THE SCHEDULE ACTION TEAM:
FACILITATORS: CATHI DUNKLE & CHRIS MARKWOOD
MEMBERS: PEGGY GUTHRIE, RALPH MORRIS, PAUL PATRICK, SUE RYAN, LINDA STEELE, SHELLEY STUMBAUGH, JAN TUEPKER, PAM WASHINGTON
SCHEDULE ACTION TEAM
Introduction
It is important that an aim never be defined in terms of activity or methods. It must always relate directly to how life is better for everyone. . . . The aim of the system must be clear to everyone in the system. The aim must include plans for the future. The aim is a value judgment. (W. Edwards Deming)
The present document describes the Continuous Improvement Team’s (CIT) Schedule Action Team’s evaluation of the current University-wide scheduling process and suggested Opportunities for Improvement. It is the overall suggestion of the entire Action Team that over the next two years. UCO streamline the scheduling process and move toward a paperless process in an effort to enhance the entire system and reduce costs associated with the current system.
Report Design
The present document is organized in 2 sections; the first provides an overview of the meeting process of the team. The second contains the resulting OFIs the group agreed were most critical to the success of an overall quality improvement of the scheduling process.
The Process
If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing. (W. Edwards Deming)
Participants
The participants of the action team were selected for their knowledge and first-hand experience with the current scheduling process. They all served as full and contributing members and their expertise, suggestions and effort are sincerely and humbly recognized. We thank them for taking the time, expressing the interest, and being such positive contributing members.
Dr. Peggy J. Guthrie, Biology
Dr. Ralph E. Morris, Music
Paul K. Patrick, Enrollment Support Services
Sue Ryan, Academic Support
Dr. Linda L. Steele, English
Shelley K. Stumbaugh, Business
Jan S. Tuepker, Education
Dr. Pamela Washington, Liberal Arts
The CIT asked Chris Markwood and Cathi Dunkle to act as facilitators for the Procedural Improvement Action Team. It was determined, by Chris and Cathi, that the first procedure to tackle would be the University-wide scheduling process.
The Action Team was formed and at the first meeting of the group the flow-charting tool was used to begin an outline of the scheduling process steps so that all on the action team could form an in-depth understanding of this process. This meeting was followed within two weeks with a second to complete this flow charting process. In these two meetings, ideas on streamlining began to come up almost immediately. At the close of the second meeting, the entire Action Team generated a preliminary list of possible opportunities for improvement. After the meeting, a computer-generated smaller version of the flow chart was developed and the preliminary suggestions typed up and sent out to the team for review.
After a few weeks the team got back together and began to discuss the preliminary list of OFIs and to share ideas. At this meeting, Paul Patrick also showed the team what Banner and Object Access do now and could do in the future to deal with changes to the process. A final meeting was schedule to finish up discussion of possible OFIs. A final report of these suggestions will be prepared and delivered to the CIT and to Dr. Betz for consideration.
The Opportunities for Improvement
What we need to do is learn to work in the system, by which I mean that everybody, every team, every platform, every division, every component is there not for individual competitive profit or recognition, but for contribution to the system as a whole on a win-win basis. (W. Edwards Deming)
From the action team’s meetings the following recommendations are offered in good faith as opportunities for improvement of the University-wide scheduling process.
Results, Discussion and Recommendations
The opportunities for improvement and suggested timelines are summarized in the table below
. OPPORTU N I T I ES FOR I M PROVEMENT Target Recomme ndat i on Rat i onal e Printing of Schedule 1. Go Paperless Expense. Academic Affairs already considering this? Could sell some in bookstore for those who want hard copy Make available online Faculty Assignment Sheets & Adjunct Appointment Forms 2. Banner Generated, Paperless, & Electronic signatures Donna Hodges currently circulating a revised form? Future, should be submitted online, electronic signature possible Eventually eliminate, print from Banner as needed When schedule is in Banner, close point, message to faculty generated to look and verify schedule, after a certain date, contract implied, can use electronic signatures If a change occurs, another message can be generated Banner can accommodate non- Timel i ne Summer/Fall 04 A reduction over time would be necessary Two years Fall 03 for revised form A reduction over time with goal of Fall 04 for complete change to paperless 4 5 teaching assignments and office hours, as well as generate work rules Academic Affairs signature not required, checks available within Banner Accessible and applicable training would be required Special 3. Merge with Summer/Fall 04 Scheduling Regular Forms Scheduling Process Currently special scheduling forms (intersession, off-campus and distance classes, and classes with irregular dates) are a separate process Object Access offers summary statistics, CDs/Databases, and reports can come from this Banner set up with ability to generate a report to check contact hours, etc. Would eliminate much confusion Put a less paper dependent system in place for late or emergency withdrawals and irregular enrollment at department/college level that includes instructor notification of acceptance Banner queries to update rolls Change Forms 4. Oversight at Fall 03 lowest level possible Room and class size changes already at college level Move instructor and adding new class changes to college level In future, dropping of whole classes and credit levels could be at college level, but should stay in Academic Affairs for now Banner to produce a query each day of these changes and changes sent out to appropriate offices Training would be required for understanding of new parameters and notification levels Create most appropriate, lest cumbersome reports Student 5. Student Fall 03 Communication Information Sheet Academic Affairs to create a non- course specific one-page Student Information Sheet as part of the syllabus policy available for all faculty online that includes: a statement that identifies Uconnect as the standard mode of communication at UCO, ADA statement, reference to the Student Code of Conduct (Plagiarism and academic integrity), and weather and emergency information. Feasibility Due to time constraints and current non-availability of some aspects of Banner and the need for training in new processes, a one to two year gradual reduction and feed-in time is recommended for a complete change in the schedule process with the exception of the Student Information Sheet that we would like to see created and available for Fall 2003. Overall comments Banner offers UCO a great opportunity to reduce costs, eliminate redundancy, and track changes. This Action Team encourages the University to move to a paperless system that is streamlined, cost efficient, and process oriented. 6