Southeast planning forums to be held in Kennett, Malden

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Strategic Planning Steering Committee at Southeast Missouri State University will hold open forums in two Dunklin County communities this week.

The first forum will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Southeast Missouri State University-Kennett. The second will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Southeast Missouri State University-Malden.

Members of the Advisory Councils of Southeast Missouri State University-Kennett and Malden will be on hand for the event, which will be facilitated by Dr. Margaret Dalton, a member of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.

The committee is holding open forums both on campus and in the region this fall in which individuals are invited to offer input on objectives currently drafted by the Steering Committee for each of the plan's five priorities.

In July, the university's board of regents approved the draft version of a new Strategic Plan for Southeast with five priorities. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee, made up of representatives from throughout the campus community, has drafted objectives for each of the priorities based on input from a February regional planning forum, an April brown bag forum and conversations with its constituent groups.

The committee is now inviting all input, questions and concerns at regional forums.

"Our next step in the process is to get input from the regional community on the objectives as currently drafted by the steering committee," said Dr. Ken Dobbins, president of Southeast Missouri State University. "This plan will be our guide for our next three to five years. We want everyone to have the opportunity to provide input and suggest any changes to these objectives."

The steering committee's goal is to present a final draft strategic plan to the board of regents for approval at its Dec. 15 meeting.