Notes from AACII meeting, Thursday, May 19, 2016

2-3:00pm:     Reflections of the past year

Rich: Our role is to advise on activities that impact administration. Another aspect of our role is to think about the opportunities and challenges and how this relates to the bigger picture e.g. Work life balance (huge category) the items we actually visited were components of that category from Lorraine in Human Resources, as far as the direction of HR.  In addition to the presentation on eLearning, compensation, admin excellence etc.

We also looked at the work going on in Information systems, the future of potential dashboards, new buy-to pay system and heard about how the Admin Systems Steering Committee will play a role in information system etc.  The activities of this committee is a big picture view on the systemic changes of the Institute. Rather then a slice of a larger initiative. 

Robin: Next year we want to think about how to strengthen the relationship between ASSC and ACII.  Important connections will be made and this represents a key partnership.

Processes – FRC initiative, many are using this… the web grad aid came out of the 2015 AO breakfast… Probably a good initiative to check back in on in the near future.

Sucharita: The new web grad aid is getting close.  On another note, forecasting at MIT should be a focus for us.

Su C. is on the committee… who adapted ideas from ASO. That is a super spreadsheet with high-level macros built in and pulls financial data (actuals) info from the data warehouse. IS&T is trying to develop COGNOS reports to pull information. It is a bigger project that SoE is looking closely at. The concern is maintenance and user support from the creator, which is an ASO staff person with limited bandwidth to champion this product.

Sucharita: ASSC should take a close look at this to see if IS&T can make this more robust.

Peter: Challenge is every DLC works differently…

Doreen: RACC may be leading this effort…

• Robin has agreed to look into this matter.

Chris: Report to looking at accounts that has received funding (especially for wire transfers)… which delays the increase on authorized totals. A report exist. I believe it comes down to the levels…

Rich: Information exist, extraction in a readable format (staff salaries, money coming in etc.) maybe ACII can have an IS&T brainstorming session with IS&T early in the year. 

Sucharita: Wouldn’t it be helpful to have a poc supper user to help pull and create COGNOS reports. E.g. aggregate FRC completion report across multiple users.

Peter: Is Cognos the way… still heavy Brio users… is there a path for making Cognos requests.

Robin: Maybe worthwhile think through scenarios with OLU to think about what is next…

Steven: Tableau… released by IS&T.. they have core analyst who could help get existing data…the group has now shrunk… there is one person in Olu’s group…and there is a monthly user group in NE49. How is MIT supporting and leveraging this new tool.

Sucharita: End user doesn’t have the ability to create their own reports… there are canned reports but there are others who have unique needs… but is it not user friendly and helpful in building our own reports.

Robin: One issue that came out of ASSC…. Dive deep and realize the scope of the problem… there are data definition issues that need to be cleaned up…

Rich: three distinct ideas… 1. reaching out to Olu to brainstorm around …having someone on staff for ACCII to advocate to… and how do we go about making that sort of change. 2. Clearing house… share tools on the AACII website. 3.  Some way to formalize that IT process breakfast.

International – AO breakfast theme and we can see how things play out and what ideas come out here…

Communication… questions brought up around the organizations of groups… how decisions are made with respect to organizational coordination.

Other – more to do here on fabrication, sustainability certification etc.

New suggestions for next year:

Hearing more about ASSC

Forecasting tools

Rich and Pia ran into Ronnie Haas at the MIT Careers across MIT, who informed us about the hiring of a new HR strategic talent manage and HR’s plans on how to be better about talent management… This group would like to present to AACII this fall

Other processes:

Kim: working on C&P system improvements in that area… there are a few other schools on Kuali sub cmtes that may help in considering ways to improve this… Another consideration is training new admins who email KC help with non KC issues…

Sucharita: We discussed training staff with the training bundles…reuse what others have done…

Su: Use to have manuals but systems keep changing making them obsolete.

Peter: Admin connect has an AO/FO section that maps to a bundle of resources.

Chris/Peter: Look into an accreditation program.. Research Administration… another idea was an NCURA style conference internal at MIT.

Robin: Atlas Service Center -  Kathleen Flynn will be the manager… this will be an opportunity to point people to tools that already exist.

AACII items to drive forward towards making changes:

IT brain storming

Training and mentoring admin staff

3:00-4pm: Capital Campaign - Sarah Kruse, Campaign Director, Office of the Vice President for Resource Development

Campaign priorities – unrestricted giving, student support, faculty positions, capital projects, School/Unit priorities – The MIT Core. Discovery Science, Health of the Planet, Human Health, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Teaching, Learning and Living – Problem Solving & Discovery.

Overall provide the Institute with resources needed to maintain a vibrant and vital campus community that will seek to make the world a better place.

Institute priorities: MIT. Nano, Met Warehouse, Kendall Square – Reimaging Campus (Capital projects).

Institute priorities: focus on SoS (Law of Physics, Aging Brain, Origin of Life) – Basic Science (Discovery Science)

Institute priorities: Environment, Energy, water and Food (Health of the Planet)

Institute priorities: Convergence, protecting and promoting health… (Human Health)

Institute priorities: Education and Practice, Community and Infrastructure, Research and Policy – Innovation Initiative (Innovation and Entrepreneurship)

Institute priorities: Open Learning (digital, science of learning, pk-12) and Student Life (Teaching, Learning and Living).  Open Learning is not only pushing things out to the world but the campus direct impact.

Campaign catalyst funds…. Provide gift naming opportunities and targeted fundraising strategies.

Approach: Unified approach in close consultation with the MIT communication office, alumni association and R&D…. working together to reach many audiences despite past engagement.

Q: Steve – Is there outreach to corporations?

Sarah: Individuals are more motivated in a campaign environment versus foundations and corporations.

www.propeller.wistia.com (MIT innovation video)

Q: Rich – What can DLC’s do to help the campaign?

Sarah: Everything that you have already been doing and more…Being flexibly for potential donor visits. Tapping the really engaged and upbeat students… sharing the exciting stories… those who can represent a breath of the department… offering to organize hands on activities and events…. Give our visitors a great experience and visit… and just being prepared to pull the compelling speakers and the areas that would make the most impact if your received an unexpected gift.

Sucharita: Is the campaign over a specific time period?

Sarah: You don’t typically announce. You just have an end date. Ideally campaigns can be 5-6 years. Our modeling anticipates ending in FY20 or FY21.