C-15 - Strategic Planning Through Collective Impact: The Essential Institutional Effectiveness Backbone

Sunday, March 22, 2026

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM CT

Location: Plaza Ballroom, Lobby Level, Hyatt East Tower

Institutional Presentation

Jason J. Nicholas

Asst. Provost and Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Univ. Strategic Planning
Northern Michigan University
Daniel Cullen

Director of Institutional Accreditation & Assessment
Northern Michigan University
EK

Ellen Koski

Assistant Director of Strategic Planning
Northern Michigan University

Northern Michigan University transformed strategic planning from fragmented efforts to coordinated institutional improvement using collective impact principles. This presentation demonstrates how an expanded Institutional Effectiveness office served as essential backbone infrastructure, enabling sustainable planning systems with measurable outcomes across 1,500+ stakeholders over three years while completing our Quality Initiative.