The Futures Project: Transforming a Division of Student Academic Affairs - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 33
About This Presentation
Title:

The Futures Project: Transforming a Division of Student Academic Affairs

Description:

Student Academic Affairs Associate Dean left role to assume new ... Restructuring had occurred in 1999, just prior to the previous associate dean's arrival ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:162
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 34
Provided by: anngrov
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: The Futures Project: Transforming a Division of Student Academic Affairs


1
The Futures Project Transforming a Division of
Student Academic Affairs
  • Ann Groves Lloyd, Ph.D.
  • Assistant Dean, Assessment Development
  • College of Letters Science, Student Academic
    Affairs
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

2
The Opportunity
  • New Dean of College of Letters Science fall 04
  • Student Academic Affairs Associate Dean left role
    to assume new position in Jan. 05
  • Challenges with organizational culture
  • Need to assess structure, mission, vision, and
    working relationships with departments and across
    campus
  • Dean authorized hiring an outside consultant in
    January, 2005

3
The Organization
  • Division of Student Academic Affairs in the
    College of Letters Science
  • Over 80 full-time academic and classified staff,
    as well as graduate students, part-time staff,
    and student hourly workers/interns
  • Restructuring had occurred in 1999, just prior to
    the previous associate deans arrival

4
Organizational Structure
5
The Plan
Key Strategy Areas
Adapted from the work of Russ Ackoff, Creating
the Corporate Future
6
Timeline
  • Announce Project to Staff Feb. 14
  • Background Work February through March
  • Background Assessment All Staff Session on
    March 14
  • Interim or follow-up work
  • Ends Planning SAA in 2015? All Staff Session
    on April 8
  • Interim or follow-up work
  • Vision 2015 Key Decision Items All Staff
    Session on May 13
  • Next Steps Shifting to Implementation

7
Planning Deliverables
  • Background Assessment Where are we starting
    from?
  • History, Current Operations, Environmental
    Trends, and Industry Practice
  • Internal and External Challenges or Opportunities
    Facing the Organization
  • Analysis of Current Situation, including
    relationships with Key Stakeholders
  • Ongoing Data Collection What should we be
    tracking and why?

8
Planning Deliverables continued
  • Ends Planning Where do we want to be?
  • Clarify Identity, Values and Direction
  • Define Mission, Vision, and Key Strategy Areas
  • Challenge Earlier Assumptions and Revisit Larger
    Questions of Purpose
  • Organizational Implications Potential Shifts in
    Direction, Tactics or Measures?

9
Planning Deliverables continued
  • Means Planning How do we get there from here?
  • Identify Gaps Between Current Situation and
    Desired Future
  • Objectives, Action Plans, Accountability, and
    Timetables
  • Resource Projections What Will it Take to get
    this Done?
  • Establish Measures that Link back to Mission and
    Vision

10
Planning Deliverables continued
  • Implementation and Feedback Monitor progress
    and adjust
  • Making it Happen and Making Changes as Needed
  • Regular Checks on Progress to Monitor and Make
    Adjustments
  • Plan as Working Tool (vs. Document that Sits on
    Shelf)
  • Ongoing Data Collection What are we learning?
    What should we do about it?

11
Background Assessment Areas
  • SAA Climate and Culture Staff Input (Kent Led)
  • Division History and Earlier Planning Work
    Staff led
  • Current Operations Staff led
  • Looking Outside Staff led

12
SAA Climate and Culture
  • Focus Groups
  • Individual Interviews
  • Electronic Input (survey, on-line forum)
  • Engage partners in process (Office of Human
    Resource Development, Human Resources, Equity and
    Diversity office, and Office of Employee
    Assistance)

13
Division History and Earlier Planning Work
  • Brief overview of division history and evolution
  • Major self-study themes and recommendations
    what did we learn
  • Summary of earlier planning work (Mission,
    Values, Core Processes)

14
Current Operations
  • Whom do we serve (students, partners, etc.)?
  • What programs and services do we provide, and how
    do we provide them?
  • How does work get done (work flow, especially
    administrative functions)?
  • What contributions do we make (outcomes measures)?

15
Looking Outside
  • Survey of National Scene General overview of
    emerging trends, best practices, peer
    institutions, relevant literature regarding
    student academic affairs
  • Organizational Structure/Service Delivery
    Explore models from other institutions
  • University Environment Interview key partners or
    stakeholders (Chancellor, Provost, Deans,
    Committees, Advisors, etc.)

