Future Planning - Research Paper Example

Future Planning Introduction The act of future planning involves deciding in advance what need to be done, how it is to be undertaken, when to do it, where and who is charged with the responsibility of undertaking the process so as to attain the set goals and objectives (Toby, 2012).  Future planning is manifested through a detailed scheme or program that is created in advance for the sole aim of attaining the set objectives of the institution. Definition of future planning Future planning in education can be defined as a process of projecting the intentions that are need to be accomplished after a given period of time. Bok argues that future planning must bear three elements namely identification of the people to implement a future action, bridging of the gap between the current state of affairs and the future and laying of a firm foundation for the future progress (Bok, 2013). Future planning in the education sector can thus be summarized as the process of setting out in advance procedures, policies and set standards that enable the full attainment of the educational objectives. The future planning must be carried out in advance, identify the strategies and taking into consideration the level of expertise that is needed to implement the plan to completion (Fujimoto, 2012). Characteristics of future planning Future planning has four major characteristics namely the primacy of planning, the future-oriented aspect, mission-oriented and being pervasive. The pervasive aspect of future planning is seen in the fact that it cuts across the various level of management as well as covering all the managerial functions (Selingo, 2013). This ensures that all the activities are undertaken so that no duty is left out unattended. The mission-oriented aspect of future planning is seen by the fact that it includes the mapping out process or the charting of the activities in a manner that assists in the satisfaction of human wants. It takes into consideration the past trends as well as the present happenings so that they can be used to accurately predict what is likely to happen in the future. The future can either be short-term or long-term depending on the sole objectives of the organization. Future planning structures Future planning in higher education institutions must take into consideration a number of issues that rotate around internal and external governance. The leadership must take into consideration the political dimensions of setting up a plan (Clark, 2011). The political objectives in regard to educational planning should be geared towards the maintenance of law and order, promotion of justice as well as ensuring good governance in the institutions. Other views that must be considered within the political aspect include the views of the religious groups, organizations that deal with higher institutions and federal laws regarding education (Fujimoto, 2012). The economic dimensions that the planners must consider should be geared towards making the plan attainable to everyone who desire to advance in higher education by making it more affordable. Future planning should be focused on preparing the target individuals towards the attainment of personal goals such as securing employment opportunities, production of basic goods and services through innovation and developing personal gifts and talents (In Wankel, 2012). Governance in future planning for higher education must consider incorporation of science and technology dimension which is the main source of innovative ideas. In relation to the demographic dimensions, the leadership must take into consideration the structure as well as the characteristics of the population within the institution and that of the surrounding regions. This will promote the achievement of the plan contents while at the same time taking of all the expectations of the key stakeholders. In regard to the legal aspects of the plan, the higher education planners must have very specific legal framework (Scholl, 2012). Future planning must be undertaken within the framework of the state and federal constitutions that govern education practices. The leadership must consider the cultural dimension when making the plans as the linguistic and the culture surrounding the institution will greatly affect the implementation of the plan. Contemporary issue for future planning One contemporary issue that higher education leaders must consider as they strive to be proactive for the future is tackling the issue of increasing costs and shifting funding. This problem has been increased by the rise in the expectations of students and the level of competition among themselves. According to Blumenstyk, the higher education institutions need to channel more funds towards infrastructure as well as career so as to attract more students and lower the costs of tuition. The future plan need to reshape their operation model of institutions so as to lower the overall costs thus reducing the amount of fees to be paid by students (Blumenstyk, 2015). The Federal government has been offering financial support for students who attend institutions of higher learning but the funding has been dwindling each and every year. So there is need for future planners to consider coming up with ways of reducing the level of expenditure in higher education institutions. Leadership and management skills The implementation of a future plan requires a number of skills that planners as well as the implementers must so as to realize its full contents. They need knowledge of plan-making and project evaluation. The planners must be in a position to act as the mediators or facilitators to ensure the successful implementation of the future plan. They must be able to envision all the possible alternatives to the plan so that focus is not geared towards one strategy. Guinier says that the planners must have good communication skills evident in both verbal and written forms so as to ensure that the future plan is well managed and organized (Guinier, 2014). Proper communication will promote the understanding of the plan so that it can be implemented even in the absence of the developers. Every person who is charged with a given duty in the future plan must be made to understand their roles so that they do not miss out on any aspect of it. Conclusion The future planners must have good analytic skills so that they can carry out analysis the plan in terms of its benefits and limitations. The management of the institutions must show total support for the future plan through allocation of adequate funds, hiring the right personnel and aligning the plans with the main objectives of the institution. References Blumenstyk, G. (2015). American higher education in crisis?: What everyone needs to know. Bok, D. C. (2013). Higher education in America. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Diversity Initiatives in Higher Education: Just How Important Is Diversity in Higher Education? Clark, C. (2011). Diversity initiatives in higher education: Just how important is diversity in higher education? Multicultural Education, 18(3), 57-59. Guinier, L. (2014). The tyranny of the meritocracy. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press. Hiring Diverse Faculty Members in Community Colleges: A Case Study in Ethical Decision Making Fujimoto, E. O. (2012). Hiring diverse faculty members in community colleges: A case study in ethical decision making. Community College Review, 40(3), 255-274 In Wankel, L. A., & In Wankel, C. (2012). Misbehavior online in higher education. Scholl, B., & Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich. (2012). HESP: Higher education in spatial planning : positions and reflections. Zürich: VDF. Selingo, J. J. (2013). College (un)bound: The future of higher education and what it means for students. Toby, J. (2012). The lowering of higher education in America: Why student loans should be based on credit worthiness. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers. Read More