Maximizing Campus Impact

Strategy #1: Be focused

Having a strong focus, and knowing what it is, will guide your organization as questions arise about what projects or initiatives to work on and what services to offer. Setting goals and articulating the principles that guide your organization will help refine and clarify your focus. One outward sign of focus is a clearly stated mission, which serves as a point of reference for decisions about where to cut back and where to take risks. Another indication of focus is that your center's goals align with its mission, and those goals are being reached.

A focused center has a home base: an understanding of its core purpose that serves as a point of reference from which it can branch out in new directions, and to which it can retreat when regrouping is necessary. An understanding like this enables staff to be comfortable when handling requests, to know what services are part of the center's portfolio, and to be able to articulate offerings and opportunities to faculty and other clients. When requests must be turned down, staff will be able to be clear about why. They may be better able to offer alternatives that either align with the focus of the center or allow the center to grow in ways that are in harmony with its core purpose.

During the conversations surrounding this topic, directors were clear that while it is sometimes necessary to turn down requests, it is important to listen fully to the client and be certain to understand the problem first. Then explain why you must say no, without being negative. If possible, suggest alternative solutions that address the issue; try not to be a "dead end." Successful centers make sure that clients always leave with an answer – even if it is not the answer they had in mind when they arrived with a question.

Finally, a focused center attracts top-quality staff. Prospective employees see that the staff are effective and valued and that their work has meaning and makes a difference. Staff are free to do what they do best, whatever their area of expertise may be, because the boundaries are clear.

How to Get There: Suggestions from Directors

Whether or not your organization already has a mission statement, take a moment to consider the following questions:

• How does your center fit in to the overall situation of your campus? What is your campus like? Is it a research school, a teaching school, or a combination? What is the campus mission? Who make up the student population? The faculty population? Imagine these people as your user base, and consider the problem from a product-development angle. If these are your customers, what needs are they likely to have that you can supply? Understanding the culture of your campus will help you anticipate faculty needs and design your focus so that the services you offer will directly address those needs.
• What coming trends in educational technology are likely to affect your clients? A little environmental scanning will help keep your center agile. Keep abreast of advancements in educational technology, and changes in pedagogy practices, so that you can introduce effective pilot programs that don't disrupt your focus.
• Which of the technologies that you currently support are beginning to see less use? Keep track of support requests and be aware when demand for certain services or technologies declines. Be prepared to phase out underused technologies gently. From time to time, review your center's services and supported systems to make sure that they remain in line with your focus.
• Where does your organization shine? Play to your strengths, especially where those strengths align with campus needs. Make it a priority to identify and meet faculty needs, and make sure that you have people on staff with expertise in those areas.

After considering these questions, take the time to condense your focus into a short statement, or review your existing mission statement and revise it if necessary. The most important part of the mission statement may be the act of writing it; this exercise can be an opportunity for the center's staff to think deeply about the purpose of the organization, the direction it is currently heading, and the direction it ought to be heading. With your mission statement at hand, evaluate your current projects and services. Do they align with your focus? Expand or replicate those that do and consider phasing out those that are missing the mark – or rethink your focus.