This afternoon I read a blog post on InsideHigherEd by Steve Mintz titled “Faculty as Drivers of Innovation.” Steve’s blog post delves into the role of faculty and ways in which faculty are valued on campus. He recommends three ways in which faculty can be empowered to drive innovation including considering new ways for faculty and support units to collaborate, creating low risk zones for faculty experimentation, and incentivizing innovative work. I appreciate ongoing dialogue around innovation in higher ed and focus a large portion of each day trying to build processes and structures to support innovation at my institution. I work at American College of Education (ACE). We are a nontraditional, primarily graduate, entirely online college. We have a faculty recognition and promotion system, but we do not have tenure. We highly value our faculty. Not only are faculty central to achieving fundamental aims of our mission, but they bring a wealth of diverse knowledge that can stimulate innovation in teaching and learning, student support, and college operations.
In January 2019, we implemented a system similar to what Steve described by creating intentional space for innovation. We employ a PROPEL model, structured as reflective action learning groups, that connects faculty and staff to collaborate across departments to develop innovations. Incentive for participation primarily hinges on the understanding that most of us, faculty and staff alike, crave connection and enjoy the act of creating something new. While we pay a small stipend to adjunct faculty for their work in PROPEL, this is an add on for others. Again, I recognize we have a nontraditional model, but there is plenty to be said for drawing on one’s internal desire to develop something innovative while being part of a team. This approach was built on research we conducted including interviews, focus groups, and surveys to capture what motivates our faculty and staff. PROPEL is in an early stage, but we’ve had over 30 volunteers, including faculty, department chairs, and front line staff. It’s exciting to see what people will do when given the opportunity and a little support.
I believe PROPEL provides a systematic model for organizations of all sizes to continually innovate, and I will share more about PROPEL here in future posts.
