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Syllabus
HIED 810: Planning & Resource Management in Higher Education
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
This course provides students with a working knowledge of strategic planning models and budgeting structures and processes. Planning and budgeting skills are important components in institutional decision support, and this course provides students with tools and skills in environmental scanning, revenue forecasting, expenditure controls, and bench marking.
Curricular goals: Upon completion, students will be able to:
- discuss, in an informed way, the history, evolution, theory and practice of strategic planning in higher education;
- appreciate contextual influences (such as organizational politics and culture, leadership, environmental constraints, and the like) on planning;
- apply data and decision-support tools that can support strategic planning and resource management;
- apply group process tools to enhance communication, consensus, and action;
- demonstrate a pragmatic ability to help integrate strategic planning with institutional research and organizational improvement in a college or university setting.
HIED 810 is designed for institutional research professionals, and the on-line learning experiences are aimed at applying the readings, obtaining hands-on experience in analyzing data, and developing reporting skills, each Lesson lists supplementary readings and weblinks where you can find additional information to explore the topic in greater depth.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
This course provides students with a working knowledge of strategic planning models and budgeting structures and processes. Planning and budgeting skills are important components in institutional decision support, and this course provides students with tools and skills in environmental scanning, revenue forecasting, expenditure controls, and benchmarking.
This course consists of three parts. The first part (lessons 1-3) introduces the history of strategic planning, the external environment facing higher education institutions, and some key economic theories that can aid budgeting and planning efforts. The second part of the course (lessons 4-8) provides a working knowledge of strategic planning models and contains a project designed to help you develop a process for strategic planning. The final portion (lessons 9-13) introduces key budgeting structures and processes and contains a project that allows students to gain experience adjusting budgets for administrative and academic lessons.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define the terms planning, strategic planning, budgeting and resource management in higher education;
- Think critically about the conditions which allow planning to be most effective in various contexts
- Describe “contextual and issues intelligence” (Terenzini, 2013) with regard to planning and resource management;
- Apply data and decision-support tools that can support strategic planning and resource management
- Enhance individual leadership, group process & collaboration skills needed to enhance communication, consensus and action to implement a strategic plan
- Demonstrate pragmatic ability to use institutional research to inform planning, budgeting, organizational improvement and decision making in higher education.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Letter Grades will be based on the following scale:
| Numerical Value | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 93 - 100 | A |
| 90 - 92.9 | A- |
| 87 - 89.9 | B+ |
| 83 - 86.9 | B |
| 80 - 82.9 | B- |
| 77 - 79.9 | C+ |
| 70 - 76.9 | C |
| 60 - 69.9 | D |
| Below 60 | F |
ASSESSMENTS
Each lesson with include an assigment that has been designed to measure your understanding of the presented concepts and ideas. Each activity will be explained in more detail in the lesson content. Please note that all written assignments should be double-spaced.
| Assignment Type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Individual Assignments (12 assignments, 5% each) | 60% |
| Final Strategic Planning Project | 20% |
| Funding Plan | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
Late policy:
Each assignment is graded on an 100-point scale. Any assignment that is submitted late is penalized by three points if submitted late by one day and 1.5 points for each additional day of lateness within the full week, so that an assignment that is submitted one week late has a 12 point deduction. Each additional week of lateness leads to another 6 point reduction. Two exemptions exist for this policy: (a) Each student will not be penalized for the first assignment that is submitted late by one day. (b) If a student finds that an unexpected circumstance prevents him or her from completed an assignment on time, the student should inform the instructor of the situation ASAP (i.e. well before the due date) and request an alternative due date. We recognize that students have personal and professional lives that sometimes contain unanticipated challenges, and we wish to make reasonable accommodate those challenges while still enforcing due dates that encourage students to not fall behind in class.
Additional Grading Information
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Course Schedule
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments.
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Course Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.