There be dragons
how to make the stuff outside your unit work for you
During the interview process at a university (actually probably everywhere) one is usually asked about building relationships with stakeholders, working across a matrix, how to influence others, etc. Internally the question might look more like this: “how do I get the damn registrar to do what I want” or “the CFO doesn’t approve anything - there is no chance of this working - why doesn’t anyone fire him?” Working across a matrix isn’t new for higher ed, nor is it new for most folks in the business world, so why are so many of us so bad at it? Perhaps a better question is why does it matter? If I’m running study abroad for the undergraduate business school does it really matter if I don’t know anyone personally in procurement, the office of the General Counsel or IT? With any luck, you realize how valuable it is to have connections in those places, mercenary though it may seem.
This is not a poorly disguised post on networking, or maybe it is in some sense. Many of us have gotten away with not reaching across the aisle, as it were, to work with others at our institution. In higher ed, this isn’t that difficult to do in traditional roles - much like the graduation analogy, people can follow the experience they themselves had, so orientation is expected [with boring sessions], there is registration and an add/drop date and some kind of calendar made somewhere in the ether, never by an actual person. When you start online programs, whether you build or buy, you have vaguely the same and yet entirely different things to do and problems to solve.
This is not just about getting the GC to sign a contract, or procurement to help find a vendor, or any of your standard “gets.” Online programs require that someone understands every nuance of the program and how it will affect the others outside the immediate business unit. There is an aspect of buy-in and permission, as it were, but it’s also about capability.
It’s entirely possible that you have never asked the Register how her role works, or IT how the information gets from the application to the SIS to the LMS to your faculty lists. Most people probably don’t. That’s a mistake for a couple of reasons. The first is that it’s actually interesting and people like to be recognized for doing good work and to talk about what they do. The second is that not understanding this may hinder your ability to do your job, and at worst case, may destory what you are trying to achieve. Ideally, you’re interested in the entirety of your institution and not just your area. We will assume positive intent and the need to build that network web across your school.
I worked with one institution that had undergone massive cost cutting measures in IT. The school used Banner for their SIS but hadn’t updated the software in some years. Think of the equivalent of using an iPhone 3 in the era of iPhone 15. You may be able to get that phone to work, but if it doesn’t, Apple is not going to support you - they’re going to tell you to upgrade to the current phone. The school’s Banner was so far behind that Ellucian would no longer support without an upgrade. IT and the Registrar were able to cobble together enough metaphorical rubber bands and tape to make the SIS work for their current processes, but absolutely nothing new could be introduced. Cue the entrance of an OPM - one of the Deans was able to sign a contract without involving central IT and the Registrar. This OPM’s modus operandi was their own application system [very standard] that would be synced to the SIS in order to send information on the admitted students. It was literally impossible to make this work. Neither university nor the OPM were at fault in this case, but rather the Dean who had too much power and neither enough knowledge nor delegation to those who would know.
The partnership was able to launch, but both the OPM and the central university had to do a great deal more work than expected, taking up time and breaking standard processes, which leads not only to more mistakes in unknown processes but also resentment on all sides. This particular OPM partnership failed within a couple of years, and certainly this lack of understanding before beginning degrees contributed to the poor performance all around.
The best way that online can be launched is carefully. This doesn’t always mean slowly, but it does mean a deep understanding of your unit, institution and processes. This happens before you decide to build or buy - it happens before the decision is made to even go online. A reasoned decision can be made only when the best possible information has been gathered.
This is where a consultant/guide may be the most valuable. I remain convinced that spending $50K on a consultant here is very likely to save you hundreds of thousands of dollars down the road in bad decisions/time lost. It’s not how most universities work, and certainly it can be a hard sell when a university is very likely looking for a new revenue source, but the possibilites for pitfalls are almost endless. Imagine going to Japan in 1863 [my background in Meiji era women and education finally has a chance to shine] without the ability to speak Japanese, research in advance, read Rick Steves or watch Anthony Bourdain [rest in peace.] You would likely be totally lost. Building online programs is your Meiji era Japan - a guide will make all the difference in the world. Yes, I can guide schools [and fun fact, I also speak Japanese], so could Phil Hill and Associates - and if you’re not following PHAA you really have no business launching online.
Whether you have a guide or not, make it a practice, starting immediately, to learn the details of how your school works - the nitty gritty details of how things get from here to there. Go deep - meet with IT, ask the Registrar and admissions. This is also advice, of course, for those who aren’t in schools. When did you last ask your IT department about themselves? Maybe bring snacks - snacks go a long way in future goodwill building, and usually will slay those dragons.
Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, 2023. Modern Japan, Meiji clothing.