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April 2007 A Monthly Update for Faculty and Staff @ Union Institute & University
@ the President’s Desk Changing Institutional Culture In late March, the university completed a very successful visit by a team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Many people from across the institution visited with team members. The result was a most positive evaluation of our Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies, and affirmation of the changes that we have made and continue to make. Team members noted that their report will reflect these significant and remarkable changes over the last few years. I want to thank all who were involved directly in the visit, and all across the university who have supported our transition toward a bright future for our community and our learners. It is a bit of an understatement that this was a great day for Union Institute & University. This report and successful visit mark a major step forward for the university as we work together to turn our challenges into opportunities. We have begun the culture change within Union that is critical to our forward movement, and which we have talked about inside the university for the last four years. This external feedback from the HLC team complimented Union folks on the courage, commitment, and concerted action that is required for any institution to transform itself during periods of stress. This kind of transformation is about behaviors and attitudes of the people who contribute to the institution each day. We are building our own future day by day through attention to quality, hard work, and support of one another. While we may still be searching, we are finding common ground on which to stand together more often than standing apart from one another. That bodes well for Union’s future! Our challenge now is to keep the momentum alive. This is not a time to be complacent. We must not only sustain the changes in our doctoral programs and indeed across the university, but we must work to institutionalize those changes to assure a future free from the type of struggles we experienced over the last few years. I am confident in our ability to sustain our efforts because, while initially we simply reacted to external reviews, the changes we have made since are those we proactively chose to make — and they were the right choices. We are exploring and creating systems that protect our institutional integrity, which will gain respect for our efforts from both within and outside the university. As professional colleagues at all levels across the university, we share a passion for excellence, and we have a great story to tell, based on our five years of transition. For those of us who have the privilege of working at UI&U right now, the steps that we take now and over the next two to three years will assure the legacy created through our hard work and sacrifices of the last five years. Our progress so far is too precious to squander by falling back into old behaviors and practices. We will not let that happen! An old perception around leadership observes that about 5 percent of the people will be with you regardless of what you say, and 5 percent will oppose you regardless of what you say. Most of the people will fall in the middle, just hoping that you will not bother them too much! I suspect that this formula may apply to UI&U as well. Clearly, like any workplace, we have multiple groups within the university. We have those who support change as enthusiastic agents for doing our work differently and who focus their eyes and hearts on the horizon ahead. We have some who are more reluctant to embrace change, and those with a tendency to resist any and all changes. It is important to point out that those who resist change play a crucial role in asking tough questions that change agents may not consider in their quest for rapid solutions. However, I suspect most of our folks fall into the middle category of simply wanting the university to identify the direction and vision, and move forward to stabilize the institution as soon as possible. Much of our work these last few years was to convince those in the middle that their support is critical in successfully making the changes essential for our university to thrive. For quite some time, we have not been in a “business as usual environment.” Only by changing the way we do our work will we sustain our future and continue to build a culture of integrity and service. It requires all of our energy and enthusiasm. Changing the culture of an organization is tough work. In some ways, it is tougher than changing academic programs or meeting demands of external agencies. Changing the minds and spirits of people with whom we work each day requires constant attention to communications and a strong commitment to the individual dignity of each person in the organization. We have come a long way through some difficult moments to arrive where we are today. I was buoyed by the comment of the HLC team chair, who observed that he was very impressed with the commitment to the transition that permeated the entire organization and resonated with each person with whom the team visited — not just the leadership team but the entire university community. That is a great recognition of the strength and courage of UI&U employees, and I thank you for your support and strength in helping us move the university forward even during times when things appeared overwhelming. I cannot say this often enough: We really could not have accomplished so much without the commitment and support of each employee across the university. As we continue to progress, I encourage you to respect one another, be open in your communications around differences, and seek the common ground that allows all of us to celebrate one another in ways that enhance the effectiveness of our service to our learners, our graduates, our fellow employees, and our colleagues in those agencies that have responsibility for monitoring the higher education community in the United States. Our future is bright with possibilities. Our past is a legacy of transition, not one of failures. After all, what is important is not how hard and even how often you fall; it is how you respond and how quickly you lift yourself up. We have moved quickly, thanks to the leadership of each of our employees, and every day we grow higher in stature and spirit through our hard work and mutual support. Warm regards, Roger H. Sublett
Recently, President Roger Sublett received an e-mail from Thomas McLaughlin, Ph.D. 2004 that speaks to the president’s column above regarding the positive effects that are beginning to take hold throughout the university after the turmoil of recent years. After receiving two very good bits of news — he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to research/lecture on non-governmental organization (NGO) management and sustainability at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic for the spring 2008 semester, and he received tenure and a promotion to associate professor at the University of New England-School of Social Work in Portland, Maine — Dr. McLaughlin took time send his own kudos to UI&U, even though he recalls “undergoing the Dean's Review process during a very difficult time at the school.” Dr. McLaughlin wrote, “As I reflect, I am grateful for the educational experience that Union provided to me. The process of learning and the dialogue with other learners, peers, and faculty really shaped who I am, and how I teach and research. I know that you probably get a good deal of e-mail about ‘problems,’ but I wanted to share with you how amazing my journey was, and I how I feel I use and will continue to use [my Union experience] everyday.” Kudos, faculty and staff members who every day do the things that make the Union experience special for our learners, even during rough moments — you make a difference! NOTE: Do you know of a coworker or colleague at UI&U who really “makes a difference” in the lives of others, either at work or out in the community? Someone who does the little things with great skill everyday, someone who devotes time to a cause or to others without fanfare, someone who practices what President Sublett calls “leading from the heart?” Please send your words of kudos to @UI&U so we can shine a light on these not-so-random acts of kindness by our colleagues who make a difference @ the Heart of It.
