Agenda

• Upcoming Decision/Announcement Timeline
• Innovation Mentor Program
• Governance Group Updates

Middlebury Institute Draft Announcement Timeline 2020-21 (Jeff Dayton Johnson)

• The Institute Leadership Group has been asked to consult on key considerations as we develop a timeline for Institute decisions and announcements about the format and offerings for upcoming terms.
• Considerations Raised:
  • If there is a decision to return to any onsite programming, we will need to consider the visa processing timeline for international students and the lead time facilities might need to ensure campus operations can be safely managed.
    • There is a group that has already been working to prepare campus for any potential return – assessing net occupancy and safety measures for classrooms, reception areas, common spaces, and making modifications to our ventilation systems where possible and are considering alternative measures where modifications cannot be made.
  • Our campus is integrated into the community and we also need to be mindful that any onsite programming involves potential interaction with the broader community. 
  • There are many types of activities that we will need to make decisions and announcements about beyond just classes.
  • Announcements need to be scheduled for weekdays to ensure that employees are fully available for questions.
  • Our announcement date should not fall too closely to the election, as many people will be focused on that process. 
  • It will be important to align with the College decision-making process, and make sure the dates we set can remain firm.
  • There are tensions that arise from any potential timeline, there will be some factors that benefit from an earlier announcement and other factors that benefit from a later announcement.
  • We should avoid application deadlines and other similar dates.
• We will be taking into account the lessons learned from the fall announcement and input received during that process. Our intention has been to follow a more visible and engaged process and improve upon consultation for this round of timeline development.
• Next Steps: ILG members have until Wednesday, September 9th to submit further feedback to the Institute Council in writing. The Council members will take the summary of this discussion and any additional feedback to develop a proposed Monterey calendar that Jeff will bring to the Provost’s Academic Council (G5). This will allow for coordination and communication of issues on an institutional level before the G5 brings a final proposal to the SLG that represents all parts of the institution.

Innovation Mentor Program (Patricia Szasz)

• This program is connected with Patricia’s research for her Doctorate in Education program at Johns Hopkins University and is a response to the organizational culture assessment she conducted for Middlebury to diagnose our organizational culture based on convening cultures framework.
• Part of this research sought to identify the aspirational culture for staff members, and staff feedback indicated a desire for more of a clan culture and adhocracy culture.
  • Clan Culture
    • More empowerment, participation, teamwork, communication, caring
  • Adhocracy
    • Taking suggestions, process innovation, risk taking, tolerance for mistakes, listening to customers
• In response to this need, Patricia is offering a program in partnership with Bob Cole called the Innovation Mentor Program, and will be looking for staff members to participate in this program. 
• The bulk of the time commitment is in the first two weeks of the program (Sept 21 & 28) when participants will be joining workshops and learning about innovation.
• This is not a competition, it is a skill building activity to bring more innovation to staff members on campus in real and meaningful ways that they can apply to their own work.
• Employees will learn how to link innovation to Institutional processes, incorporate the voice of the user in process development, incorporate the voice of the student in new program development, ideate and brainstorm, create a migration path to dream state, and develop a business model.
• Overview
  • Phase 1: Weeks of Sept 21 & 28 introduction of innovation principles and skill building, community building
  • Phase II: Project team work, continued skill building, innovation proposal development
  • Phase III: Innovation proposal presentations
• If you have any questions, please contact Patricia, the sign up form is available here and applications are due before September 15th.

Governance Updates

• Faculty Senate (Thor Sawin)
  • First faculty assembly was on Tuesday
  • MIIS Faculty 2020-21
    • 70 regular faculty (81 in Fall 2019)
      • 49 in GSTILE
      • 21 in GSIPM
    • 8 visiting faculty
    • 78 adjunct faculty
  • Senate 2020-2021
    • Katherine Punteney, 2020-2023, Vice President / President-Elect
    • Philipp Bleek, 2020-2023, GSIPM
    • Anna Vassilieva, 2020-2023, GSTILE
    • Thor Sawin, 2018-2021, President
    • Mahmoud Abdalla, 2018-2021 GSTILE
    • William Arrocha, 2018-2021 GSIPM
    • Pushpa Iyer, 2018-2021 GSIPM
    • Ex officio, Maha Baimyrzaeva, 2020-2023, Board of Advisors
  • FEC
    • In the process of identifying a new FEC chair
    • Abdelkader Berrahmoun, at large, subbing Anne Campbell
    • Sharad Joshi, GSIPM
    • Tonya Williams, GSTILE
    • Wei Liang, GSIPM (pending confirmation)
  • APSIC
    • Wallace Chen, chair, GSTILE
    • Heekyeong Lee, at large
    • Jinhuei Dai, GSTILE
    • Lyuba Zarsky, GSIPM
    • Maha Baimyrzaeva, GSIPM
  • Senate Work
    • Reviewing handbook and policies manual to allow for a future that includes online teaching
    • Address current culture of exceptions
    • Support language studies
    • Review of grievance policies
    • Explore integration of two schools
    • Discussion of Professors of the Practice designation
    • Examine multiple single-year visiting contracts vs. multi-year contract norms

• Student Council (Madeleine Smith & Lincoln Ngaboyisonga)
  • Student Council Elections
    • Full Council will be solidified on September 11th. 
    • We will be having our Fall Retreat that weekend to identify main goals and priorities for the year.
      • DEI, Fostering community, Maintaining transparency  
  • Student Engagement
    • Conducting Needs Assessment on where lines of communication could use support. Looking to Program Representatives, Graduate Assistants, Faculty and Program Chairs. 
  • Incorporating Sustainability
    • Working with Sustainability Council GA Corbin Panturad and Mike Thomas of Middlebury VT to ensure 787 Munras is a sustainable project 
  • Curriculum Diversification 
    • Informational interviews with different faculty members to assess how we can take what the Institute is already working on and expand it into other classrooms
  • Community Engagement
    • Working on our upcoming social events
      • Collaboration with Joelle and Lydia of the Library to host a virtual open mic night
    • Looking to collaborate with clubs for optimum socialization in our new virtual universe
• Staff Council/Staff Advisory Team (Bob Cole)
  • Changes on Staff Council Executive Committee
    • Amy Carlin, President (works in Events at College)
    • Bob Cole, Vice President
    • Stacey Marshall and Charlotte Tate, Co-secretaries 
  • Staff Council helps to run the town hall meetings, which have recently focused on the College return to campus: Quarantine process, testing process, employees on campus. There are a lot of issues there that have taken the priority for the Council.
  • SAT and Staff Council 
    • Collaborative effort within group that includes volunteer and ex-officio members.
    • Justin Hitt, newly elected Staff Council Institute member-at-large
    • Ashley Arrocha, Staff Constituent Representative to the Institute Board of Advisers.
    • Volunteer staff members: Lydia Gentry, Scott Webb, Melissa Sorenson, Molly Laughlin, and new member Colleen Bremner, based at Office in DC
  • Staff Council Standing Committees 
    • Elections (annual)
    • HR6 (Human Resource issues)
    • Benefits & Compensation
  • Staff Council Working Groups
    • Internal Communications with David Gibson
    • Council Website & Comms. (council)
    • Budget Advisory (adjourned summer 2020)
  • Staff Council Meeting calendar (in development)
    • Bi-weekly Thursdays 10:30 – 11:30am Pacific
    • There will be open meeting opportunities
    • Monthly meeting with SLG