Over the past year, the Institute has engaged in a multi-pronged effort to improve the flow of communication and the sharing of critical information on campus, recognizing the importance of engagement and transparency as contributors to job satisfaction and productive commitment for staff.

Institute VP Jeff Dayton-Johnson has begun to hold quarterly open meetings to share important information about the Institute’s operations, and is producing written updates and podcasts in the intervening months. He also appointed a staff task force on Organizational Transparency and Information Sharing (affectionately known as OTIS) to do some grass roots investigation, through surveys and focus groups, to better understand staff needs and solicit their ideas.

Among the ideas that resonated with staff at MIIS was a more robust and intentional approach to staff exchanges between the Vermont and California campuses — to build relationships, facilitate collaboration, and better understand the cultural context in which our colleagues work.

First steps toward this goal include the creation of a knowledge base that staff can consult when they need to travel to the other campus.  What are the best travel routes and places to stay?  What do you need to know — logistically and culturally — to navigate the Vermont or Monterey campus?

On the Monterey side, we’ve already learned that airbnb provides another option to the limited hotel choices, and that there is a back road from the airport to Middlebury that avoids the construction on Route 7.  A frequent Middlebury visitor to Monterey has learned where to rent a bike and how to access the coastal bike trail.

The group hopes to reach out to colleagues in Vermont over the next year to create a shared resource. If you are interested in being part of this effort, contact Sheila Cameron or Melissa Sorenson.

– Amy McGill, Office of the Institute VP