the board of managers held a full day retreat in our school on 17 july 2007. there was one item on the agenda: the strategic plan for jlss. work on the plan started in 2003 but was not completed. board members, chaired by rev. dr. habib badr, spent the whole day revising what was achieved so far, approving a work plan with a specific time frame, approving a swot questionnaire to assess external perceptions, holding an evaluation session of programs in the presence of some of the heads of departments, approving the program outcome study questionnaire, and commissioning the business office to do the cost/benefit analysis. the board is planning to hold a second retreat in january 2008, a third one in april 2008, and a forth one in september 2008 when the draft of the strategic plan will be finally approved.