@ the Water Cooler It Is Never Too Early To Think About Retirement When you decide to retire, you will rely on income from Social Security, our current retirement plan, any other retirement plans you have participated in, and your personal savings and investments as well. Maximizing the amount of benefit you will receive from all of these sources involves a number of significant personal decisions and actions. Here are some things to consider as you position yourself for your retirement. How much should I save? Save as much as you can without it costing you more than you’re saving. If that sounds odd to you, consider the following example. Paying off credit card debt at 18 percent interest and correcting the situation that put you in debt can have a more positive effect on your future retirement goals than trying to save and reduce debt simultaneously. The sooner you do away with the 18 percent credit card interest, the sooner you will be able to start saving additional amounts for the long term. If you are relatively debt free right now and you are already saving, try to increase your savings rate. If you are not saving already, it is never too late to start. My son began throwing his loose change every day into a glass jar on his desk. I was amazed at the end of a month how much he had actually saved while never missing the change. Even putting away fifty cents or a dollar a day will net you savings over your lifetime. How should I invest my savings? One downside to our public educational system is that very few schools teach life skills to the general student population. That means if you want to learn to cook, do laundry, or manage a checking account, you probably had to learn that somehow on your own. It is no different with learning about investing. Seek out resources that can help you. Libraries are filled with books on financial management, PBS offers solid programs, and many banks offer this service free of charge for the asking. It is important to be knowledgeable about your options so you can maximize your savings. When should I retire? This is a personal decision that requires a lot of thought, evaluation, and planning on your part. Make sure you take the time to realistically evaluate what you’re giving up by retiring now, a year from now, or five years from now. There are often key dates that can have a dramatic effect on your benefits. For instance, if you take what is often called “early retirement,” is the amount per month that you will receive discounted and if so, by how much? Very often, early retirements are costly. How should I take my benefits? That depends on the options available to you in your retirement plan document, but typically there are a number of distribution options. The most common option is some form of annuity. Annuities guarantee you a stream of retirement income payments that you won’t outlive. Some annuities may provide for payments to continue to your beneficiary beyond your lifetime. Some plans allow for lump sum distributions. In this scenario you are responsible to manage the money and hopefully make it last as long as you need it. There are also some tax implications to this method. Rollovers of lump sums to IRAs protect your tax-deferred status, and you can withdraw income amounts over time. IRAs offer you more flexibility, buy you take on the investment risk and the chance that you’ll outlive the income that your IRA provides. Planning for retirement takes some serious thought and planning, and one can never start too early. You may even want to consider talking to a financial professional to help you weigh all of your options.
@ First Glance Eileen M. Fenton-Adams, M.A., Administrative Director, College of Arts & Sciences, Graduate College, Cincinnati, 03/19/2007 Gail A. MacDonald, B.A., Administrative Assistant, Vermont College Undergraduate Program, Montpelier, 03/05/2007
@ Attention UI&U Celebrates Founders Day and Employee Service Recognitions On Friday, April 6, Union Institute & University celebrates Founder’s Day. As we enjoy our day away from the office, please pause to reflect on the vision of those ten college presidents 43 years ago, who put action behind their vision to create a different kind of university that would take “A Different Approach.” We celebrate, too, our dedicated staff members at all locations who serve as a testament to our university’s deeply held values of putting the learner first. Thank you all for everything you do each day on behalf of this very special university and our learners. Extra special congratulations to the following people who are celebrating milestones of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of outstanding service to the university and our learners:
@ Union this Month 4/13/07 - 4/21/07 4/18/07 7:00 PM
@ Our Best
A Picture Postcard Moment @UI&U’s HQ Several staff members from around the country enjoy their visit in early March to the university’s Cincinnati headquarters, where Vikki Walker, executive director for federal compliance and financial aid, and her staff provided in-depth training to help them better assist their local learners with financial aid questions and concerns. Taking advantage of a sunny, relatively warm winter day to pose in front the Conley Academic Center at 440 E. McMillan Street are (from left to right) Melissa Neilson, Learner Services Coordinator, Montpelier; Pamela Baker, Academic Support Coordinator, College of Undergraduate Studies, Florida; Ana Hernandez, Administrative Assistant, College of Undergraduate Studies, Los Angeles; and Cynthia Bardessono, Administrative Assistant/Financial Aid, College of Undergraduate Studies, Sacramento.
@ Your Service Deadline for submissions for the May issue: |
4/13/07 - 4/21/07 4/18/07 7:00 PM
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Straight talk and timely information from President Roger Sublett
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