16
Format for All Staff Sessions
  • Participation in everything has been optional but
    encouraged
  • Sessions are a combination of large group
    presentations followed by small group processing,
    along with café discussions to engage as many
    staff as possible
  • Dean has included breakfast, lunch, and breaks
    for all sessions big morale boost

17
March 14 Background Assessment
  • Reports from all three background assessment
    groups major themes and key issues/questions
  • Café discussions, adding Staff Climate and
    Culture each staff member went to two café
    sessions
  • Large group reflections SWOT
  • Conclusion next steps

18
April 8 SAA in 2015
  • Morning café topics Paint a picture of SAA in
    2015.
  • Organizational structure, programs, service
    delivery?
  • Major features of our vision?
  • How does this picture make SAA better?
  • Potential challenges or risks in this vision?
  • Tough decisions?

19
April 8 SAA in 2015 continued
  • Afternoon café sessions key strategy areas
  • Internal Work Systems
  • Staff Culture Work Environment
  • Information Technology
  • Large Group Reflection points of convergence
    and divergence
  • Conclusion Next Steps

20
May 13 Key Decisions
  • Major initiatives for 2005-06
  • Centralize administrative services
  • Improve working relationships with partners
  • Broaden financial strategy
  • Implement new meeting forums to create a more
    horizontal organizational structure
  • Improve unit working relationships and
    communication
  • Intensive management training

21
May 13 Key Decisions continued
  • Two key strategy areas identified
  • Develop services, programs, and delivery systems
    based on student point of view
  • Develop clearer message, identity, and visibility
    with students and other constituencies on and off
    campus

22
May 13 Key Decisions Announced
  • Personnel Changes Eliminate one Deputy
    Associate Dean position one other lateral move
    for staff person
  • Announced an interim Associate Dean until the
    permanent hire is made
  • New organizational structure flattening the
    reporting lines to the Associate Dean

23
May 13 Key Decisions continued
  • New meeting structure Management Team meeting
    each week, with larger number and more diverse
    group of staff
  • Initiatives to improve working relationships
    among colleagues
  • Some decisions have been left for the Associate
    Dean to make

24
May 13 Staff Input
  • Afternoon café sessions
  • Staff culture and work environment
  • Work systems
  • Information technology
  • Crazy Café

25
Implementation Plan
  • Develop a Master Work Plan for 05-06 that
    outlines priorities and sequence of activities
  • Clarify lead accountability, timelines, and
    outcomes for major initiatives
  • Estimate staff time and resources required to
    support the respective initiatives
  • Monitor and support progress, reporting back to
    the Management Team and SAA staff

26
What Weve Learned
  • Sense of self there are other divisions of
    student academic affairs across the country
  • Affirmation of purpose
  • Affirmation of quality, commitment, and passion
    of staff
  • How much we enjoy working with one another,
    especially across units
  • A greater sense of our community

27
Current Initiatives
  • Design Team gathering data to redesign student
    academic affairs based on student, staff, and
    faculty input and current literature.
  • Centralizing Administrative Services Team
    flowcharting essential administrative processes
    Management Team reviewing necessity of processes
    and reinvestment of staff resources.

28
Current Initiatives, cont.
  • Organizational Development Team addressing
    issues such as climate and culture, developing
    training for supervisors, orientation for new
    staff, and performance appraisal systems.
  • Broadening Financial Resources expanding
    funding from private donors and grants.

29
Challenges Moving Forward
  • Major Gaps Regarding Implementation
  • Human Resources and Organizational Development
  • Planning and Implementation
  • Information Technology

30
Key Planning Principles
  • Promote ownership and buy-in to strategic
    direction by involving campus partners, students,
    and staff in the planning process.
  • Make choices. Begin with your vision of the
    future and plan backward to the present.
  • Emphasize flexibility and reframing the problem
    vs. quick-fix or one-shot solutions.
  • Approach problem-solving from a systems level.

31
Key Planning Principles continued
  • Utilize the planning process to develop better
    relationships with various constituencies.
  • Push decision-making power to the lowest
    appropriate level.
  • Create ongoing vehicles to keep your planning
    efforts alive this is one of the biggest
    challenges!

32
Resources
  • Strategic Planning Workbook (for Nonprofit
    organizations) Revised and Updated by Bryan W.
    Barry (St. Paul, MN Amherst H. Wilder
    Foundation)
  • The Institute for Cultural Affairs,
    www.ica-usa.org

33
Special Thanks to
  • Kent Lesandrini
  • Consultant Extraordinaire
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com