Academic planning is one of the most difficult tasks for planners and academic leaders. The risk of evaluating programs, selecting one program over another for expansion, cutting back programs, and other onerous issues can cause decision-makers to compromise the academic sections of their strategic plans, often resulting in strategies that are overly general, all-inclusive, and safe. This session will feature a distinguished panel made up of a university provost, a community college provost, and a college dean who have led the development of academic plans that have established clear priorities and propelled their institutions to higher levels of quality, service and competitiveness. The panel will share valuable insights, including their approaches to critical aspects of their planning process, who was involved, how decisions were made, what worked, and what did not work. Sufficient time will be allotted for questions and answers after the panel members have shared their experiences.