Blumreich, Kathleen

Merkle, Bart

Pace, Diana

English

Scholarworks@GVSU

Grand Valley ReviewVolume 14 | Issue 1 Article 51-1-1996Making GVSU WorkDiana PaceGrand Valley State UniversityBart MerkleGrand Valley State UniversityKathleen BlumreichGrand Valley State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvrThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Grand Valley Review by anauthorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact scholarworks@gvsu.edu.Recommended CitationPace, Diana; Merkle, Bart; and Blumreich, Kathleen (1996) "Making GVSU Work," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 14: Iss. 1, Article 5.Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol14/iss1/5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 0  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 3  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 9  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7 4  1 r n i n g ,  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7 8  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8 5  1 n e s s  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8 7  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9 0  M A K I N G  G V S U  W O R K  D i a n a  P a c e ,  B a r t  M e r k l e ,  a n d  K a t h l e e n  B l u m r e i c h  C o l l a b o r a t i o n  i s  m o s t  s i m p l y  d e f i n e d  a s  " w o r k i n g  t o g e t h e r . "  O f  c o u r s e ,  U n i v e r s i t y  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  l i t e r a l l y  w o r k  t o g e t h e r ,  s h a r i n g  a  c o m m o n  e m p l o y e r  a n d  c o n d u c t i n g  b u s i n e s s  i n  t h e  s a m e  g e n e r a l  l o c a l e ;  b u t  m e m b e r s  o f  t h e  U n i v e r s i t y  c o m m u n i t y  a l s o  w o r k  t o g e t h e r  o n  c o m m i t t e e s ,  o n  d e p a r t m e n t a l  p r o j e c t s ,  o n  o f f i c e - w i d e  a n d / o r  c a m p u s - w i d e  i s s u e s .  M o s t  o f t e n ,  h o w e v e r ,  t h i s  t y p e  o f  t e a m w o r k  o c c u r s  a m o n g  c o l l e a g u e s  w i t h i n  t h e  s a m e  a c a d e m i c  a r e a .  W e  w o u l d  l i k e  t o  b r o a d e n  t h e  d e f i n i t i o n  o f  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  a n d  e n c o u r a g e  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  t o  e m b r a c e  a  m o r e  c o m p r e h e n s i v e  v i e w  o f  w h a t  i t  m e a n s  t o  " w o r k "  a t  G V S U .  I n  o u r  v i e w ,  t h e r e  a r e  t h r e e  p o s s i b l e  a v e n u e s  f o r  c o l l a b o r a t i o n :  f o r c e d  c o l l a b o r a t i o n ,  a r i s i n g  o u t  o f  n e c e s s i t y  o r  c r i s i s ;  i n i t i a t e d  c o l l a b o r a t i o n ,  a r i s i n g  o u t  o f  k n o w n  a n d  s h a r e d  i n t e r e s t s ;  a n d  s e r e n d i p i t o u s  c o l l a b o r a t i o n ,  a r i s i n g  o u t  o f  a  c a s u a l  m e e t i n g  o r  c o n t a c t .  I n  f o r c e d  c o l l a b o r a t i o n ,  d e s p i t e  e v e n  u n p l e a s a n t  c i r c u m s t a n c e s ,  t h e  i n d i v i d u a l s  i n v o l v e d  c a n  b e n e f i t  g r e a t l y  f r o m  u n d e r s t a n d i n g  t h e  v a l u e  o f  w o r k i n g  t o g e t h e r .  T h i s  p a s t  s u m m e r ,  t h e  P r e s i d e n t  w e n t  t o  t h e  C o u n s e l i n g  C e n t e r  t o  t e l l  t h e  s t a f f  t h a t  t h e r e  h a d  b e e n  a  s u i c i d e  o n  c a m p u s .  H e  a n d  a  s t a f f  m e m b e r  w a l k e d  t o  t h e  L i t t l e  M a c  B r i d g e ,  w h e r e  o n e  o f  t h e  v i s i t i n g  J a p a n e s e  s t u d e n t s  h a d  t a k e n  h i s  l i f e  w i t h i n  t h e  l a s t  h o u r .  