AACII Meeting Notes
Thursday, Feb 14, 2019
Attendees: Bull, D., Petruzzelli, R., Morris, D., Elices, R., Buckley, P., Brenton, P., Shansky, S., O’Connell, A., Breede, L., Sinkus, M., LeBlanc, R., Royer, M., Nicholas, D. O'Conaill, B., Dudley-Cowans, R
AO Fundamentals; The advisory committee has met 3 times and has produced the materials in the handouts. Changes;
Refined Program Goals in particular emphasis on info that it is to uncover a career preference, to find paths for people (AO or otherwise)
4th bullet to emphasis MIT goal (benefit to emphasis to bring the people to the forefront who would like to advance, gives them visibility)
Focus on Cohort sessions (they do not currently have dates, perhaps start late spring)
Changed pilot program qualifications – spent more time thinking of questions that might come up, how to make sure the right people are in the room, pilot so we can be more hands on and selective to make it a diverse group. HR is interested in feedback from ACCII to see who would benefit from this.
Everyone is interested to see how the cohort could remain connected. Page 2 in January they would bring the cohort together and get them started on the one on one cohort experience. Page 3 toward the od January mentoring piece, outline of roadmap of getting cohort together. (addition from previous iteration)
Meg Chester Career development services and her team presented.
Assumptions they had to rebuild program
How do we help people not feel so afraid of the job or to apply? If they are able?
Reviewed over black and white sheet (Handout)- used as a bias for old AO fundamentals program.
Red Handout is new attempt, for new AO Fundamentals program (this is a draft)
The red handout split out the proposed sessions, and the proposed flow. HR requested feedback on the flow and sessions and received the below feedback
Hiring faculty- Perhaps it could be its own bucket, or where would it belong? However, HR is working to keep the flow and sessions simple, not to scare people.
Dan had the comment about Visas and why it was not on the list- Perhaps add international component. Some other people thought it would possibly be included under the HR piece. The general thought was that the AO is very involved in the Visas and understand it is very different to get a visa for a faculty vs a visiting student, etc…
Stakeholder relationship management session- financial planning, big picture, ‘’how do we get there’’ includes the strategic conversations “Strategic Thought Partner” something about strategy which could possibly be more than advisor
There was some thought about if an AO Is involved with the resource development, but there was feedback on whether it is the AO doing the heavy lifting of the Development officer, but the thought was that it is a partnership and it is ok to have resource development involved
Talking about list of sessions
How do we incorporate Research Administration? Trying to not have too many sessions perhaps move it to session 6, but move it to be near finance? Thought would be to make it a very high level look, because it’s easy to do many sessions on research administration
Cut down sessions from 3 hours to 2 hours
Mentoring Piece- 1 on 1 meetings to talk about where you would fit, what would happen next, circle mentoring.
How do we maintain cohort and manage different perspectives and make it easy for someone to sign up to be a mentor.
Circle Mentor, a few mentors working with a group of mentees. No mentor belongs to a mentee, we support mentors by providing framework and training. And this is the time limit. If you want to continue beyond that its ok, but optional. Mentors don’t have a lot of time, so this process could get multiple viewpoints
Some feedback was to make sure the ‘circle’ involves a good mixture of D/L/C/I, and large and small units.
Roni had question, is there a section of time when you could check in and say ‘this is not for me, I don’t want to do this’ answer was that if you commit, you have to do all of the sessions, and after that point you are able to perhaps not do the career/mentor stage. There is no barrier with working with the career consultants.
Lisa had question if person does not want to be an AO, could there still be mentoring for someone who would perhaps want to be a Facilities person, or a Development person etc…
Thought was no, but career development folks can help them from that point.
Circling back to circle mentoring- are you training the mentors to meet certain coals, or specific things to talk about there is a lot of value to have the potential to have the person shadow the mentor It is evolving and organic relationship and have relationships? Answer was with the guidance it might not be organic, but the mentors will have conversations about ‘what is important to you?” ‘what fears and concerns do you have’ how can we help you- trying to make sure it is important to make sure continue the learning process and continue the network
Perhaps shadow, or come up with a list of people who are interested in that
People going into circle mentoring have a clear structure and know what to get in/out
Mentor is giving advice, get to know you, strengths/weaknesses, so not sure about how goals could be measurable
Pam was speaking about a new RA mentorship program, it just kicked off and it is very diverse. Mentees are helping each other, and everyone is really excited. Every session feedback sessions so they can make sure the program is working, and work to make it the best program.
Objectives
Help With Career Development- to keep them at MIT (retention), and to keep them interested and provide a pipeline
Structure yet flexibility works with the RA mentorship program.
HR has said in their experience even Mentors learn a lot and feel enriched in the program.
Thought was to reach out to people that are not AO’s to still give them insight.
Bonus to work with some of the central administrative offices, so it’s important to get who will be teaching, because anyone we will be teaching will end up being teachers.
HR will facilitate the sessions and get subject matter experts to be panelists for the sessions.
The panelists thought it’s nice to see how people do things differently to deal with the same topics, and how people rely on each other
End of HR Session
AO Breakfast- Andrea and Roni have been working with Mary Ellen Royer and the invitation for the breakfast is ready and they hope to send out tomorrow/Tuesday. It will be at KI. Confirm- it will go out to AO’s and not necessarily administrator list, AO’s can send whoever they want to send.
Roni thought perhaps we should include Assistant Directors some units do not have AOs how do we capture sending the invitation to their top person.
For departments that have no AO how would we determine who will be invited ? AO list is comprehensive. Problem is that there is a limited number of spaces, but the consensus is that if you send to the AO list, and then if there are spaces send to the larger community.
Send out the 18th, check where we are at to see if we need to put it out to the AO/FO list (if we are at 75% don’t send to the list, if we are below 75% yes, send to list)
Structure for Breakfast- Peter will introduce Israel, Israel will introduce colleen
Capacity for the breakfast is 90
1 hour presentation 1 hour table discussion
Perhaps have every CA there to help facilitate Dan to confirm.
Thought is if we are at capacity for ACCII members could sit aside and open up seats for attendees.
We would like Colleen to give agenda.
Koch is handling food and AV we will see if ACCII needs to gather other materials (pens, paper, etc…)
We want a feedback survey- start thinking of ideas. Andrea will send an old feedback so we can look at it.
Next meeting is 28th not 14th. (pushed out 2 weeks)
Peter- for next years breakfast, thought is to perhaps not do the breakfast but do smaller best practices events
E-mail Peter if you have an idea for what you would like to see here
Example- how to write a gift memorandum
1 hour- snacks- people (20 or 30)
Peter would farm out sessions to host perhaps each ACCII member hosts perhaps less formal
Discuss by e-mail and think about
Suggestions for future meeting topics for ACCII
Sustainability and Recycling??
