Three things occur in this phase th

Three things occur in this phase that set the planning process in motion: a decision to start, identification of assets available for planning, and the assignment of a team to conduct the planning. The decision to start begins with an idea. This idea can be either internal or external to the institution. At a public institution it is very possible that the idea is driven from state legislature or other directive body and forces the institution to embark in planning. At a private institution, it may be an internal decision. Regardless of the source, an individual or group within the institution that has the authority to approve the plan, allocate resources, and create policies for implementation and accountability must assume the lead; otherwise, the process will be stillborn.
There are myriad assets that can be addressed in this phase. The primary assets of the higher education institution include faculty, support services, technology infrastructure and support, and funding, but planners must also consider intangible assets such as expertise and experience. When considering funding, the planners must know the types of budgets or fiscal allocations to be assigned. It is essential to understand whether there will be a fixed budget, one-time funding, or ongoing funding. Each approach to funding poses different challenges and opportunities.

Members of the team running this planning process must be identified and their roles defined. Getting people that represent a cross section of the organization involved in this process helps provide buy-in to the final product. Some level of authority commensurate with the tasking is delegated to the planning team and made clear to the rest of the organization. Limits of that authority must also be established. An ideal strategic planning body for distance learning consists of two parts. One part is a core element of 2-4 members who jointly design and lead the planning process and do all critical writing. A second group, with broad representation of the various functional areas, is called in at various key points in the process to participate. The size of the second group will vary, but is typically around 9-10 members. However, it should be as large as necessary to include all key stakeholders. Typical candidates come from a variety of functional areas internal and external to the organization.