A strategic plan is like a map.

Without one making plans can be crazy, said David Sleasman, Graduate Student Senate President.

Sleasman pointed out the lack of a graduate strategic plan as a problem at the beginning of the semester and has been working with other GSS members and Michael Ogawa, interim dean of the graduate college, to develop a plan.

A planning committee was formed to create the plan, which is projected to be finished by March, Ogawa said.

During the fall semester the group has been gaining feedback from focus groups and from students, faculty and administrators.

“I call it an environmental scan of the campus,” Ogawa said.

The focus groups consists of a variety of faculty members and administrators from the graduate staff.

“The focus groups are to get an idea of their thoughts, ideas and opinions on graduate education currently,” said J.R. Ratliff, academic affairs representative in GSS and member of the planning committee for the graduate strategic plan.

During the beginning of spring semester, the focus groups and gathering of data will continue, Sleasman said.

“It’s a matter of trying to get a sense of what people at all levels think graduate education is at BGSU,” Sleasman said.

In addition to focus groups, the committee plans to send out a survey to the graduate community so those who weren’t involved in the focus groups can still express their opinion, Ratliff said.

“I think it’s important to have comprehensive input because this will have long lasting impacts,” Ratliff said.

Once the group has collected the information and input, it plans to synthesize the information and use it to develop strategic goals, Ogawa said.

“We want to get a plan in place and then take a look at the future,” Ogawa said.

Once the plan is in place, the graduate college can begin to re-evaluate programs and funding.

“The plan dictates where the money goes and what programs there are and how the graduate college connects to the University mission,” Sleasman said.

Ratliff thinks it is vital that a strategic plan be made for the graduate college.

“A major part of having quality programs is a frequent renovation of it,” Ratliff said. “I think it’s a great initiative.”

In the past, graduate students haven’t had input on planning, Sleasman said.

“I’m happy that we were heard,” Sleasman said. “Last year decisions were made without students understanding why. There was no strategic plan, no game plan.”

Opening communication and solidifying the relationship between GSS and the graduate college is one of Ogawa’s major goals.

“I think we’re doing well with it,” Ogawa said.

One way GSS is working to open communication between administrators and students is with their brown bag lunch series.

This semester the series featured new administrators as the speakers, Sleasman said.

“I think it was very successful,” Sleasman said. “It was really exciting, there was a really good turnout.”

The series will continue next semester, but featuring speakers from different academic colleges across campus instead of new administrators.