System Collaboration What can we do together?. LEAP States Discussion Thomas B. Steen University of North Dakota Larry R. Peterson North Dakota State.

System CollaborationWhat can we do together?

LEAP States Discussion

Thomas B. Steen

University of North Dakota

Larry R. Peterson

North Dakota State University

North Dakota General Education Council

The big LEAP

When people in a system come

together, what is it, exactly, that we

do?

Finding Purpose

Transferability

Faculty development

Assessment sharing

Curriculum alignment

Degree tuning

Forum for discussion & review

Finding Balance

Too much – system effort is diluted, competing priorities, doesn’t get it done.

Too little – minimal accomplishment, low interest, doesn’t matter

Sharpening our aim: LEAP

Improving student learning

Refining what kind of learning matters

Broad essential learning AND specialized majors

Shifting from courses taken

Move away from disinterested learning “that’s just good for you”

Disconnect between GE and the major

Collaborations for UG LearningThree Examples

BolognaProc

ess

The European collaboration

CompassProj

ect

Three States & the AACU

North Dakota’s GE Council

18 schools: public, tribal, private

Started meeting Spring/09

“Summits” twice/year

Formal organization in progress

Focus: general education – both portability and quality

WhatWhat is the state of your state?

WhoWho is involved in your state or system?

WhyWhat are the main reasons why your system came together?

Food for Thought:

What are the key obstacles that systems (Yours? Any?)

need to over come?

The Transfer Issue

How does transfer support or hinder collaboration

across a system?

The Vision Question

What should a system work together on? For?

Framing Questions for System Collaboration

Organizational structure?

Human relations support?

System political considerations?

Symbolic work?

(After Bolman & Deal, 2008)

Organizational

Is there an ideal structure for a system collaboration?

What are the key essentials for an effective organization?

Support for Human Relationships

What do faculty need to do a great job at teaching GE across the system?

What do students need to learn well? When they move across the system?

What key staff—registrars, enrollment, system office--play crucial roles? What do they need to do well?

Political Interests

What are the interests of “insiders” (e.g., faculty, academic staff, admin.)?

What are the interests of important “outsiders” (e.g., politicians, business, ???)

What are the critical interests of students across the system? At different institutions?

How do we balance the interests of individual schools with the interest of the system as a whole?

Symbolizing Success

What is the key system message? Tagline?

What kind of event will symbolize the system when it works well?

What kind of persons do you want to lead? What do you hope they do?

Now what?

Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part.

--Casey Stengel

What’s Next?

The Big Goal:Increase high quality college degrees in the

U.S. to 60%* by 2025

(Department of Education; Lumina Foundation)

*currently about 40%

Michael, if you can’t pass, you can’t play.

Coach Dean Smith to Michael Jordan, In his freshman year at UNC

Systems Share Students

Within institutions

From one institution to the next

From other systems into yours, and from yours into others

Students change majors

Student learning connects and links in quality GE

Transfer numbers are rising

Online instruction eases intra-institutional work

Will We Play Well?

In basketball, the ultimate expression of a great team is their passing.

In higher education, the indicators of a great system are …….. ?