Within all aspects of Iowa State, there is one document that is often referred to, that can trump a policy or decide budgets — the Strategic Plan.

This weekend, a committee of 40 to 42 students, faculty, staff and others with a stake in the university will meet for the first time to begin putting together this university blueprint, beginning by weighing the pros and cons of the last plan, put together in 1999.

The Strategic Plan will provide a mission statement, vision, shared values, goals, strategies and performance measures for 2005 to 2010, said Provost Ben Allen. The last ISU Strategic Plan stressed discovery, learning and engagement.

Allen will finish putting together the committee, which includes student representatives from the Government of the Student Body and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, in the next few days.

Allen said the purpose of a Strategic Plan is “to tell the story about Iowa State University … [and] bring people together as a community, more toward a common goal,” as well as to act as a basis for policy and budget decisions.

This year’s plan will likely be more specific than the 1999 plan, Allen said, partially to help the university come up with clear priorities in response to decreases in state allocations.

“The budget cuts in the past three or four years will probably influence the nature of the plan that comes out of this process,” Allen said. “I think the plan will have to reflect a more focused university.”

Allen said students can voice opinions on the strategic plan through a Web site that will be developed to facilitate discussion and through a series of open forums set to begin in February and run through March.

Allen said the plan should be given to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy by December. Geoffroy will then present the plan to the Board of Regents for approval.

The Board of Regents is currently revamping its own strategic plan, which will be presented at the board’s February meeting for fine-tuning and will then be in effect from 2004 to 2009.

Barbara Boose, communications specialist for the Board of Regents, said it is important the regent universities and institutions have plans that mesh with the overarching goals of the board.

She said budget cuts have also provided a challenge for the board, which has stressed discovery of knowledge through research, public service, including promotion of economic growth, and public accountability as goals.

“Recent reductions in state funding is not good news, but the board doesn’t want funding reductions to cause it to lose sight of high-quality education, for example,” Boose said.

“Certainly, the plan reflects reality, but it’s not to say we’re going to settle for mediocre education.”