Although the NCAA strategic plan will not be adopted formally until the April meeting of the NCAA Executive Committee, the national office staff is in the process of identifying how to support the goals and objectives contained in the plan.

Staff has been assigned to develop strategies and measurable outcomes for each of the 18 objectives identified under the plan's five goals. In addition, plan-based budgeting recommendations for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 biennium are being developed as part of the planning effort.

As the staff examines the plan and budgeting issues, care will be taken to determine if national office personnel allocations match with the plan. As part of that process, the staff will examine if some functions currently administered by the national office staff should be continued or if those functions could be performed on an outsourced basis.

As an example of the type of review that will be taking place, the staff will examine whether the building operations and warehouse functions can be executed more efficiently by another firm rather than by national office personnel.

"It's important to understand that we do not know how any one of these examinations will turn out," said Jim Isch, NCAA senior vice-president for administrative services. "However, this study is taking place in the belief that national office staffing must be allocated in a way that supports the plan. We are committed to improving the quality of service to the membership as the ultimate outcome."

The outsourcing studies will take place through the spring, with any changes being implemented this summer.

One element related to this process is well under way. In keeping with Objective 4.2 ("...expedite investigatory processes for major infractions"), the national office has committed to increasing the size of the enforcement investigators by about 50 percent over the next two years. To assist with that outcome, personnel previously assigned to Division I basketball certification have been reallocated to be involved with the enforcement process.

The Executive Committee will review the plan, including the strategies and measurements, at its April 29 meeting in Indianapolis.

Hard copies of a draft of the plan were distributed at the 2004 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, in January. Also, the draft plan is available through NCAA Online (www.ncaa.org). Click on the "strategic planning process" option on the right side of the front page.