Illustrates elements of strategic planning through a case study of the development of an agricultural program at Delta College, Michigan. Reviews efforts to assess community needs and match them with college resources, set priorities on the most needed programs, and produce a framework for judging time and resource commitments. (AYC)

In this period of limited financial resources and educational manpower, community colleges can benefit from the application of strategic management techniques to determine how to use their resources most effectively while addressing community needs. At Delta College, this approach was adopted to assess community needs for agricultural programs and…