Treadmill desk? Check.
Padlocked vending machine? Check.
There are plenty of ways—some easier than others—to stick to your personal new year’s resolutions at work. But this year, aspire beyond these life-extending resolutions to make changes where it really counts—your job.
AACRAO Technology Conference Director Mark McConahay (Associate Vice Provost and Registrar, Indiana University—Bloomington) and AACRAO Transfer Conference Director Lee Furbeck (Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Kansas) put their heads together to come up with this list of four resolutions every higher ed professional can relate to.
How many of these do you think you can keep?
1. Read, file, delete, delete, delete. Whether your inbox has 800 emails or 8000, the new year provides an excellent time for a fresh start. Set aside an afternoon and mine that data. Keep the gold nuggets (like AACRAO Connect), and toss the tailings.
2. Make meetings meaningful. Set an agenda and stick to it. With a little tact, you can keep attendees on message and get things done. Another way to stay focused? Start and end on time. Set a time limit for the meeting, and don’t go (too far) over it. Allow some time for small talk but avoid getting mired in details that can be managed elsewhere.
3. Don’t be moot on MOOCs and online education. Ask yourself: How will my institution embrace and engage in the appropriate management or administration of online courses? How can we support the mission of the institution and maintain appropriate academic records and their integrity? Embracing the future and melding it with the traditional academic environment will make the year a web of possibilities.
4. Have fun with unfunded mandates. Yes, politics and initiatives play a role in many of our jobs, instituting top-down directives that can be a challenge to implement. Instead of kvetching, try to take it in stride and try to find the best possible outcome for your circumstances that you possibly can. A little humor and a workable solution can go a long way towards relieving the political pressure.
Or, if you’re really fired up, take that protest to Washington (or your state capitol of choice)! If it’s appropriate for your job, let your voice be heard—either at AACRAO or through your representative—and take your civic participation to the next level.
5. To help students, be a student. Keep abreast of developments in your own profession. Consider which industry publications and development opportunities will help you grow professionally. Prioritize them, and participate in the ones you can.
And, when possible, don’t be a fly on the wall (or a lurker in a forum). Speak up! Contribute to the conversation (#aacrao) and you may find you not only have a lot to learn—you have a lot to offer.