Lone Star College System laid out its 2009-2011 strategic plan as part of the annual convocation event held Aug. 19 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott.
“We are the fortunate ones,” said Chancellor Richard Carpenter to the group of employees gathered from all of the system’s colleges and centers. “Fifty-seven percent of colleges reported budget cuts and of those, 70 percent reported budget cuts of 5 percent or more.”
LSCS has not been forced to face a budget cut and only this week reported increased student enrollment of more than 15 percent, with more than 58,000 students registering for the fall 2009 semester.
“Probably the biggest challenge in rapid growth is to maintain academic integrity,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter introduced members of the LSCS Board of Trustees as well as local elected officials in attendance at the Aug. 19 breakfast event. “We are indeed the fortunate ones when it comes to our board of trustees,” he said.
Convocation is an annual all-system gathering to recognize, in part, the beginning of the academic year. The chancellor discussed the college system’s successes of the previous year and outlined the system’s objectives and initiatives for “2009-2011 and Beyond”.
Each employee received a packet containing the college system’s strategic framework, a publication which contained LSCS’s mission statement, value statement and 10 goals. In addition, each of the five colleges had a framework publication with goals to mirror the 10 goals set forth by the system.
“These strategic plans … are not something we did for fluff,” Carpenter said. “These are true blueprints for action. That is what will drive our activity going forward.”
LSCS’s 10 goals:
1. Maintain affordability and accessibility.
2. Recruit and retain talented and innovative faculty, administrators, and staff.
3. Provide academic excellence and strengthen connectivity and accountability through high quality academic and service programs.
4. Focus on outcomes driven student success.
5. Create effective internal and external systems of communication.
6. Provide quality student focused service.
7. Create efficiencies in operation in resource allocation.
8. Develop and maintain mutually constructive community partnerships.
9. Increase quality and quantity of technology services in support of teaching, learning, and administration.
10. Plan and achieve quality growth management.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, and LSC-Tomball, six centers, LSC-University Center, LSC-University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. With more than 58,000 students in credit classes this fall, LSCS is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and third largest community college system in Texas. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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