A t  t h a t  p o i n t ,  a  n u m b e r  o f  G r a n d  V a l l e y  e m p l o y e e s  b e g a n  t o  w o r k  t o g e t h e r  i n  a  r e m a r k a b l e  w a y  t o  d e a l  w i t h  t h i s  t r a g e d y :  D a v i d  l h r m a n  f r o m  t h e  E n g l i s h  D e p a r t m e n t ;  A I  W y g a n t  f r o m  C a m p u s  S e c u r i t y ;  A I  W a l c z a k  f r o m  I n t e r n a t i o n a l  S t u d i e s ;  B a r t  M e r k l e ,  A s s o c i a t e  P r o v o s t  a n d  D e a n  o f  S t u d e n t s ;  S t e v e n  W a r d ,  D i r e c t o r  o f  P u b l i c  R e l a t i o n s ;  M a r i e  N o e ,  S e c r e t a r y  t o  V i c e  P r e s i d e n t  M c l o g a n  a n d  v o l u n t e e r  c r i s i s  w o r k e r ;  a n d  s e v e r a l  s t a f f  m e m b e r s  f r o m  t h e  C o u n s e l i n g  C e n t e r .  T h e i r  c o n c e r n  w a s  f o r  t h e  o t h e r  J a p a n e s e  s t u d e n t s  a n d  t h e  f a m i l y  o f  t h e  s t u d e n t  w h o  h a d  c o m m i t t e d  s u i c i d e .  C o m b i n i n g  a l l  o f  t h e  l e v e l s  o f  t h e i r  v a r i o u s  p r o f e s s i o n a l  e x p e r t i s e  w a s  n e c e s s a r y  t o  p r o v i d e  a n  a r r a y  o f  s e r v i c e s :  l a n g u a g e  t r a n s l a t i o n ,  p h y s i c a l  s a f e t y ,  n o t i f i c a t i o n  o f  r e l a t i v e s ,  c o n t a c t  w i t h  t h e  m e d i a ,  c r i s i s  m a n a g e m e n t ,  a n d  g r i e f  c o u n s e l i n g .  T h o s e  i n v o l v e d  w e r e  s u r p r i s e d  b y  t h e  w a y  i n  w h i c h  t h e y  w e r e  a b l e  t o  p r o v i d e  s u c h  a  s m o o t h  f l o w  o f  t h e s e  s e r v i c e s .  T h e i r  e f f o r t s  w e r e  c o m p r e h e n s i v e ,  p r o f e s s i o n a l ,  a n d  w e l l - m e s h e d ,  e v e n  t h o u g h  n o n e  o f  t h e m  h a d  e v e r  w o r k e d  w i t h  e a c h  o t h e r  i n  a  s i t u a t i o n  o f  s u c h  c o m p l e x i t y .  T h o s e  w h o  h a d  b e e n  i n v o l v e d  i n  t h i s  t r a g e d y  c a m e  a w a y  w i t h  a  s e n s e  o f  t h e  a b s o l u t e  n e c e s s i t y  f o r  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  i n  h a n d l i n g  a  c r i s i s .  N o  s i n g l e  i n d i v i d u a l  c o u l d  h a v e  p r o v i d e d - o r  c a n  p r o v i d e - a l l  o f  t h e  e x p e r t i s e  o r  a l l  o f  t h e  s o l u t i o n s ,  b u t ,  t o g e t h e r ,  p e o p l e  f r o m  v a r i o u s  u n i t s  w e r e  a b l e  t o  a t t e n d  t o  t h e  n e e d s  o f  t h o s e  m o s t  a f f e c t e d  b y  t h i s  s a d  e v e n t .  T e a m - t e a c h i n g  i s  a n  e x a m p l e  o f  " i n i t i a t e d  c o l l a b o r a t i o n . "  D u r i n g  h e r  f i r s t  y e a r  a t  G r a n d  V a l l e y  ( 1 9 7 6 ) ,  D i a n a  P a c e  c o - t a u g h t  a  c o u r s e  c a l l e d  " S e e i n g  W i t h  t h e  M i n d ' s  E y e "  w i t h  A v a  A r s a g a ,  a  f a c u l t y  m e m b e r  a t  T h o m a s  J e f f e r s o n  C o l l e g e .  T h e  a i m  o f  t h e  c o u r s e  w a s  t o  t e a c h  s t u d e n t s  h o w  t h e  u s e  o f  v i s u a l  i m a g e s  c o u l d  i n c r e a s e  t h e i r  G r a n d  V a l l e y  R e v i e w  •  1  ability to problem solve, recall information, and think more creatively. Ava had a background in education and a specialty in teaching skills, and was quite knowledgeable in the applied use of cognitive imagery. On the other hand, Diana knew much more about the research, since she had just completed a dissertation on the topic. Ava would lecture and teach the experiential learning part of the class, and Diana would describe the psychological research on imagery. The students basically got "two for the price of one," and the two teachers benefited from sharing their knowledge. "Serendipitous collaboration" may be the most enjoyable kind of collaboration, since it is spontaneous and often originates in social situations among friends. A few years ago, a faculty member from the English Department and two psychologists in the Counseling Center met for a social lunch in the Oak Room. The conversation led to a discussion about personal writing assignments. The English professor shared her concern about giving students writing assignments that required reporting personal