Goal Tracker Field/Column Definitions

Department & FY Groups: this is an organizing feature used to expand and collapse rows (Click the + and - to expand and collapse by department and fiscal year.)

Sponsoring/Managing Department (select all that apply): list includes DSA departments, committees and offices; include all co-sponsors who are full partners in the development and implementation of the goal, collaborators are tracked separately

FY Reporting Period: fiscal year of goal entry or revision

Strategic Goal Name/Title: descriptive name for the strategic goal, should avoid acronyms and be self-explanatory for readers unfamiliar with department.

Goal Statement: written in SMART goal format, a brief sentence defining the goal and highlighting its importance

1. Specific: state in concrete terms the intended outcome or achievement 
2. Measurable: include your benchmark for success, which may be related to UMD/DSA strategic goals and/or context-specific metrics relevant to the department/unit
3. Attainable: the scope of the goal should be achievable given existing resources, skills, and factors, or indicate how gaps will be addressed 
4. Relevant: ensure alignment to department, division, campus, and/or other strategic goals
5. Time-Bound: indicate timeframe for when the goal will be achieved, as strategic or stretch goals may take several fiscal years

Goal Action Type: categories describing whether the goal is new, continuing, etc.

1. New Initiative
2. Continued Initiative
3. Revise Current Initiative
4. Sunset Initiative
5. Other (please specify)

Target Timeline for Completion: planned length of time to achieve the strategic goal

1. Within 1 year
2. 1-2 years
3. 2-3 years
4. 3-4 years
5. 4-5 years

Department/Unit Collaborators: list of collaborators external to the sponsoring department

1. Includes a list of DSA departments (select all that apply)
2. DSA committees (please specify)
3. Academic Affairs (please specify)
4. Others (please specify)

Contact Email for Sharing/Tracking: primary contact for goal tracking and follow-up questions

SMART Goal: indicate if the Goal Statement uses the SMART Goal format – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely – key aspects of effective goal setting

1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure

Focus Population (select all that apply): the target population that will be affected by the goal’s completion

1. Students (including student staff)
2. Staff/faculty
3. Other (please specify)

DSA Strategic Plan Goal Alignment (select all that apply): tracking relevance to specific DSA Strategic Plan Commitment Goals, before selecting, ensure your entry intentionally relates to the Objectives listed within the DSA SP Goals.

Primary Purpose: area of campus life, this goal most affects

1. Learning & Development: educating and developing skills for the target population
2. Well-Being/Wellness: improving physical, mental, and social well-being for the target population
3. Belonging: increasing social engagement and sense of belonging for the target population
4. Dept Mission: In furtherance of the sponsoring department’s specific mission statement

Staff Investment Category (select all that apply): area of staff experience that this strategic goal affects

1. N/A (select if not a faculty/staff initiative)
2. Recruitment
3. Onboarding/Offboarding
4. Training
5. Performance Review
6. Recognition
7. Social Connection
8. Focused effort for Non-Exempt Staff
9. Other

Funding is External Source: identify goal as internally or externally funded

Planned max # of people served: size of the population that would be affected by this goal

Details Regarding Number of People Served: if the number of people served is very small, very large, very specialized, or serves a unique audience, provide relevant information

Additional Details (select all that apply): benefits of this goal and potential roadblocks 

1. Balances the Academic Year Schedule of Opportunities
2. One of the Few DSA Programs Meeting This Need
3. Addresses Unmet Student Needs
4. Encourages Collaboration
5. Demonstrates Innovation
6. Enhances Efficiency
7. (Negative) Puts a Strain on Staff Resources

Belonging Details (select all that apply): how this strategic goal impacts sense of belonging

1. Addresses Unmet Student Needs
2. Engages Previously Disengaged Students
3. Aims to Enhance Climate and Sense of Belonging
4. Other

Assessment Planning: status of the strategic goal’s assessment plan

1. Yes, the assessment strategy has been established
2. Yes, planning assessment, but details tbd
3. Unsure
4. Other (please specify)
5. None, for this goal (requires AVP approval)

Comments: enter any important details related to the planning for this goal

Goal Status:

