Planning at Carroll Community College is founded upon the college’s mission and guided by multi-year strategic priorities, collectively known as Compass. The college’s first Compass was created in 2000. The next set of Compass strategic priorities was announced in 2005, and guided college planning through fiscal year 2012. In February 2012 the President charged the Planning Advisory Council with developing recommendations for Compass 2015, the priorities to guide the college over the three-year period FY2013 through FY2015. Compass 2015 was formally adopted June 7, 2012.

Since the purpose of planning is to provide direction and accountability in furtherance of the college’s mission, development of Compass 2015 commenced following approval of a revised mission statement for the college. This mission review was prompted by preparation of the college’s Self Study for Middle State reaccreditation.

While the mission and institutional goals describe the lawful, fundamental purposes of the college, institutional planning and advancement require a future vision of the college and a roadmap to get there, specifying the institution’s priorities over a multi-year planning horizon. The multi-year plan is needed to accommodate major projects that will take more than one year to complete, and to allow for development of funding strategies to support their accomplishment. Examples include introduction of new academic programs such as nursing or engineering, construction of a new building, completion of a major gifts fundraising campaign, and implementation of a comprehensive outcomes assessment program.

To accomplish the multi-year priorities in Compass, the college community needs direction in determining what to focus on in a given year. This direction is provided by the president’s annual strategic initiatives for the coming fiscal year. After discussion and endorsement by the Board of Trustees, the President shares the initiatives college-wide. Each initiative falls under and supports advancement of a Compass strategic priority. Together, the Compass priorities and the annual strategic initiatives under each priority comprise the framework for the college’s annually-updated strategic plan.

The college’s current, multi-year strategic priorities, collectively known as Compass 2015, are student achievement, enrollment development, partnerships, continuous improvement, and resource management. This spring, college president Dr. James D. Ball will direct members of the Planning Advisory Council to review these priorities and make recommendations for the next version of Compass. The President has decided that the next Compass will guide planning for the five-year period ending June 30, 2020. Thus the plan will be known as Compass 2020.

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