COTR five-year plan launched

The Internet defines strategic planning thus: Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. It may also extend to control mechanisms for guiding the  implementation of the strategy.

On April 8, 2015, the College of the Rockies (COTR) invited local media to the launch of its five-year Community Strategic Plan. The strategic planning committee (SPC) was formed in late 2013, and was made up of 14 members representing students, faculty and administrators at the campuses in Cranbrook, Kimberley, Golden, Invermere, Creston and Fernie. At times the committee obtained input and expertise from additional sources at the college.

David Walls, president and CEO of COTR, said that during the year-long process, the SPC examined the college’s strengths and challenges, its opportunities for growth and the threats to its growth. The college’s mission statement, “To transform lives and enrich communities through the power of education,” and its vision statement, “To create and deliver the most personal student experience in Canada,” were pared down to clear and simple wording, and a new brand was formulated: “Rocky Mountain inspired. Small college proud.”

The five-year objectives arrived at by the SPC are improving student outcomes, ensuring financial health, improving strategic processes and increasing capacity. The website shows the breakdown of the objectives into sub-topics to more effectively target the desired results, and COTR will soon be putting initiatives into practise to achieve those results.