Maximize Your Summer Planning with CAS Standards

​Summer is a crucial time for higher education professionals to reflect, reset, and plan for the upcoming academic year. With fewer day-to-day demands, summer offers a unique opportunity to engage in thoughtful program development, strategic planning, and staff training. To make the most of this time, the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) provides proven tools that can help you elevate your work and prepare for long-term success.

Use Summer to Strengthen Your Programs with CAS
The CAS Standards and Guidelines offer a comprehensive framework to ensure your programs and services meet professional expectations and support student learning and development. Here’s how you can use CAS during your summer planning:

• Review and Refresh Program Missions and Goals:
  Summer is the perfect time to step back and assess whether your current mission, vision, and goals align with your institution’s priorities and student needs. CAS can guide revisions, helping ensure your foundational statements reflect current best practices.
  
• Design or Update Programs and Services:
  Thinking of launching a new initiative or refining an existing one? CAS outlines essential elements for each functional area, providing a roadmap for building comprehensive, high-quality programs that serve students effectively.
  
• Assess Program Effectiveness:
  Conducting a self-assessment using CAS resources can identify program strengths and areas for improvement. A structured evaluation now can help you set clear priorities before the new academic year begins.
  
• Plan for Staff Development:
  Use CAS to shape professional development activities for your team. The standards offer a shared language for discussing good practice, and they can guide agendas for staff retreats, team meetings, and training sessions.
  

Strategic Planning Made Easier with CAS
In addition to individual program planning, CAS can support broader strategic initiatives. Whether you are developing a new departmental plan, preparing for accreditation, or aligning services with student success initiatives, CAS provides a clear framework for organizing your efforts and making evidence-based decisions.
Why CAS Is Essential for Summer Planning

• Save Time: Ready-to-use standards help you focus your planning efforts without reinventing the wheel.
  
• Enhance Quality: Ground your work in nationally recognized best practices.
  
• Strengthen Your Case: Whether advocating for resources, restructuring services, or launching new initiatives, CAS lends credibility to your plans.
  
• Promote Collaboration: CAS encourages cross-campus conversations, helping build stronger partnerships for student success.
  

Get Started This Summer
Summer planning sets the tone for the entire year. Make the most of it with the help of CAS Standards and Guidelines. Whether you’re refining existing services or launching something new, CAS gives you the tools you need to plan strategically, act confidently, and deliver excellence.
Learn more and access the CAS resources at www.cas.edu.