Maximizing Campus Impact

Introduction

The question of how best to serve its constituents arises for any organization that is part of a campus or community. While the details of who your clients are and what services you offer will naturally vary according to situation, organizations like yours share a common need to have a positive impact on campus, or in the community, in order to thrive. How can you assess whether your organization is impactful? Once you identify areas where improvement would be beneficial, how can you address them? Finally, how can you make sure that the campus community recognizes and values the contributions of your organization?

This guide addresses those questions. Drawing on the experience and expertise of directors of centers like yours, this guide discusses what it means to have impact; illustrates ways you can tell if you are having an impact on your campus; and presents seven strategies for maximizing impact. Case studies and examples from the NMC membership are included to inspire you. By sharing examples and strategies that have worked for others, we hope that the lessons learned by them will be of benefit to you.

Although the guide refers to new media centers and technology centers, it is worth noting that different organizations naturally have different structures. Some "centers" are located in a single building; others are distributed over the campus, united by purpose rather than by location. The term center is used for convenience and is intended to include any organization or group whose purpose is to assist the community in using technology in learning and teaching effectively and appropriately.

One way to use this guide is to identify the areas where your organization is not as strong, and focus on those in turn. Set explicit goals as you work toward implementing each strategy; for instance, if your organization could benefit from stronger allies among the campus community, make a list of areas where you might begin, and keep track of your progress as you build new relationships.