Introduction and Overview
This winter, the Campus Compact network began an Organizational Analysis and Realignment Project to analyze the effectiveness of our current structure and move forward with recommendations for alternative structures or realignment that will best enable us to fulfill our collective mission. The need for a close examination of our structure, with expert assistance, was formally proposed by a group of state affiliate Executive Directors in October 2012. This request was closely aligned with efforts of the national board to work more closely with chairpersons of state affiliate offices and so the board committed resources from the Compact’s reserve to undertake this historic effort. This page documents our process and progress and serves as a resource for information about next steps.
Organizational Development Steering Committee
The first step was to form a steering committee that would serve as a resource and a guide for an organizational development consultancy that would lead the process. James B. Dworkin, Chair of Campus Compact’s Board of Directors and Chancellor of Purdue University North Central, and Bernard Milano, President and Trustee of the KPMG Foundation and national board member, volunteered to serve as a representative of the national board. Chancellor Dworkin invited state affiliate chairpersons and national member presidents to serve as two additional president/chancellor representatives. State affiliate Executive Directors were nominated or volunteered to serve to represent the affiliate network and were determined through an election of peers.
Organizational Development Steering Committee Members:
Members of the steering committee held three conference calls to provide feedback on the process from January through March, 2013. Committee members, along state affiliate Executive Directors, submitted recommendations for consulting firms to lead the work. Campus Compact’s national office issued a Request for Proposals to sixteen firms. These were reviewed by the steering committee and the Wellspring Consulting Group was chosen.
Campus Compact National Board Meeting and Wellspring Recommendations
On March 12, 2013, the Wellspring Consulting Group joined Campus Compact’s national board and Organizational Development Steering Committee members to make recommendations for organizational realignment and restructuring. This was the culmination of many months of data collection and stakeholder interviews, including time spent with state affiliate Executive Directors at the January 2013 Network Meeting. The process data collection methodology and recommendations are detailed in Wellspring’s presentation.
The board accepted Wellspring’s recommendations for a plan to strengthen the Campus Compact network as a whole—both nationally and locally—and outlined three key strategies for immediate action:
1. Developing a strategy and business plan that envisions the next stage of the Compact, including our vision, our work focus and our business model.
2. Implementing several initiatives to strengthen the “connective tissue” of our network, drawing from the recommendations presented by Wellspring.
3. Improving our communications across the network to ensure that all constituencies are informed and engaged.
The national board and the steering committee agreed that there was value in coordinating the meeting of state chairs and state affiliate Executive Directors (both scheduled for July 2013). Joining meetings will provide a strong basis for collective movement on the Compact Organizational Analysis and Realignment Project.
A letter from Chancellor Dworkin and Maureen F. Curley, Campus Compact President, was sent to state affiliate Executive Directors and board chairs to share information about these outcomes and next steps. This was followed by two informational calls for presidents/chancellors and state affiliate Executive Directors and an additional conference call for state affiliate Executive Directors regarding the use of Wellspring’s presentation with state affiliate boards.
PRIORITY ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN THE CAMPUS COMPACT NETWORK
1. Clearly define and communicate roles and responsibilities of National, the affiliates and other organizational entities
2. Formalize Affiliate Board leader meetings
3. Establish minimum standards for Network affiliation and programming
4. Put in place a Director of Affiliate Support at National
5. Expand and enhance the use of Network committees, including NEXCOM
Moving forward on key strategies
1. Developing a strategy and business plan that envisions the next stage of the Compact, including our vision, our work focus and our business model.
Given the strong existing relationship between Wellspring Consulting and our network, the national office is currently in discussion with the firm about leading a network strategy planning process for the Compact network.
2. Implementing several initiatives to strengthen the “connective tissue” of our network, drawing from the recommendations presented by Wellspring.
Based on the implementation strategies provided by Wellspring in association with their recommendations, the national office developed a draft implementation plan. This plan was reviewed by the Organizational Development Steering Committee as their final action in the process.
The implementation plan is an inquiry-based vs. advocacy-based document. The primary task for those involved in moving forward on each of the recommendations is to explore, gather and analyze information for the review of a larger group of stakeholders.
The implementation process is designed to include all stakeholders either in committee work or in multiple reviews. We have a unique opportunity in July to discuss progress made on the five organizational development initiatives as well as contribute to a strategic planning process.
Ad-hoc committees will be formed to move forward on several of the recommendations. Presidents/chancellors will be invited to serve on committees by Chancellor Dworkin. A process for selecting state affiliate Executive Directors to serve will be determined by NEXCOM, the network executive committee.
3. Improving our communications across the network to ensure that all constituencies are informed and engaged.
This page is part of a system to share information with all stakeholders. In all of these areas, we are committed to moving forward with a sense of urgency but with care and trust.
