ACE Net and recommending to the Board actions
pertaining to the management, supervision and control of these reserves

Updated August 2005

the end.