Strategic Visioning Follow-Up | 10.29.10 | 11:30 a.m. | Central Campus Auditorium
November 10, 2010 at 4:27 pm ssccpatriot 13 comments
Beginning with the large group visioning process that many of you participated in during opening week, the college began building the foundation for what would ultimately take the shape of a realistic, credible, and attractive vision that would lead our college into the next five years and beyond.
Through the valued insight of the open meeting and then through two consecutive days of follow up meetings, the vision to be a First-Choice College emerged. From there, immediate bold steps necessary to claim this vision were articulated:
- Establish a vision implementation team
- Cultivate a culture that embraces the vision
- Take a quantum leap in technology infrastructure
- Vigorously pursue outside funding
- Establish continuous comprehensive assessment of student success
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SSCC Strategic Vision 
1. Kevin Boys | November 10, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Thanks to everyone who came to hear more about the strategic vision. Please use this blog to share your thoughts about how you can become an integral part of realizing the vision to be “Your 1st-Choice College!” For those who missed it, the presentation will soon be posted on-line.
2. Cathy Zile | December 1, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I’ve given serious thought to our vision “Your 1st-Choice College.” I believe we can reach this goal with Appreciative Inquiry. For thoses new to A.I. below is the definition.
Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING.
In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY.
Appreciative Inquiry is about the coevolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations, and the relevant world around them. In its broadest focus, it involves systematic discovery of what gives “life” to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in economic, ecological, and human terms. AI involves, in a central way, the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It centrally involves the mobilization of inquiry through the crafting of the “unconditional positive question” often-involving hundreds or sometimes thousands of people. In AI the arduous task of intervention gives way to the speed of imagination and innovation; instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design. AI seeks, fundamentally, to build a constructive union between a whole people and the massive entirety of what people talk about as past and present capacities: achievements, assets, unexplored potentials, innovations, strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, benchmarks, high point moments, lived values, traditions, strategic competencies, stories, expressions of wisdom, insights into the deeper corporate spirit or soul– and visions of valued and possible futures. Taking all of these together as a gestalt, AI deliberately, in everything it does, seeks to work from accounts of this “positive change core”—and it assumes that every living system has many untapped and rich and inspiring accounts of the positive. Link the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never thought possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized.
Read the complete excerpt from A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry by David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney.
We have accomplished amaizing things at Southern State, but there is still work to be done. These are different times we find ourselves in, and it may take a different way of looking at ourselves to accomplish short term and long term goals.
3. Kevin Boys | December 1, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Thank you, Cathy. I agree!
4. Nicole Roades | December 7, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Hey Kathy,
I didn’t realize you were a fan of AI. Me too! We’ve hosted a meeting here at SSCC using the AI model and by far, it was one of my most memorable experiences at the college.
Our recent visioing process reminded me of that positive feeling. Where I think our current situaiton is different is that we have the motivation to maintain the energy and be as successful in implementation as we were in the development stage. During our AI summit from years past, we kind of dropped the ball when it came to implmentation. I’m glad to see that we are in a forward moving direction.
5. Candee Basford | December 2, 2010 at 1:49 pm
I love this idea. My experiences with appreciative inquiry have been transformative. Perhaps we could start now? Let’s organize a small group and begin.
6. Nicole Roades | December 7, 2010 at 7:14 pm
It is not surprising to see you pop up in this thread! Glad to see your following this. I know that you have a wealth of knowledge and energy that would go a long way in helping us realize the vision.
7. Cathy Zile | December 2, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Excellent! This is the type of synergy needed to move forward. I also believe this is the energy our president is hoping to inspire to accomplish our vision as a 1st Choice College.
We need to generate new knowledge which expands the “realm of the possible” that helps members of our organization envision a collectively desired future and to carry forth our vision in ways that success-fully translate these images into possibility, intentions into reality and belief into practice
There are four basic principles to Appreciative Inquiry:
1. Begin with appreciation:
“Inquiry into the art of the possible in organizational life begins with appreciation.”
Every system works to some degree, and a primary task of management and members in organizations is to discover, describe and explain those exceptional moments which give life to the system and activate members competencies and energies. The appreciative approach takes its inspiration from what is. Valuing, learning, and inspired understanding – these are the aims of the appreciative spirit.
2. Application
“Inquiry into what is possible must be applicable.”
An important focus of organizational study is to lead to the generation of knowledge that can be used, applied and validated in action. A central component of management is to know organizations. Knowing sets the stage for the practical decisions required of members of the organization.
3. Provocative Propositions
“Inquiry into what is possible is provocative.”
An organization is an open-ended, indeterminate system capable of becoming more than it is at any given moment and of learning how to actively take part in guiding its own evolution. Appreciative knowledge of what is becomes provocative to the extent that the learning takes on a normative value for members. In this way appreciative inquiry allows us to use systematic management analysis to help the organization¹s members shape an effective future according to their own imaginative and moral purposes.
4. Collaborative Interaction and Action
“Inquiry into the human potential of organizational life must be collaborative.”
This principle assumes an inseparable relationship between the process of inquiry and its content. A unilateral approach to the study of social innovation is a direct negation of the phenomenon itself.
In its most practical construction, appreciative inquiry is a form of organizational study that selectively seeks to locate, highlight and illuminate what are referred to as the “life-giving” forces of the organization¹s existence.
My belief is we have not begun to untap our own natural resources,… our people in our organization.
8. Kevin Boys | January 7, 2011 at 4:36 pm
This is precisely the kind of energy i was hoping to inspire! I say, go for it. Thanks for putting so much time, thought and energy into even this blog.
9. Carry DeAtley | December 16, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Kathy,
Love your posting! I agree. Let’s do it and get started. 🙂
Carry
10. Kris Cross | August 12, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Cathy,
I’m intrigued! This is the first I’ve heard of the AI philosophy and your explanation gave me goosebumps 🙂 … I’ll definitely check out the book Nicole mentioned. Exciting times, my friends.
11. Linda Chamblin | October 27, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Just wondering what you all did last December?
Linda
12. Amy Werring | November 29, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Hello everyone
I would appreciate periodic updates (monthly?) of the vision, accomplishments, and new directions. It would be helpful for those of us on the front lines to hear some specific departmental, positional or campus goals that we could work toward to move us in the right direction. Most of us need something specific that WE can contribute to the broader vision. All of us would like to feel we are part of the greater whole.
Thanks
Amy
13. Alan w foster | January 26, 2013 at 12:12 am
What about Adams County? Isn’t it accurate and correct both the Dukes and Stout Boards promised the next new infrastructure would be located in Adams County? Was FREE real estate offered near the hospital in Seaman? How many dollars are being spent at Mt Orab? How far from UC clermont is the Mt Orab site? Why did the Board/Admimistration not follow through on it’s previous commitment? Are these questions unfair??? My guess is this inquiry will be deleted and consequently unanswered and unseen