I consider research to be a process of empowerment for both the researcher and key stakeholders. By including those most impacted by the problem of study, a researcher serves as the guide to employ rigorous methodology while integrating key players who may not have experience in conducting research themselves. This approach requires extra attention to every step of the research process and is integral to creating meaningful change. My beliefs about the benefits and potential of research reflect my stance as a social justice researcher (Manning, 2009).
My research is outcomes oriented and places value on equity and fairness. Through my current research specifically, I am exploring models for changing systems and institutional structures that perpetuate inequity. Before launching the PROPEL initiative, focus groups with faculty and staff revealed a consistent desire among employees to be included in decision-making and to have transparency in changes happening across the college. This desire did not seem to stem from a distrust of leadership, but rather, employees wanted to know what was going on in other departments so they could help each other and benefit from lessons learned. This was a remarkable finding from my early research and suggested that creating an organizational action learning initiative, which brings faculty and staff into the idea generation, creation, and implementation process, would improve employee satisfaction and engagement as well as foster continuous improvement.
When developing the PROPEL model, my goals were to give all employees a voice, provide the resources to learn new skills, and empower them to take action to implement innovative ideas. From a social justice perspective, the PROPEL model should improve equitable sharing of power and bring voices from diverse backgrounds to the decision-making tables. One choice I made to ensure inclusivity was to encourage adjunct faculty participation. Based in a faculty-practitioner model, many of our faculty work full-time in their field of study and teach in addition to their other responsibilities. This is certainly true of adjunct faculty members. It would be difficult to include them, but their voices are a valued part of understanding the needs of students and ways to improve the college. Therefore, the college leadership team approved a budget including a small stipend to encourage adjunct participation. This has been well worth it with every team this year including one adjunct and one non-adjunct faculty member.
Time will tell how effective this model is at giving all employees a voice. Through my research, including pre- and post-PROPEL Participation Surveys, interviews, and observations, I will explore themes derived, in part, from the voices of participants. I will begin analyzing data routinely later this year, so stay tuned for more details about how this process may actually be impacting equitable decision-making and power-sharing across employee types and hierarchical positions.
Reference
Manning, K. (2009). Philosophical underpinnings of student affairs work on difference. About Campus, 11-17.
