Higher education, like the private sector, is searching for innovative ways to respond to demographic shifts, globalization, greater accountability, and new technologies. New organizational models are needed to meet these challenges. In a rapidly changing world, the development of such models can occur through effective strategic analysis and planning. Student affairs, along with their academic counterparts, must show that they function effectively and contribute to student learning and development. Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy or direction and making decisions on how its resources will be used to pursue this strategy. It can be a powerful instrument in bringing about lasting change to a student affairs organization. Tools and methods to achieve transformation are discussed.