Northern Essex Community College faculty, staff, and students are all invited to contribute to the college’s strategic plan for 2020 by sharing their thoughts at  upcoming SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results) forums or by submitting their thoughts online.

Over 100 members of the college community have attended the Strategic Planning SOAR forums to date, and the college has scheduled two more dates for “drop-in” SOAR forums–that are designed for faculty, staff, and students to “drop-in” at any time that is convenient.

The “drop-in” forums are scheduled for Monday, November 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 244 in the Dimitry Building in Lawrence and on Thursday, November, 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 103B, the Hartleb Technology Center, Haverhill.

The SOAR Form is now online and can be accessed using the link below until Friday, December 4. Each of the six Strategic Themes has its own form.

The college will once again be using the Appreciative Inquiry approach of inclusive planning to create the college’s new strategic plan. This approach was used very successfully to create the current strategic plan: Northern Essex Community College’s VOICES: 2012-2015.

The new strategic planning process began at the September 8 convocation with an exercise designed to uncover themes that resonate within the college community. Based on those results, six themes have been identified including Integrated Student Experience, Student Success, Career Exploration and Development, Curriculum Innovation, External Partnerships, and Professional Development.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend one or more SOAR forums and share their thoughts on further developing these themes.

“Everyone has something to contribute, and we want to be sure all voices are heard,” said President Lane Glenn. “It’s important to be part of the process so we encourage all faculty, staff, and students to attend a forum and help shape our future.”