On September 5, I attended the first Information Technology Systems Design implementation (ITSD) team meeting for Charting the Future as the MAPE representative. The first meeting was much like the first day of a new job or a new class. We took attendance, talked about housekeeping details, reviewed the agenda, and participated in a group ice breaker.

To be candid, I’m generally not a huge fan of ice breakers. But this one actually was good and relevant to the conversation. The ice breaker was based on the book Zoom. The basic takeaway was that different people have different vantage points and that in order to communicate effectively understanding that is key. More on the ice breaker here and here.

After the ice breaker was over we moved on to define the team’s charter. As background we were provided a handout that emphasized the importance of stepping “out of the muck and weeds” (ex: attempting to “fix” ISRS) and instead to focus on high level strategies for effective IT System Design. We also noted that there is an implementation team dedicated to educational technology working alongside us, so our team would focus on the administrative technologies. We agreed that the best place to focus our efforts was on MNSCU policies that if modified would provide a better opportunity for IT System Design. Those thoughts framed our conversation for the wording of our charter, but we also acknowledged that our team would be weighing in on many technology recommendations from the other implementation teams.

We did not walk away with a written charter at the end of the meeting. We did discuss that there are 30+ institutions following unique workflows, business processes, and using disparate systems. We want to look at ways to streamline and standardize business processes, primarily via policy changes, to allow us to deal with the complexity of the system. Hopefully we’ll have a charter solidified by the end of the next meeting.

For those who were really hoping this team would take on ISRS, don’t fret! Addressing the many concerns with ISRS has been identified as a strategic priority by the MNSCU CIO (Ramon Padilla). Here is an excerpt from the presentation made to the MNSCU Board of Trustees:

“Begin preparation of an ISRS upgrade/replacement business case (Fall 2016) in order to be included in the FY18/19 biennial budget request.”

Prior to the meeting we had the following shared readings:

Gartner: Enterprise IT Maturity-2014-CIOs Are Seen but Not Heard
Battle Test Your Innovation Strategy
Business Process Re-engineering
Business process reengineering: critical success factors in higher education
Innovation and Commercialization-2010
The Eight Essentials of Innovation and Performance

What is Charting the Future (CTF)?

My very quick summary is that Charting the Future seeks to get MNSCU to collaborate more, assure affordability, and provide new educational merit offerings. MPR has some good coverage and I encourage listening to their report below.

Full Article: MnSCU wants Dramatic Increase in Campus Cooperation, Consistency

LISTEN MnSCU wants better campus cooperation
Nov. 20, 2013

CTF Recommendations (Link): (emphasis is my own)

1. Dramatically increase the success of all learners, especially those in diverse populations
   traditionally underserved by higher education.
2. Develop a collaborative and coordinated academic planning process
   that advances affordability, transferability, and access to our programs and services across the state.
3. Certify student competencies and capabilities, expand pathways to accelerate degree completion
   through credit for prior learning, and foster the award of competency-based credit and degrees.
4. Expand the innovative use of technology
   to deliver high quality online courses, strengthen classroom instruction and student services, and provide more individualized learning and advising.
5. Work together under new models to be the preferred provider of comprehensive workplace solutions through programs and services that build employee skills
   and solve real-world problems
   for communities and businesses across the state.
6. Redesign our financial and administrative models to reward collaboration, drive efficiencies, and strengthen our ability to provide access
   to an extraordinary education for all Minnesotans.

Implementation Teams Launched Spring 2014:

• Comprehensive Workplace Solutions
• Diversity
• Student Success
• System Incentives and Rewards

Implementation Teams Launched Fall 2014:

• Academic Planning and Collaboration
• Competency Certification and Credit for Prior Learning
• Education Technology
• Information Technology Systems Design

Gallery Walks

The Charting the Future group will be holding Gallery Walks. The Gallery Walks are poster board sessions being held all over the state in order to share the work that has been done and to collect feedback. The teams have started in the spring will hold their Gallery Walks between October 16 and November 21. The fall teams will hold their Gallery Walks sometime around March. Read more here.

Get involved:

• Send your ideas, question, concerns and stories: MyIdeas@so.mnscu.edu
• Attend a Gallery Walk on Campus: Gallery Walk Schedule Fall 2014
• Submit your comments: Quick Form

Links:

Charting the Future MNSCU Site
Charting the Future FAQ
Charting the Future Blog
Charting the Future Full Document (PDF)
Minnesota State University Student Association – Charting the Future
Minnesota State University Student Association Blog – #MNSCU Charting the Future
Minnesota State College Student Association – Charting the Future