2006-2007 Luoma Leadership Academy Action Learning Projects

Project Title:  Developing Diverse System-wide Talent Pools

Problem:  While colleges and universities continue to strive to diversify their employee bases, it remains difficult for many institutions to attract a diverse applicant pool, especially for administrative and faculty positions.  The need for a system-wide, centralized diversity talent pool has been identified for several years as something which might assist institutions in meeting their employee diversity goals.  

Team Charge:  Research the issues surrounding the development of a system-wide applicant diversity pool for administrative and faculty positions.  Outline the issues for consideration by the system’s Human Resources and Diversity Leadership Council committees in determining the viability of such a system.  Present the team’s findings and recommendations to a joint meeting of the two Leadership Council committees.  

Executive Sponsor:  Co-Chairs of the Human Resources and Diversity Leadership Council Committees: President Kathleen Nelson and Vice Chancellor Bill Tschida  

Team Advisor(s):  Mary Nienaber, HR Director, Lake Superior College ; President Nelson 

 Project Title:  Virtual Faculty Service

Problem:  The expansion of on-line learning within the system is challenging the more traditional roles of faculty and their requirements to meet specific institutional and contractual work requirements.  Within this virtual context, faculty must address contractual requirements to hold office hours, take appropriate personal and sick leave, complete requirements for committee service, engage in community service, participate in professional development, and engage in other professional activities.  By the exact nature of their assignments as “virtual” faculty, meeting these professional responsibilities becomes a challenge for them and for their administrative supervisors. 

Team Charge:   Identify the issues faced by virtual faculty in relation to the current faculty employment contracts.  Research how faculties in other national virtual venues address the issues identified.  Recommend alternatives for consideration by faculty and administrators for how virtual faculty might meet their contractual requirements while still maintaining their virtual status.  Present the team’s findings to members of the Human Resources Leadership Council Committee. 

Executive Sponsor:  Vice Chair of the Minnesota On-Line Council, Barry Nab Dahl, and President Kathleen Nelson, Lake Superior College

Team Advisor(s):  President Nelson and Vice President Dahl

Project Title:  Instructional Management Project

Problem:  Instructional leaders of the Northeast Higher Education
District need a research protocol to accompany MnSCU's Instructional
Cost Study in order to effectively identify and formulate better
instructional management practice. As the District expands its Academic
Plan to share courses and programs, this protocol would provide
standardized institutional level data, cost center/subprogram code to zip code
alignment, assist campuses in identifying data issues within the current
cost study and serve along with the cost study as foundation for
decision-making in the instructional arena. 

Team Charge:  Develop a research protocol to accompany and interpret the
Instructional Cost Study at an institutional level that could be used by
academic leaders in their work in instructional management. 

Executive Sponsor:  Dr. Joe Sertich, President, Northeast Higher Education District

Team Advisor(s):  Dr. M. Sue Collins, Provost, Vermilion Community College

Project Title:  Creating a Multi-Cultural, Multi-Dimensional Professional Development Program

Problem: Anoka Technical College and the communities it serves are in the midst of significant demographic and cultural change.  The growth in diverse, multi-cultural populations within the student body at the College and within the broader community presents new perspectives on customer service, professional development, and inclusiveness for College faculty and staff, as well as leaders throughout the community.  As part of its integrated approach to multicultural affairs on the campus, ATC is interested in creating a professional development strategy for all staff that blends concepts of diversity and inclusiveness into an action-learning centered plan focusing on customer service and continuous improvement at all levels within the institution.  The College is also interested in inviting community members to participate in the development and implementation of this strategy through its Community Action Council on Diversity and Multiculturalism.  Utilizing community-based resources, the expertise of emerging MnSCU leaders in the Luoma Leadership Academy, and the talents of existing College staff will allow ATC to offer its first comprehensive, multi-cultural, multi-dimensional professional development program for faculty, staff, and the community.  The College has a significant need for this effort but lacks the capacity to effectively accomplish this critical objective.

