AASCU Innovations Exchange
Your Source for innovation in Public Higher Education
Institutional Change Processes
Creating an Employee Enrichment Program (At No Cost)
California State University, Northridge
Project Description:
Promote employee engagement during a long period of financial constraints. California State University, Northridge marshaled internal faculty and staff support to offer programming that has become known as the “Community of Caring.” Over the past four years the university has offered innovative programs and services that emphasize the well-being of faculty and staff (emotionally, physically, and financially). There is no fee for participation. Professionals within the community provide services for free to support their colleagues during this difficult financial period. Current classes include: a series on diet and nutrition, and programs on procrastination, forgiveness, positive self, resiliency, and surviving the holiday blues. In addition, volunteers lead regular mindfulness sessions, yoga classes, book discussions, and meditation/relaxation programs. Additionally, local non-profit and government agencies provide ongoing services and special events at no cost.On-site free classes, seminars, and discussion groups open to all faculty and staff (offered during regular business hours and during scheduled lunch periods.)Web-based Resources Directory (community resources and wellness opportunities available on campus).Self help library.
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Customer Service Initiatives
Medgar Evers College, City University of New York
Project Description:
“The Medgar Way,” the brand
of the Customer Service Initiative, is dedicated to providing excellent
customer service and is focused on satisfying the needs of our customers,
students, faculty, staff and the wider community. These workshops, a series of two, once each
semester, strive to ensure that all are pleased with the service by pledging to
provide our 7 core values: Professionalism, Courtesy, Reliability, Commitment,
Accountability, Respect and Excellence. The objectives of the Customer Service
Initiative are to assist all Administrators, Faculty and Staff, to develop and
deepen their understanding of effective conversation, enhanced communication
and outstanding customer service with a caring attitude while attaining a
common goal to make the college the most student-centered campus in CUNY. The workshops
seek to inform participants through on-going experiential practice, and to
teach communication practices that demonstrates respect, courtesy and commitment
in all customer service-related interactions. Exercises, using real life situations,
empower participants to understand themselves and what motivates them. CONTINUED in Objectives Section.
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Encouraging Entrepreneurship at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Project Description:
NIU seeks to encourage innovation among faculty and students in programs
across campus, and is employing a multi-faceted approach to make the knowledge,
experiences, skills and attitudes associated with entrepreneurship more
accessible to individuals outside of the College of Business. To this end, existing
faculty and staff associated with entrepreneurship programs in the Colleges of
Business and Engineering/Engineering Technology are reaching out to students,
faculty and staff from other academic disciplines within the university.
University resources are being invested in new initiatives focused on expanding
the opportunities for entrepreneurship training and industry collaboration available
to members of all academic disciplines. In addition, NIU is actively supporting
pre-college entrepreneurship education programs in Illinois.
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IT Vision@2015
California State University, Northridge
Project Description:
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) engaged in a collaborative process to create IT Vision@2015, a campus digital master plan. Much like the campus physical master plan establishes a blueprint for the future look of the physical campus, the IT Vision@2015 establishes a five-year vision for information technology. The vision has been framed within the context of the University planning priorities and considers collaboration opportunities internal to CSUN, and within the broader California State University system community and other higher education institutions.
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University of Maine System Strategic Investment Fund (SIF)
University of Maine System
Project Description:
The Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) was created in 2010 as part of the System’s “New Challenges, New Directions” (NCND) strategic initiative. This revolving pool of Education & General (E&G) University funds provides a new and creative way for campus leaders to propose innovative projects for consideration and an opportunity to obtain funds to invest in ideas and programs that campuses otherwise would not be able to do. The fund is intended to expand investment, not finance current ways of doing business. A clear set of SIF purposes and priorities was established to create parameters to those proposing projects, for example, projects must address NCND goals and outcomes. In FY11, the fund was at 1% of State appropriation ($1.76M); it is currently at 2% in FY12 ($3.52M); in FY13 it will rise to 3% ($5.28M), and beyond that it is slated to be $5.28M (or 3% of State appropriation, whichever is greater).
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