Pacific Crest Workshop
October 12 - 13, 2006
University of the District of Columbia
AGENDA
DAY 1 – October 12th
8:30 -Welcome, Introductions and Overview
9:30 – Identification and selection of change projects and teams.
11:00 – The Concepts of Organizational Change (PPT presentation)
12:00 - Lunch
1:00 -Establishing a Vision for Change (Process A)
- “Developing a Vision” (PPT presentation)
- Identifying the “Why”for change(A1)
- Creating the vision for change (A2)
- Articulating the“gap” between the vision
and the present situation (A3)
- Communicating a compelling vision (A4
3:00 -Assessing Change Readiness (FORM A – Assessing Change Management in Your Institution)
5:00 – Adjourn (Note: Participants in the workshop will be asked to complete Form B – Assessing Leadership Readiness for Change at home)
DAY 2 – October 13th
8:30– Discussion and Sharing of Results from Form B
9:30 -Planning the Change Implementation (Process B)
- “Elements of the Change Implementation Plan” (PPT presentation)
- Designing the Change Implementation Plan (B1)
- Establishing the Implementation Management Structure (B2)
- Assessing the Implementation (B3)
11:00 - Assessing the Change Impacts (completion of Form C – Assessing the Change Initiative Impacts and Form D – Predicting the Level and Type of Participant Response to Change)
12:00– Lunch
1:00 -Planning the Transition (Process C)
- “The Transition Phase of Change” (PPT presentation)
- Pre-assessment for Planning a Transition (C1)
- Planning for the Ending (C2)
- Planning for the Neutral Zone (C3)
- Planning for Beginnings(C4)
3:00- Implementing the Change Process (PPT presentation)
- Continuous communications
- Aligning systems
- Integrating the change
4:00 - Recap and Next Steps at UDC
5:00 - Adjourn
Process A - Establishing a Vision for Change
A1.Identifying the “Why”for Change
- What are the external and /or internal forces driving the change?
UDC is committed to open admissions
External – Over 75% of entering students are underprepared for college. Students are coming from various places (high schools, govt-sponsored programs e.g. TANF, RSA, international and older students.)
Internal – Lack of a standardization for assessing these students at entrance levels, transition levels, and exit levels.
- What problem must be solved or what need must be met by the change?
More adequately address the needs of this diverse group of students through increased use of staff development using technology to support the teaching of developmental education, strengthen pre-college initiatives testing, supplement instruction with technology, mandatory use of learning labs outside of class time.
- How will the institution (or functional unit) benefit from the change?
Increase student retention.
- What will happen if the institution (or functional unit) does not make this change?
Lower enrollment and high attrition.
A2.Creating the Vision for Change
- In general, what will theinstitution (or functional unit)look like when the change is in place?
Interactive and creative classrooms
Highly motivated, better equipped, and excited students
Creative and motivated faculty who smarter—not harder—and more effectively
Vibrant, attractive, comfortable learning environment
Consistent, dependable administrative support
Adequate funding from a variety of sources
Institutional recognition for faculty and students
Students prepared for the next level of learning with knowledge and skills
Students and faculty feeling successful
Eighty-percent of students college readyafter DE experience
Purpose-driven students
No faculty complaints about students not prepared for successive levels
Institute a computer literacy course
UDC will be viewed as THE center for best practices in DE
1.
- What will the faculty and staff be doing when the change is in place?
Energetically and enthusiastically implementing changes
Constantly refining the Developmental Education program
Analyzing the effectiveness of the change
Sharing and presenting findings of success rates and what we’ve learned
- What new services and/or programs will the institution (or functional unit) provide?
Multiple entry points to meet the needs of diverse students
More precise and flexible diagnostic tool/process for placing students
Technology will be incorporated throughout the DE program
Increased number of SMART classrooms designated for DE
Increased training of faculty
- What new standards will be set when the changeoccurs?
Mandatory assessment at each transition level
Learning outcomes determined for each course
- What new values will the institution (or functional unit) need in this future state?
Respect for student potential
Assessment environment
Success oriented
Mentoring for students and faculty
Respect for the importance and the role of DE at the University
Community-
Dan Edits
A1. Identifying the “Why”for Change
- What are the external and /or internal forces driving the change?
UDC is committed to open admissions
External – Over 75% of entering students are underprepared for college. Students are coming from various places (high schools, govt-sponsored programs e.g. TANF, RSA, international and older students.)
-expectations of the district to support the open admissions policy effectively
-need to work with DCPS to strengthen articulation between the two institutions
-enrollment driven and this population is opportunity that few other institutions want
Internal – Lack of a standardization for assessing these students at entrance levels, transition levels, and exit levels.