1. Completed as Planned: goal was fully achieved as originally intended, with no major adjustments.
2. Completed with Modifications: goal was achieved, but required some revisions or adjustments along the way
3. Completed in Part: goal was partially completed, no plans to continue work in this area.
4. In Progress – On Track: goal is still in progress and expected to be completed as planned within the timeframe
5. In Progress – Adjustments Needed: original goal is still in progress, but requires modifications or additional time to meet expectations
6. Not Completed – Reprioritized: original goal was not completed because priorities shifted, and it has been replaced with a new/revised goal
7. Not Completed – Barriers Prevented Completion: goal progress was not achieved due to external challenges, lack of resources, or other obstacles beyond control
8. Not Completed – Discontinued:  goal was abandoned because it was determined to be no longer relevant or necessary

Goal Status Description (How, Why, etc.): short narrative description of the current status of the goal, including rationale for selection of status category as applicable.

Challenges Encountered: description of unforeseen or burdensome issues or problems, including response and/or adaptations.

Future Planning, Opportunities, Now What: next steps or opportunities that are planned or envisioned

Number people served (enter #): using a numeric format, enter the number of people served or affected by the goal.

Certainty of number:

1. Accurate Count
2. Estimate
3. Unknown
4. N/A: not applicable

Details regarding number of people: contextual information useful to understand the reported number of people served or certainty of the number

Collaboration Increased by Goal: assessment of whether this goal resulted in increased collaboration (tracks increases from before the goal work to now).

Collaboration FY Differences: Collaborators changed over the fiscal year or the last reporting period.

Collaboration Update (if changed since start) (select all that apply): 

1. This column is only used if the collaborators have changed from the planning phase.
2. If yes, then select all DSA departments, DSA Committees, Academic Affairs departments, and any other collaborators.

Strategic Commitment Goals (select all that apply): include additional Strategic Commitment Goals that became relevant during completion of this goal 

Improved Access: Info and Resources: goal provided equitable, clear, and easy to use methods for accessing information and resources across functional areas (e.g., common web location for student resources and policies, procedures).

1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
4. N/A

Resource Efficiency (select all that apply): goal achieved the following efficiencies

1. Optimized Staff Capacity: Improved how staff time, skills, and roles were utilized for maximum efficiency.
2. Cost Savings & Financial Efficiency: Reduced costs, improved budget utilization, or redirected funds to higher-priority needs.
3. Business Continuity & Process Stability: Strengthened operational resilience and ensured services continued smoothly despite disruptions.
4. Eliminated Redundancies: Removed overlapping efforts, programs, or resources to streamline operations.
5. Time Savings & Workload Reduction: Simplified workflows, automated tasks, or improved processes to reduce staff workload.
6. Technology & System Improvements: Leveraged tools, automation, or digital solutions to enhance efficiency.
7. Improved Cross-Team Collaboration: Enhanced coordination across departments to use resources more effectively.
8. Other (please specify)
9. NA: Not Applicable, Goal purpose not designed for efficiencies

Climate: description of how increased belonging and engagement

Data-informed Decisions (select all that apply): goal activities incorporated the following assessment activities

1. Data Analytics: Keeping track of who uses student services, programs, and facilities.
2. Key Performance Indicators: Establish defined, measurable KPIs for tracking progress and decision-making.
3. Needs Assessment: Assessing student and other clientele needs.
4. Satisfaction Assessment: Assessing student and other clientele satisfaction.
5. Campus Climate/Environmental Assessment: Assessing campus environments and student cultures.
6. Program Assessment or Department Review: evaluating the effectiveness or results of programs, policies, etc, and department review.
7. Benchmarking: comparing your program or service to those of another department or institution.
8. Cost-Effectiveness Assessment: Assessing the cost of a program/initiative relative to the amount of student learning or the success of the outcomes.
9. Predictive Modeling & Forecasting: We used data projections to anticipate future needs, risks, or program demands.
10. Learning Outcomes Assessment: assessing what students learn from programs, policies, etc.
11. Other (please specify)
12. None: No assessment activities were used in relation to this goal

Link to Analytics/Assessment Docs (If Applicable)

Highlight for DSA SP

1. Select "Yes" if you want to highlight as an outstanding example of a DSA strategic plan goal/objective.

Note: We will use this to help tell the story of our DSA Strategic Plan!