Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee Charter

Purpose

The Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee (SPMC) is a standing committee of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) Dean's Office. The committee is responsible for monitoring implementation of the VTCSOM Strategic Plan, assessing progress toward strategic goals, and recommending for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet refinements to action steps, metrics, and implementation strategies to ensure achievement of the school's mission and long-term priorities.

The SPMC serves as the central oversight body for strategic plan execution and continuous improvement, providing a structured mechanism for accountability, transparency, and data-informed decision-making. The committee serves as the institutional steward of strategic plan implementation and continuous improvement, ensuring that strategic priorities remain aligned with the school's mission, available resources, evolving opportunities, and emerging challenges.

The SPMC supports strategic accountability by fostering collaboration among strategic goal and action step owners, promoting evidence-based assessment of progress, and facilitating continuous refinement of strategies and performance measures to maximize institutional impact.

Responsibilities

A.  Strategic Action Step Oversight

1. Monitor progress on all action steps associated with the school's eight strategic goals.
2. Review quarterly reports submitted by action step owners.
3. Identify barriers, risks, and resource needs that may impede progress.
4. Provide guidance and recommendations to action step owners regarding implementation strategies, timelines, and performance expectations.
5. Inform and make recommendations for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet modifications to action steps when changing circumstances, new opportunities, or lessons learned warrant adjustment.

B. Strategic Metrics Oversight

1. Annually review progress on strategic plan metrics and key performance indicators.
2. Assess performance against established annual milestones and long-term targets.
3. Evaluate the adequacy and relevance of strategic metrics.
4. Make recommendations for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet revisions to metrics, targets, or milestones when appropriate.
5. Identify areas requiring corrective action or additional institutional focus.

C.  Reporting and Communication

1. Prepare an annual strategic plan progress report for the Dean and Dean's Cabinet.
2. Present the annual strategic plan progress report and any major recommended changes to strategic goals, action steps, metrics, or milestones for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet each fall.
3. Highlight significant accomplishments, emerging challenges, and recommended adjustments to strategic priorities for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet.
4. Promote transparency regarding strategic plan implementation across the school.
5. Provide periodic updates to relevant governance bodies, including the VTCSOM faculty association and Medical Curriculum Committee, as requested by the Dean.
6. Elevate significant implementation risks, resource gaps, or performance concerns to the Dean and Dean's Cabinet promptly.

D.  Continuous Strategic Improvement

1. Foster a culture of continuous quality improvement in strategic planning and execution.
2. Recommend for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet changes to strategic initiatives, implementation approaches, or organizational processes that enhance achievement of strategic goals.
3. Advise the Dean regarding emerging opportunities or risks that may influence strategic plan success.

Membership

Co-Chairs (voting)

• Vice Dean (ex officio)
• Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration (ex officio)

Members (voting)

• Associate Dean for Assessment, Evaluation, and Strategic Analytics and Chief Data Officer (ex officio)
• Chair of the Academic Committee (ex officio)
• One Department Chair serving on the Dean's Cabinet
• Two At-Large Members appointed by the Dean, of whom at least one is non-decanal faculty

Staff Support (non-voting)

• Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness

The Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness shall coordinate meetings, maintain records, compile performance reports, support data collection and analysis, and facilitate communication with action step owners.

The Dean may appoint additional ad hoc members, subject matter experts, or institutional representatives to participate in committee deliberations for defined periods when specialized expertise or stakeholder perspectives are needed to support the committee's work. Such individuals shall serve in a non-voting advisory capacity unless otherwise designated by the Dean.

Appointment and Terms

1. Ex officio members shall serve by virtue of their position.
2. The Department Chair member shall be appointed by the Dean and serve a three-year renewable term.
3. The At-Large Members shall be appointed by the Dean and serve a three-year renewable term.
4. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Dean for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Meetings

1. The committee shall meet quarterly to review progress on strategic plan action steps.
2. Additional meetings may be convened by the co-chairs as necessary.
3. A majority of committee members shall constitute a quorum.
4. Action step owners may be invited to attend meetings to provide updates and respond to committee recommendations

Strategic Plan Review Process

Quarterly Review

The committee shall:

• Review progress reports for active action steps.
• Evaluate status relative to established timelines.
• Identify barriers and implementation challenges.
• Provide recommendations to action step owners.
• Escalate significant concerns and recommendations for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet when appropriate.

Annual Review

The committee shall:

• Assess achievement of strategic metrics against annual milestones.
• Review trends and performance data.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of strategic initiatives.
• Recommend for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet refinements to metrics, milestones, and implementation strategies.
•  Develop an annual strategic progress report.

Strategic Goal and Action Step Ownership

To ensure accountability and effective implementation of the Strategic Plan, each strategic goal and associated action step shall have an identified owner designated by the Dean or Dean's designee.

Strategic goal and action step owners are responsible for:

1. Leading implementation of assigned strategic initiatives and action steps.
2. Establishing operational plans and timelines consistent with the Strategic Plan.
3. Monitoring progress toward established milestones and performance targets.
4. Identifying barriers, risks, and resource needs that may affect successful implementation.
5. Submitting quarterly progress reports to the Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee.
6. Participating in committee meetings when requested to provide updates, discuss challenges, and respond to recommendations.
7. Collaborating with other strategic goal and action step owners to advance initiatives that span multiple strategic priorities.
8. Recommending modifications to action steps, milestones, or metrics when warranted by changing circumstances or emerging opportunities.

The Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee serves as the institutional oversight body for strategic plan implementation and performance monitoring. Responsibility for the execution of strategic initiatives remains with the designated strategic goal and action step owners and the organizational units supporting those initiatives.

Authority and Reporting Relationship

The Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Dean and operates as a standing committee of the Dean's Office. The committee is responsible for monitoring implementation of the Strategic Plan and recommending for consideration by the Dean and Dean's Cabinet modifications to strategic action steps, metrics, milestones, timelines, and implementation approaches.

The committee shall report regularly to the Dean and Dean's Cabinet and provide an annual strategic plan review each fall. Recommendations involving substantive changes to strategic goals, major strategic initiatives, resource commitments, or institutional priorities shall be forwarded for consideration to the Dean and Dean's Cabinet for review and discussion.

Final approval of substantive changes to the Strategic Plan resides with the Dean

Guiding Principles

The committee shall conduct its work in accordance with the following principles:

• Alignment with VTCSOM's mission, vision, and values.
• Data-informed decision-making.
• Accountability for results.
• Transparency in reporting.
• Continuous improvement.
• Collaboration and shared responsibility.
• Stewardship of institutional resources.

Charter Review

This charter shall be reviewed by the Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee every three years and revised as needed. Any substantive changes shall be approved by the Dean.

Effective Date

This charter was approved by the Dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine on June 23, 2026.