Office of the Provost & Vice President
Roadmap to the Future Steering Committee
Minutes
January 26, 2022
10:30 am - Noon
Attendee Members:
David Dufault-Hunter, Melissa Galvan, Jonathan Hay, Crist Khachikian, Gigi McGuire, Elena Miranda, Barrett Morris, Mario Ontiveros, Kaitlyn Orozco, Yazmin Peebles, Amanda Quintero, Kiana Requena, Diane Stephens, Michael Tejax, Nate Thomas, Mary Beth Walker (Chair), Jason Wang
Absent: Vivian Morales
Staff to Committee: Hazel Kochocki, Bonnie Paller
I. Call to Order Walker, 8:34
II. Approval of Minutes of December 14, 2021 Meeting Walker: approved
III. Goals for Meeting Walker
- Talk about retreat
- Facilitated conversation with Amanda
IV. De-brief from Retreat: Walker
Comments from members included
- Enjoyed speaker Khadish Franklin, Addition of Justice
- Mapping of different ways institutions change and how to sustain change
- Continuum of growth and change, no point of final accomplishment
- Movement through individual steps and their role in making systemic changes
- Other positive feedback and appreciation for the session
Who else would we like Khadish speak with? Can we use Khadish meet with subgroups? Other decision-makers; Professional Development opportunities; student groups
How are we going to hold ourselves accountable? The next phase will be mapping goals and strategic directions. The follow-on will be the specifics, measures of accountability and timelines of differing directions. There are legal constraints which might be useful for people to know.
We need to know what other groups are doing along the same lines and how they can all be brought together. We want to avoid duplication as much as possible. Once we have strategic directions we can map different groups, initiatives, and projects under them. We want people to know what we are doing well and how people can be held accountable.
Our incoming and freshman students are facing special and unusual challenges because they have been learning virtually for the last two years. This may change once we go forward with on campus learning, but we need to do more things to help the students who have faced learning virtually during covid times. A more focused look: where are students failing? Why are they failing? What are lecturers doing in response to failing students?
Academics need to come first before everything else, before other co-curricular activities, in order to have a successful college experience.
V. Walk Through a Facilitated Conversation: Quintero
A start on understanding facilitation. What is the most important thing for us to know? What would be the one common question?
Moving forward is benefited by understanding and acknowledging our history. Seeing what is working, what’s not working. Working with about 10 groups on campus. Definitions of key terms in document.
- ORID approach: four level conversation using an Objective, Reflective, Interpretative, and Decision model. The next step would be prioritization.
- Sample questions; focused conversation tools, a plan and a roadmap for breakout groups.
- See Locating Resources and Tools in the Road Map folder for a wide range of tools for engagement and process.
- Padlet tool ---Frame a question, offer a sample answer, then have individuals in the group offer input and text which can be immediately published. Padlet does save.
VI. Logistical Issues/Considerations for Engagement Meetings Walker
Group size and facilitation: Small groups will be relatively easy to generate conversations and get input. But with a big group conversation (about 200), it will be more challenging. We can have a tech person available. Use a padlet or Google doc to track. Or replace the large group to multiple smaller meetings. Early stakeholders are also invited to larger groups. The large group will be broken into subgroups. But how many subgroups will be supported?
We want to pull in information. How can we best pull in information? Subgroup 5 proposes having people enter answers directly in Qualtrics. This will allow real time information and reaction. Discussion included a concern that entering directly into a survey by participants may indicate we are downplaying the importance of the conversations themselves. Melisa uses padlet in classes and finds it easy for students to use. Do we want to come together and decide on one tool? Everyone can get trained in using it.
How do we learn how to negotiate conflict? Smaller groups will help take the temperature down. Add a level of neutrality in introducing the topic. Perhaps have someone else do the introduction of the topic. Identify group norms. Have an additional breakout group for special subtopics, or an individual follow-up. An independent or co-facilitator will help. One reality will be that facilitators won’t know why things were done, and that’s okay.
Members of the Steering Committee are here to help advance diversity and advance it into all facets of the university. This is the most important message.
VII. Takeaways/Action Items/Preparation for Next Meeting
- Forward ideas about facilitators to Mary Beth or Hazel.
- Calendar now your meetings with stakeholder groups.
- Submit Qualtrics survey questions for each subgroup into Box by February 4.
- Think about engaging Khadish or other subject matter experts.
Adjournment: 11:59am