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1. Lynn Wild

2. Kim Slusser

3. Heidi Miller

4. Katie Schmitz

5. BJ Hoerner

Minutes from 4/23/2014 Organizational Agility: Community Subgroup Meeting

In attendance: BJ Hoerner, Heidi Miller, Katie Schmitz, Kim Slusser, Lynn Wild

Organizational Agility Committee Goal: To identify specific and concrete actions that will enable RIT to be a more responsive and agile university.

Community Sub-Committee Goal: Identify at least one concrete item of action pertaining to respect/faith/trust across the RIT community of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Recommendation is due two weeks from today (so Wed. May 7)

Discussion revolved around two key recommendations:

1. I.               Activity Period for Campus Activity Engagement:

• Provost’s Council –topic reviewed.  RIT had an activity period prior to semesters (was on Friday afternoons 1:00-2:00), not well attended.  This year there is no activity period and students are requested one.
• Chris Licata chairs the Student Success committee and this initiative would contribute to their goals
• Jim Myers chairs the Global Engagement committee and this initiative would contribute to their goals
• Time could also be used for interdisciplinary faculty/student work
• Time could be used for alumni engagement and interaction – must be sure to include Alumni in our definition and think of innovative ways to include them without always asking them to write a check to donate.
• Two schools we know of who use an activity period:
  • Princeton: no classes scheduled between 4:20-7:30 p.m.
  • Roberts Weslyan: BJ reached out to colleague for more details and will forward once obtained
  • If an activity period is a priority, details (i.e. time duration, days, classroom utilization issues, recommendations for use during this time period, coordination with athletics, etc.) will be determined.
  • Initial recommendation: Tuesdays and Thursdays for a 75-minute class-free time period.

1. II.              Inspiring a Culture of Appreciation @ RIT

• Lynn circulated a report prepared on April 16, 2014 by Faculty Career Development Services
• Results of four surveys have been compiled:

1. COACHE faculty satisfaction survey
2. Alumni Attitudinal Study (conducted every 3-4 years) – Kim emailed the PowerPoint to the subcommittee
3. Climate Survey
4. Employee Engagement

• The surveys have led to the conclusion that faculty and staff feel under-appreciated. A culture of appreciation and recognition will lead to greater sense of community, trust, and respect.
• Many departments do not have discretionary income to award prizes or give rewards that carry a monetary value. But the report offers low and no-cost alternatives that would be immediately implementable to start creating that culture.
• Many departments on campus are very successful at recognizing employees and showing appreciation – no need to reinvent the wheel. Gather information across campus about best practices – build on what we do best in different areas.
• Consider an appreciative inquiry approach using a SOAR analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Aspiration, Results
• Who is doing things right and how do we build on that? Who could we appoint to gather that information?
• Implement current policies (e.g., recognition for length of service) consistently across divisions.
• Campus could do a better job of communicating the results of these surveys.
• Could we make the CPD (Center for Professional Development) session on workplace civility mandatory for all employees? Examine other workshops.
• Initial recommendation: appoint a committee to gather appreciation and recognition best practices and communicate implementable suggestions (using research already conducted in the April 16^th report from benchmark universities) for departments of all sizes and budgets.

Subcommittee To-Do’s:

ð     Read minutes and edit as needed

ð     Read the Inspiring a Culture of Appreciation @ RIT report

ð     Read the article sent by Lynn called “Research Shows Professors Work Long Hours and spend Much of Day in Meetings)

ð     BJ: communicate to subcommittee once she hears back from colleague at Roberts

ð     BJ: find and forward HR policy on staff recognition (done)

ð     Kim: circulate 2011 Alumni Attitude Study (done)

ð     Lynn: once minutes are agreeable to all, post on Wiki