University Centres that Matter

Margaret Hallock

Centre for Work Life

September 2007

My Background

Director of two university centers at the University of Oregon: Labor Education and Research Center Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics

Organizational and strategic consultant to labor organizations, labor studies programs, and community organizations

Mission is Key

Well-defined, explicit, specific Understandable to university and community Not idiosyncratic to one person Close ties to University Complements existing structures

Mission is Key, cont’d

Unique in part; Place matters Values: point of view Authentic community participation Offers funding opportunities

Defining the Mission

Why do we exist? Who do we serve? Who cares? What do we provide? What are our unique contributions? How do we know when we are effective? In what areas must we be highly effective to

be successful?

Mission and Programs

Based on these focus questions, the Centre exists to ...…”produce high-quality research that can be used to improve public policy…”

We accomplish this through the core activities of: Research on employment policy Public programs Internships for community scholars ?

Mission must be focused

“Focus is a resource.” Tom Woodruff, SEIU, as quoted by Mark

Butler of LHMU.

Strategic Planning

Important to do regularly, change with times

“If we don’t change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.”

Chinese Proverb

An Outline for Strategic Planning

Team building to discover “working styles” Review or Define Mission SWOT Analysis: strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, threats

Strategic Planning, cont’d.

Name Goal or Program Areas and evaluate “current performance” and “urgency of improvement” E.g., Research,Education Programs,Policy

advocacy, Dissemination, Management, Resources

Identify Critical Issues necessary for success Set measurable goals and annual plans

Power of a Bad Example

Air traffic controllers Teamsters Food and commercial workers

Good examples

International Longshore and Warehouse Service employees LHMU in Australia

Critical Decision Points

Leadership Advisory Board Relationship to the university Role of academics and students Relationship to the community

Leadership – Who?

Three to five people with passion. Key leader from university. Different expertise or perspective Reputation and trust is paramount, cannot be

recovered Need someone from community who will live

or die with you; and a trusted advisor Entrepreneurial skills

Board Issues

Advisory or governing? Working v. titular? Composition: NOT academics only

Board Roles

Vision: Catalyst, advisor, leader Technical: planner, monitor, evaluator,

governor External: organizer, promoter, networker Funding: fundraiser

Pitfalls: time on trivial, small picture bias, fuzzy expectations, rehash

Relationship to University

Must contribute to academic mission Mimic academic structure and activities,

complement existing structures Top leadership support. Must be defensible,

need leadership backstop. Pick battles carefully – be pragmatic and

keep internal disputes internal. Help university see benefits of community

involvement. Tensions regarding using public funds.

Role of Academics

Promotion and tenure criteria are paramount Incentives – what’s in it for them? Faculty life can be petty and jealous Impact on teaching: role of applied research,

new classes Pay attention to deans and department heads

Multi-disciplinary Issues

Individual contributions difficult to cite Walk v. talk (funding, incentives) Difficult to publish; separately publish basic

research and applications Prestige and style issues differ by discipline Can lead to new classes

Role of Students

Recruitment tool Internships, research possibilities Networking opportunities for employment

Involving the Community

Authentic role from the beginning Takes time to build relationships and trust Tension – University holds the cards and

centres must perform academically Center as bridge to the community What’s in it for them?

Expertise, resources Networking and visibility Internships Pay for their time?

Involving the Community, cont’d.

Need Process for involvement Roundtable sessions, planning Review proposals Collaborative processes, agreements

Deliver for the Community Multiple products Events Don’t promise what you can’t deliver

Funding

Need sustained funding in the long term Build an endowment Separate development effort necessary

Chasing funds can change mission Shift or die? Beware of unintended consequences

Staffing

Beware of overstaffing Academics’ time –balance involvement with

resources Use funds for seed grants rather than staff

e.g. project grants are experimental, expand networks.

Criteria must include longer-term impact Internships for students and community.

Management and Administration

Need visionary leader Also need competent management and

administration Project and research management Personnel management issues: hiring,

motivation, effectiveness, roles, feedback, rewards. It is endless!

Dealing with the university

Draw the Organizational Chart

Avoid this:

Director

Measuring Effectiveness

Sustainable Accomplishments

Public service and education Relationships count. Bridge to new

communities who otherwise would not come to the university

Societal applications Innovations, patents, policy changes

Public Relations and recognition Awards, certificates, Heroes and Sheroes