Strategic Alliances
Date of Current Revision: July 2007
Responsible Officer: Assistant Vice President - HR, Training, & Performance
- PURPOSE
This policy is intended to foster the development of strategic alliances at JMU and to integrate the accounting for strategic alliances into the university's regular planning process.
- AUTHORITY
The Board of Visitors has been authorized by the Commonwealth of Virginia to govern James Madison University. See Code of Virginia section 23-164.6; 23-9.2:3. The Board has delegated the authority to manage the university to the president.
- DEFINITIONS
Strategic Alliance:
Sometimes called “cooperative strategies,” strategic alliances represent the middle ground in the continuum of partnerships. They exist between the more loosely constructed tactical partnerships such as conventional outsourcing and service arrangements on the one hand – often referred to as transactional alliances – and the more formal and permanent route of mergers on the other.
For the purposes of this policy, a strategic alliance is defined as a relationship between James Madison University and another organization(s) (e.g., business, governmental body, foundation and/or other educational institution) that meets all of the following criteria:
- The alliance must be formalized in writing. In general, the format should be contractual and stipulate the objectives and responsibilities of each party.
- The purpose or objective of the alliance must be critical to the core mission of each party.
- The alliance should focus on attaining each party’s long-range goals. Consequently, the term of the alliance must be strategic in breadth and represent a commitment of at least five years.
- The goals and methods of the alliance must be fully supported at the level of the Board of Visitors, the president and the president’s senior management team.
- Each party must be committed to a common strategy and set of objectives. The parties must also be willing to share their core competencies to build synergy.
Examples of objectives that could be met through strategic partnerships include (but are not limited to):
- Maximizing new revenues,
- Providing alternative learning experiences for students (i.e., internships, visiting faculty, etc.),
- Increasing international student experiences,
- Providing enhanced student support services,
- Developing new academic programs,
- Providing enhanced professional development for faculty and staff,
- Communicating the JMU message to external audiences, and
- Providing new and/or improved facilities.
- APPLICABILITY
This policy applies to the university’s senior management and those they delegate in the process of developing strategic alliances.
- POLICY
JMU must develop new strategic partnerships that enhance the university's programs and ensure success in meeting goals and objectives. The judicious use of strategic alliances offers a means for meeting the challenges of a changing environment and of achieving an even higher level of programmatic excellence. - PROCEDURES
Senior vice presidents must complete a Strategic Alliance Report for each alliance within their purview of the division and send the report to the AVP for HR, Training, & Performance by September 1 of each year.
The AVP for HR, Training, and Performance will meet with the president and senior vice presidents during the fall semester to review the submissions. The AVP for HR, Training, & Performance will complete the annual report on the status of strategic alliances at JMU and issue it to the president and senior vice presidents prior to the conclusion of the fall semester.
Resulting strategic alliances will be published via the Strategic Alliance Website. - RESPONSIBILITIES
Senior vice presidents are responsible for establishing the overall emphasis on the development of strategic alliances within their divisions. Their more specific responsibilities include the preparation of annual goals and objectives regarding the creation of new strategic alliances and the communication of those goals and objectives to all appropriate levels of the division. Senior vice presidents are also responsible for the annual reporting process within their divisions.
The Assistant Vice President for HR, Training, & Performance is primarily responsible for the annual reporting process. This includes managing the Strategic Alliances Website, issuing a call to the senior vice presidents and those delegated for the completed reports, presenting a summary of the reports to the president and senior vice presidents, and completing the annual report documenting the status of strategic alliances at JMU.
Those who are appointed by their senior vice presidents as responsible for reporting strategic alliances will update existing alliances and report new ones using the Strategic Alliance Website by the appropriate deadlines. - SANCTIONS
None
- EXCLUSIONS
None
- INTERPRETATION
The President has the authority to interpret this policy, which is normally delegated to the Assistant Vice President for HR, Training, & Performance.
Index Terms
Alliances
Strategic Alliances