- Students developmental courses are not producing high completion rates, these courses are taught primarily by adjunct, student learning outcomes do not match prerequisites, and faculty are not trained in best practices of developmental education and student success
- What problem must be solved or what need must be met by the change?
More adequately address the needs of this diverse group of students through increased use of staff development using technology to support the teaching of developmental education, strengthen pre-college initiatives testing, supplement instruction with technology, mandatory use of learning labs outside of class time.
Building up a culture of success
Helping faculty grow stronger skills in mentoring student success
Redesign these courses to produce strong set of learning outcomes
Assessment system for developmental education that improves program outcomes
Increasing completion rates
Increasing 1st year rention of this population
- How will the institution (or functional unit) benefit from the change?
Increase student retention. Improve completion rates, increase enrollment by keeping 50% more students who enroll for an average of 2 years more, which will increase the enrollment by 20%
And
- What will happen if the institution (or functional unit) does not make this change?
Lower enrollment and high attrition. Loss of support from the District, cuts in programs that have low enrollments, redirect resources to a community college function outside of UDC.
A2.Creating the Vision for Change
- In general, what will the institution (or functional unit) look like when the change is in place?
Interactive and creative classrooms
Highly motivated, better equipped, and excited students
Creative and motivated faculty who smarter—not harder—and more effectively
Vibrant, attractive, comfortable learning environment
Consistent, dependable administrative support
Adequate funding from a variety of sources
Institutional recognition for faculty and students
Students prepared for the next level of learning with knowledge and skills
Students and faculty feeling successful
Eighty-percent of students who enroll in DE will be college ready after DE experience
Purpose-driven students (Life vision plan)
No faculty complaints about students not prepared for successive levels
Institute a computer literacy course
UDC will be viewed as THE center for best practices in DE
Center for training other urban environments
1.
- What will the faculty and staff be doing when the change is in place?
Energetically and enthusiastically implementing changes
Constantly refining the Developmental Education program through program assessment
Analyzing the effectiveness of the change – tracking performance measures
Sharing and presenting findings of success rates and what we’ve learned
Continual professional development to add new techniques
- What new services and/or programs will the institution (or functional unit) provide?
Multiple entry points to meet the needs of diverse students
More precise and flexible diagnostic tool/process for placing students
Technology will be incorporated throughout the DE program
Increased number of SMART classrooms designated for DE
Increased training of faculty
Skills labs aligned with courses
Mentoring program
Recruitment of appropriate adjuncts
- What new standards will be set when the change occurs?
Mandatory assessment at each transition level
Learning outcomes determined for each course with documentation that they are met
- What new values will the institution (or functional unit) need in this future state?
Respect for student potential
Assessment environment
Success oriented
Mentoring for students and faculty
Respect for the importance and the role of DE at the University
Community-
Professionalism
A3. Articulating the Vision “Gap”
- In general, what does the institution (or functional unit) look like now?
DE consists of placement tests
Based on scores, students are placed in one of twelve groups based DE needs in reading, math, and English
Students register for courses in consultation with advisors
Students return to their advisors at the end of each semester
- What are the significant discrepancies between the vision and the present situation of the institution (or functional unit)?
Not all students are visiting their advisors
Not all students are following their group recommendations for enrollment
Lack of official mechanisms to track student enrollment and performance
No methods to address the levels of unpreparedness
Lack of systematic reporting on student academic behavior
Lack of consistent enforcement of pre-requisites
Overuse of override privileges
Instructors are not trained in best practices of developmental education
Students are missing a strong foundations course for preparing them for college experience
Communities of practice in developmental education must be in place to support faculty in the range of challenges
Support services to address at risk factors in timely manners.
- What must change in the institution (or functional unit) to support the vision?
Administration and faculty buy-in
Technological enforcement of pre-requisite
Change in perception of the worth of developmental courses
- What should stay the same when the vision is implemented?
Open admissions policy
Placement assessment
Twelve-group placement structure
Maintain DE within the academic departments
- Why is this gap important and critical enough to motivate people to change?
Low graduation and retention rates are unacceptable
UDC’s graduation and retention rates are below the national norm
DC government mandate that UDC educate developmental students
Build loyalty by valuing and respecting students
3.
A4. Communicating the Vision
- How can a sense of the discrepancies between the present state and the future state be articulated?
Create a plan for the DE program that
- Identifies clear purpose and objectives
- Identifies clearly defined tasks
- Specifies timelimes
- Identifies benefits and costs
- Shows observable, measurable outcomes
To ensure the plan is effective, the administration must commit to the creation and support of the plan. This will require the formation of a committed team to develop and implement the plan.
- How can a “sense of urgency” be built in others about the need for the change?