experiences and wondered about the ethics of such assignments. The psychologists indicated that they often saw students who reported troubling emotions resulting from what they perceived as the intrusive nature of autobiographical or personal narratives. As the three talked further over lunch, each was struck by new realizations that came from sharing their different perspectives. They decided that day to write an article on the topic. Several months later, the piece was printed (Swartzlander, Pace, Stamler, 1993), and the authors have since received a number of calls and requests from faculty at other colleges and universities to quote the essay or to use it in workshops for faculty. Another example of a serendipitous collaboration occurred during the winter semester of 1995. Don Williams from Sociology, Thom Jeavons from Public Administration and the Philanthropy Center, Jay Cooper from Student Life, and Bart Merkle from the Dean of Students Office were chatting about the concept of "service learning" over a cup of coffee at Afterwards. The conversation proceeded from service learning as a pedagogical issue to the much broader question, "What is good teaching and how does one do it?" What became evident from this conversation was that we don't have a good forum for faculty to talk about their teaching experiences. From this informal coffee house chat emerged the notion of having a conference on teaching. "A Conversation on Teaching," which over three hundred faculty attended last August, was "hatched" as the result of the collaborative thinking, sharing, and efforts of four individuals from very different academic backgrounds. Collaboration between staff and faculty is always valuable and can be a source of great satisfaction. By combining ideas from different disciplines, an exciting new perspective can emerge. This new way of looking at an issue or problem often, in turn, generates new theories and practices that contribute to both disciplines. So the question arises: Why don't we collaborate more often? First, as university faculty and staff, we tend to work in our own little "cubby holes" and relate primarily to colleagues who do what we do: i.e., teach, counsel, conduct research, or administrate. Because both the Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses are growing, most of us who used to know each other, now may not even know some of the members within our own 2 • Grand Valley Review units. We d• our immedic: working with meetings, w collaboratior discipline vc "letting go" c when divers1 Barbara 1 into two gen this second culture of fac enterprise. T be focused c reward resec: likely to mal interaction ar to their homE seem more c theories that and theories are typically , problem "ider On the c enterprise, b1 making, and they tend to solutions to ambiguity, an as excessive professional administrator~ focused on th• Clearly, fa1 campus comr faculty and st evident why f shared vision. an institution understanding encourages rE 3) administrat colleagues for A v a  h a d  a  w a s  q u i t e  1 a n d ,  D i a n a  s e r t a t i o n  o n  e  c l a s s ,  a n d  1 t s  b a s i c a l l y  . h a r i n g  t h e i r  : l l l a b o r a t i o n ,  e n d s .  A  f e w  ; h o l o g i s t s  i n  • e r s a t i o n  l e d  s s o r  s h a r e d  ~d r e p o r t i n g  m e n t s .  T h e  n g  e m o t i o n s  g r a p h i c a l  o r  · u c k  b y  n e w  j e c i d e d  t h a t  w a s  p r i n t e d  ~d a  n u m b e r  o  q u o t e  t h e  1  t h e  w i n t e r  f r o m  P u b l i c  1 f e ,  a n d  B a r t  1 t  o f  " s e r v i c e  : e e d e d  f r o m  V h a t  i s  g o o d  ~rsation w a s  ~xperiences. , n f e r e n c e  o n  1 l t y  a t t e n d e d  ; h a r i n g ,  a n d  ~a s o u r c e  o f  ~xciting n e w  e m  o f t e n ,  i n  l i n e s .  S o  t h e  {  f a c u l t y  a n d  : l  c o l l e a g u e s  t t e .  B e c a u s e  w h o  u s e d  t o  h i n  o u r  o w n  u n i t s .  W e  d o n ' t  h a v e  m a n y  o p p o r t u n i t i e s  t o  s p e n d  t i m e  w o r k i n g  w i t h  t h o s e  o u t s i d e  o u r  i m m e d i a t e  a r e a  o f  e x p e r t i s e .  