Team Charge: Research and recommend a comprehensive professional development plan for College staff and community leaders that blends a multicultural focus with customer service and continuous improvement principles.  Since this plan is for adult learners, it should maximize active learning opportunities and creative delivery of curricular content.  Specific considerations to observe in the development of the plan include:

Listening to the College’s Community Action Council on Diversity & Multiculturalism  to discern particular issues and concerns to be addressed in the various action steps in the plan:

• observing student interactions with staff in various College service divisions and academic programs to determine professional development and/or customer service needs;
• exploring use of various MnSCU and community-based resources to deliver components of the professional development plan (e.g. YWCA anti-racism programming; Center for Teaching and Learning offerings; resources offered by the state’s K-12 multi-district integration programs; cultural programming delivered by various cultural councils);
• researching best practices within Minnesota and nationally in order to identify and craft professional development strategies;
• designing curricular modules that can be easily accessed by faculty, staff and community participants either individually or in groups—such as online options; breakfast or lunch speaker series; division-specific seminars; etc.; and
• suggesting a variety of options for measuring the effectiveness and success of plan implementation.

Executive Sponsor:  President Anne Weyandt, Anoka Technical College

Team Advisor(s) Scott Redd, Director of Multicultural and Student Affairs and John Cacich, Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs

Project Title:  Asking the Right Questions about Technology-based Study Systems

Problem:  Many colleges within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System have adopted or are considering adoption of Instructional Archiving and Study Systems.  Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical has begun implementation of such a system called Tegrity Campus in which our course management system (Desire2Learn) is populated with recordings of instructors’ classes that are linked to their students’ notes through the use of a special pen (seewww.tegrity.com/demos.php for a demonstration). Tegrity, like other study systems, makes the claim that it “targets how the student studies and engages with knowledge presented in the classroom” and that it “efficiently improves learning outcomes” (seewww.tegrity.com/white_paper_form.php ).

Tegrity does integrate “governance tools” that provide data on numbers of students reviewing recordings and utilization of Tegrity Pens.  However, Tegrity provides only anecdotal data to support their claim that it “efficiently improves learning outcomes.”

Team Charge:  Design a research study that could be used to determine the impact of Instructional Archiving and Study Systems, such as Tegrity Campus, on students, faculty, and program utilization.  Consideration should include both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the following:

1. determining the extent to which the seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education (Chickering and Gamson, 1987) are supported
   • encourages contact between students and faculty,
   • develops reciprocity and cooperation among students,
   • encourages active learning,
   • gives prompt feedback,
   • emphasizes time on task,
   • communicates high expectations, and
   • respects diverse talents and ways of learning. 
2. determining instructor (course) strategies that could promote enhancement/ improvement of student study behaviors and program strategies that would promote larger improvement of student learning outcomes within a degree program.
3. determining return on investments – institution, student, and faculty

References: Chickering, Arthur W. & Zelda F. Gamson (1987) "Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education" American Association of Higher Education Bulletin pp.3-7

tegrity.com website

Executive Sponsor:  James J. Johnson, President, MSC-Southeast Technical

Team Members: 

Deborah Anderson, HRIS Manager, MSU, Mankato
Christopher R. Brown, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, Bemidji State University
Jason Burrows, Philosophy Faculty, Hennepin Technical College
Mary Hadley, Assistant Professor, MSU, Mankato
Dawn Syverson, Director, Information Services & Development, Metropolitan State University

Project #6

Team Members: 

Kevin Buisman, Director of Athletics, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Kathy DeDeyn, Physical Ed. Inst./Chair of Academic Council, Inver Hills Community College
Beth Diekmann, Associate Director of Financial Aid, Rochester Community & Technical College
Betsy Draper, Chief Information Officer, Southwest Minnesota State University
Mike McGee, Dean of Academic Affairs, Minneapolis Community & Technology College
Don Mercado, Director of Human Resources, Office of the Chancellor
Mike Munford, Director, University Public Safety, Southwest Minnesota State University
Margaret Vos, Interim Vice President, St. Cloud State University

Project #7

Team Members: 

Bill Breyfogle, Dir. Of Facilities Const. & Support Services, Office of the Chancellor
Kathy Burlingame, Dean of Nursing, MSCTC
Nate Emerson, Vice President of Student Affairs, Minnesota State College SE-Technical
Craig Erickson, Director of Financial Services, Normandale Community College
Sherry Lindquist, English Faculty, Northland College
Rebecca Weber, Marketing/Counseling, Minnesota West Technical College

Project #8

Team Members:

Penny Cassavant, Exe. Director for Institutional Advancement, St. Cloud Technical College
Paul Hesterman, Director of Advising, Metropolitan State University 
Kristine Kaplan, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the Chancellor 
Joan Peterson, Manager, Business & Industry Programs, Century College
Landon Pirius, Director of Enrollment Services, Inver Hills Community College
Deanne Roquet, Biology & Environmental Science Faculty, Lake Superior College Theresa Waterbury, Director of Institutional Research, Winona State University