“In a strategic plan, the goals need to be S.M.A.R.T. Smart goals are goals that are specific and measurable, goals that are attainable and that are responsive and relevant and goals that are timely.”

Howard Cohen

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Karen Baldwin speaks with Howard Cohen, a senior advisor at Lighthouse Counsel who has 50 years of experience in the area of leadership and strategic planning in the higher education sector.

Karen and Howard discuss the importance of strategic planning for colleges and universities, but the advice can easily be expanded to be useful for almost any type of nonprofit organization.

In their discussion, Howard answers questions including:

• Why is a strategic plan review important and what can it accomplish?
• What are the components of a strong strategic plan? 
• When, how and why do strategic plans go wrong and how can they be righted?

About our Guest

Howard is chancellor emeritus at Purdue University Northwest. His career in higher education has spanned more than 50 years. His areas of practice include strategic and academic planning, department chair leadership, leadership team development and organization structural transformation.

Howard has held academic appointments as a professor of philosophy and administrative appointments as department chair, program director, dean, provost and chancellor, serving at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Purdue University Northwest and SUNY Buffalo State.

He formerly was a senior associate and executive director of AASCU Consulting, a group that works primarily with public regional universities. 

Howard’s teaching and research interests have focused in the areas of social philosophy and ethics, as he addresses questions related to the obligations of those in positions of authority who make decisions for others. He is the author of two books —  “Equal Rights for Children” and “Power and Restraint: The Moral Dimensions of Police Work” — and numerous journal articles.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Minnesota and masters and doctorate degrees in philosophy from Harvard University.