S e c o n d ,  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  d o e s n ' t  o c c u r  " n a t u r a l l y , "  a n d  w o r k i n g  w i t h  a  c o l l e a g u e  f r o m  a  d i f f e r e n t  d i s c i p l i n e  t y p i c a l l y  i n v o l v e s  h a v i n g  t o  s e t  u p  m e e t i n g s ,  w h i c h  i s  p r o b l e m a t i c  i n  i t s e l f  b e c a u s e  s c h e d u l e s  o f t e n  c o n f l i c t .  M o r e o v e r ,  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  s o m e t i m e s  m e a n s  c o m b i n i n g  t w o  d i f f e r e n t  f i e l d s  o f  i n t e r e s t  a n d  d i s c i p l i n e  v o c a b u l a r i e s .  F i n a l l y ,  b y  i t s  v e r y  n a t u r e ,  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  i n v o l v e s  a  c e r t a i n  " l e t t i n g  g o "  o f  t h e  p r o d u c t .  O n e  c a n n o t  e x e r c i s e  a s  m u c h  c o n t r o l  o v e r  t h e  o u t c o m e  w h e n  d i v e r s e  o p i n i o n s  a n d  a r e a s  o f  e x p e r t i s e  a r e  b r o u g h t  t o g e t h e r .  B a r b a r a  G r a y  (  1 9 8 9 )  s u g g e s t s  t h a t  t h e  i m p e t u s  f o r  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  c a n  b e  d i v i d e d  i n t o  t w o  g e n e r a l  c a t e g o r i e s :  r e s o l v i n g  c o n f l i c t s  a n d  a d v a n c i n g  s h a r e d  v i s i o n s .  I t  i s  t h i s  s e c o n d  c a t e g o r y  t h a t  w e  b e l i e v e  w a r r a n t s  s c r u t i n y ,  s i n c e  t h e  o r i e n t a t i o n  a n d  c u l t u r e  o f  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  a r e  d i f f e r e n t .  F a c u l t y  a r e  t h e  v e r y  " h e a r t "  o f  t h e  a c a d e m i c  e n t e r p r i s e .  T h e y  a r e  t y p i c a l l y  v i e w e d  a s  " a u t h o r i t i e s "  i n  a  d i s c i p l i n e ,  a n d  t h e y  t e n d  t o  b e  f o c u s e d  o n  t h a t  d i s c i p l i n e .  S i n c e  m o s t  i n s t i t u t i o n a l  p r o m o t i o n  a n d  t e n u r e  s y s t e m s  r e w a r d  r e s e a r c h  a n d  p u b l i c a t i o n  a c t i v i t i e s ,  i t  s h o u l d  b e  n o  s u r p r i s e  t h a t  f a c u l t y  a r e  l i k e l y  t o  m a k e  t h i s  a r e a  o f  t h e i r  p r o f e s s i o n a l  l i v e s  a  h i g h  p r i o r i t y .  C o n s e q u e n t l y ,  i n t e r a c t i o n  a n d  i m p o r t a n t  r e l a t i o n s h i p s  a r e  o f t e n  d e v e l o p e d  w i t h  c o l l e a g u e s  e x t e r n a l  t o  t h e i r  h o m e  i n s t i t u t i o n ,  w h i c h  m a y ,  i n  t u r n ,  e x p l a i n  w h y  f a c u l t y  l o y a l t i e s  s o m e t i m e s  s e e m  m o r e  d i s c i p l i n e - t h a n  i n s t i t u t i o n - o r i e n t e d .  F a c u l t y  t e n d  t o  f o c u s  o n  i d e a s  a n d  t h e o r i e s  t h a t  t h e y  u s e  i n  t h e i r  t e a c h i n g  a n d  r e s e a r c h .  A c t u a l l y  a p p l y i n g  t h e s e  i d e a s  a n d  t h e o r i e s  t o  i n s t i t u t i o n a l  d e c i s i o n  m a k i n g  a n d  a c t i o n s  i s  n o t  s o m e t h i n g  t h a t  t h e y  a r e  t y p i c a l l y  e x p e c t e d  ( o r  i n v i t e d )  t o  d o .  H e n c e ,  f a c u l t y  g r a v i t a t e  t o w a r d  t h e  r o l e  o f  p r o b l e m  " i d e n t i f i e r "  r a t h e r  t h a n  p r o b l e m  " s o l v e r . "  O n  t h e  o t h e r  h a n d ,  a d m i n i s t r a t i v e  s t a f f  a r e  " s u p p o r t e r s "  o f  t h e  a c a d e m i c  e n t e r p r i s e ,  b u t  t h e y  a r e  o f t e n  v i e w e d  a s  " c o n t r o l l e r s "  o f  t h e  r e s o u r c e s ,  d e c i s i o n  m a k i n g ,  a n d  i n s t i t u t i o n a l  a c t i o n s .  T h e y  a r e  r e w a r d e d  f o r  " g e t t i n g  t h i n g s  d o n e , "  a n d  t h e y  t e n d  t o  f u n c t i o n  c o m f o r t a b l y  i n  t e a m s  t h a t  i d e n t i f y  a n d  i m p l e m e n t  p r a g m a t i c  s o l u t i o n s  t o  p r o b l e m s .  