Strategic Plan
2026-2031

Strategic Goal #1: Scale Programming and Resources via "Plug-and-Play" Shared Resources

Action Item 1: Scale the shared-speaker webinar model, allowing ACSN to centrally host premium experts for the collective alumni networks of all participating member institutions (implement at least 1 per year).
Action Item 2: Create a peer-led "How-to-Coach" collaborative workshop series where members actively share best practices for group and one-on-one career coaching.
Action Item 3: Build a centralized "video/ content repository" containing templates, short-form guides, and digital resources optimized for modern alumni media consumption.
Action Item 4: Offer specialized professional development sessions that train members on how to effectively create, edit, and distribute engaging short-form video content.


Strategic Goal#2: Assert ACSN as the Definitive Voice on Alumni Career ROI

Action Item 1: Extract macro-trends from the annual benchmarking survey and publish data-driven whitepapers to major higher education media outlets like Inside Higher Ed.
Action Item 2: Equip members with an advocacy toolkit containing unified benchmarking metrics to prove to university leadership that lifelong career support is a vital institutional KPI.

Strategic Goal #3: Amplify Tangible and Certified Member Benefits

Action Item 1: Provide financial resources or opportunities for attendance at the conference by ACS professionals including creating and funding an out-of-pocket scholarship for ACS professionals  who may want to attend but lack institutional support, and/or consider implementing speaker discounts and stipends.

Strategic Goal #4: Restructure Governance for Sustainable Engagement 

Action Item 1: Redesign Executive Committee agendas to replace routine administrative updates with role-specific brainstorming, project evaluations, and collaborative problem-solving.
Action Item 2: Establish a formal inter-committee communication framework that schedules routine check-ins for committee chairs to coordinate workloads and align strategies.
Action Item 3: Build a proactive volunteer pipeline by intentionally recruiting new members into sub-committees to distribute heavy operational lifts, such as annual conference execution.
Action Item 4: Recapture audience by determining how to best pull lapsed members (who still work in ACS) back into the fold.

Action Item 5: Create task force volunteer opportunities for short term engagement (3-6 months) to engage additional volunteers who may not feel comfortable committing to longer volunteer service opportunities.

Strategic Goal #5: Streamline Core Programming and Communication 

Action Item 1: Guarantee organizational consistency by prioritizing a lean core schedule centered on the high-impact annual conference and reliable monthly virtual webinars and roundtables.
Action Item 2: Create an advance-notice programming calendar to provide members with a clear, predictable timeline of upcoming webinar topics and virtual events.