Obtain the retention data report indicating, among other things, UDC’s low completion rates, the percentage of graduates who started as freshmen, and first-year dropout and stopout rates.
- How can the vision of the future/desired state be communicated in a compelling way?
Create a one-year prototype of the DE program and compare it to the existing program.
Collect data and report the findings to appropriate audiences.
- What communication strategies can be used to convey the vision to the rest of the institution (or functional unit) and to encourage two-way communications about the vision?
Live focus groups
Blackboard discussion groups
Professional Development Day
MMPDA
Student assemblies
Alumni groups
Appropriate community groups
4.
FORM A - Assessing Change Management in Your Institution
For each statement below, check the response that best reflects how change is managed in your institution.
Statement / Strongly disagree / Disagree / Unsure / Agree / Strongly agree- We take time to thoroughly plan for changes.
- People affected by a change take part in the planning and implementation of that change whether or not they were involved in the change decision
- The goals, purposes, and potential benefits of change efforts are clearly communicated to everyone in the institution.
- When changes are announced, there is open dialogue about the disruptions they may create and the difficulties we may need to address in order to make the changes successful.
- When people have problems implementing changes, they communicate freely and ask for help.
- People who express negative feelings about change are listened to and their concerns are addressed.
- When difficulties and disruptions arise, people are quick to address and fix them rather than to affix blame.
- When changes are being implemented, people who should care about the success of the changes continue to ask about them and show interest in them.
- We have experienced recent success in implementing major change.
- We have spent time learning from recent efforts at change that did not succeed.
- Successful change efforts are recognized and celebrated.
1.
Assessing Change Management in Your Institution (Continued)
For each statement below, check the response that best reflects how change is managed in your institution.
Statement / Strongly disagree / Disagree / Unsure / Agree / Strongly agree- When changes are implemented, systems are instituted and maintained that assess the impacts of change on the institution.
- The institution can rearrange systems and structures quickly and effortlessly when change requires it to do so.
- People are encouraged to experiment and think creativity when addressing organizational problems.
- People are recognized and rewarded for innovative and creative solutions to problems.
All of the above are indicators of good change management practices. What areas do you note in which your institution may be weak? These are the areas that need to be strengthened to improve the successful implementation of organizational change.
Adapted with permission from Assessing Change Management in Your Organization by the Positive Employee Practices Institute.
2.
Form B -Assessing Leadership Readiness for Change
The behaviors listed below encompass behaviors that are important in meeting the challenges facing you in implementing change. Think about the changes you have implemented or will be responsible for implementing. For each statement, assess whether you presently exhibit that behavior or you need to exhibit that behavior more often to meet these challenges. When you have completed your self assessment, review your responses. You may also want to verify your perspective by discussing your assessments with other individuals.
Change Leadership Behaviors / Presently Exhibit / Exhibit More Often- I role-model the flexibility, action oriented, and personal commitment needed to respond and adapt successfully to change.
- I spend time orienting myself to the external and internal threats and opportunities facing my institution so that when change is needed, I can map it into this larger context.
- When change is called for, I articulate a sense of urgency and vision for a new and different future that responds to the drivers of change and makes the institution more efficient and effective in meeting its mission.
- I influence others and effectively build coalitions in order to win needed buy-in, commitment, and resources for change planning and implementation.
- I take time to plan for the aspects of change over which I have control and try to ensure that all people involved in the change take part in its planning and implementation.
- When I plan for change, I use an institutional perspective so that systems impacts can be identified.
- I try to anticipate for other’s reactions to change and mitigate the negative reactions by providing the information and support needed to help people through their transitions.
- I model effective problem solving, decision making, and project management skills throughout the change planning and implementation process.
- I invest in building and maintaining trusting relationships with the individuals I supervise so that they will follow my leadership during change.
Process B -Planning the Change Implementation
B1.Designing the implementation Plan
- Given the change your team is planning to implement, what are major areas, functions and/or processes of the institution (or functional unit) that need to align to accomplish the change?
VPAA and VPSA
Placement
Registration
Advising
English and Math departments
Financial Aid
IT
Admissions
Staff Development
- What activities and sub-activities are needed to align each of these major areas in order to implement the change?
Mandate project support
Document existing practices
Obtain copies of placement testing documentation, the university placement process, and historical documentation
Obtain a copy of the registration process
Obtain a copy of the student and faculty advising handbook
Enlist the support of each of the instructional support centers; obtain departmental procedures and processes
Obtain information on the financial aid process, particular how enrollment in DE courses impacts the rewarding of financial aid
Obtain student information data
Obtain admissions data from previous three semesters
Design and development the DE program
Provide staff development using best practices in DE
- How long will each activity or sub-activity take?
Estimated time is between one week and one month