T h e y  a r e  n o t  a l w a y s  c o m f o r t a b l e  w i t h  a  g r e a t  d e a l  o f  a m b i g u i t y ,  a n d  t h e y  s o m e t i m e s  s e e  t h e  f a c u l t y  p r o p e n s i t y  t o  c r i t i c i z e  a n d  t o  a n a l y z e  a s  e x c e s s i v e .  S t a f f  l o y a l t i e s  t e n d  t o  c e n t e r  o n  t h e  i n s t i t u t i o n  r a t h e r  t h a n  o n  t h e i r  p r o f e s s i o n a l  a r e a  o f  e x p e r t i s e .  H o w e v e r ,  w h i l e  s o m e  s t a f f  m e m b e r s  a n d  a d m i n i s t r a t o r s  c a n  s e e  t h e  " b i g  i n s t i t u t i o n a l  p i c t u r e , "  o f t e n  t h e y  a r e  j u s t  a s  n a r r o w l y  f o c u s e d  o n  t h e i r  o w n  a r e a  o f  r e s p o n s i b i l i t y  a s  t h e  f a c u l t y  a r e  o n  t h e i r  o w n  d i s c i p l i n e .  C l e a r l y ,  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  h a v e  d i f f e r e n t  o r i e n t a t i o n s  a n d  s t y l e s  o f  f u n c t i o n i n g  i n  a  c a m p u s  c o m m u n i t y .  W h i l e  i t  i s  f a i r l y  e a s y  t o  s e e  h o w  c o n f l i c t  o r  c r i s i s  c a n  d r a w  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  t o g e t h e r  t o  c o l l a b o r a t e  i n  p r o d u c t i v e  a n d  e f f e c t i v e  w a y s ,  i t  i s  a l s o  e v i d e n t  w h y  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f  a r e  l e s s  l i k e l y  t o  c o l l a b o r a t e  o n  t h i n g s  t h a t  r e q u i r e  a  s h a r e d  v i s i o n .  I n  o u r  o p i n i o n ,  t h i s  l a t t e r  t y p e  o f  c o l l a b o r a t i o n  c a n  o c c u r  f r e q u e n t l y  a t  a n  i n s t i t u t i o n  o n l y  w h e n  t h e  f o l l o w i n g  c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s  a r e  p r e s e n t :  1 )  a  c l e a r  u n d e r s t a n d i n g  o f  w h a t  t h e  i n s t i t u t i o n a l  m i s s i o n  i s ;  2 )  a  s e n s e  o f  c o m m u n i t y  t h a t  e n c o u r a g e s  r e s p e c t  a n d  h o n e s t ,  o n g o i n g  i n t e r a c t i o n  b e t w e e n  f a c u l t y  a n d  s t a f f ;  a n d  3 )  a d m i n i s t r a t i v e  s u p p o r t  f o r  a n d  a p p r e c i a t i o n  o f  c o l l a b o r a t i v e  e n d e a v o r s  a m o n g  c o l l e a g u e s  f o r  t h e  b e t t e r m e n t  o f  t h e  i n s t i t u t i o n .  G r a n d  V a l l e y  R e v i e w  •  3  As individuals, we need to consider ways in which we can initiate collaboration with our colleagues. As a university community, we need to encourage more "shared vision" collaboration between faculty and staff as a way to solidify GVSU's commitment to liberal education, encourage interdisciplinary studies and research, improve the campus climate, enhance the international mission, build stronger collegial relationships, and contribute to the surrounding West Michigan community. We believe that Grand Valley can be this type of campus community. What do you think? Sources Gray, B. (1989). Collaborating: finding common ground for multiparty problems. San Francisco: Josscy-Bass Publishers. Swartzlander, S., Pace, D., & Stamler, V. ( 1993, February 17). The ethics of requiring students to write about their personal lives. The Chronicle of Higher Education, pp. B 1- 132. 4 • Grand Valley Review REJ CONl As part of articulated go the effectiven Evaluation me individual per Assessment c: "Are students goals high en goals?" In ass The recent I expected it te didn't expect t, conference jo~ make assessr folks from oth1 opportunity to assessment p perspective or The purpm and how we a opened the cc Accreditation campus. Presi that face Gran workshops we Karl and Kare consulting eng we have done The Schillir although asse generate mea suggested, the organization"-are doing the jc is not just a que 

Making GVSU Work

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Making GVSU Work

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