Charge: Steering Committee

Background 

As noted in the DiaLOG Charter, DiaLOG builds on the “collaborative, consensus-based approach” that successfully launched UMN’s new learning management system, Canvas, in 2016-2019.  DiaLOG was formed in spring 2019 to extend this collaborative, community-, and system-based approach to address ongoing academic technology issues.

DiaLOG is composed of three subcommittees named and focused on the following academic technology topics:

• Learning Analytics
• Learning Platform
• Learning Tools

Purpose

The purpose of the DiaLOG Steering Committee is to support the efficiency and success of work conducted by the DiaLOG subcommittees.

Scope

The scope of the DiaLOG Steering Committee concerns operational technology issues that affect teaching and learning in the UMN system.

Charge

The DiaLOG Steering Committee is charged to:

• Serve as strong, proactive connectors among the three DiaLOG subcommittees, ensuring continuity of planning, coordination of impinging and overlapping priorities, tasks and projects, and advancing and sustaining multi-directional communication.
• Sustain two-way communication and positive, collaborative relationships with related groups (see “Dependencies and Related Groups” below).
• Provide a strategic lens through connection to University groups that addresses policies related to teaching, learning and technology.
• Prepare and promote expected outcomes, objectives, and high-level deliverables.
• Monitor progress of the subcommittees.
• Work to resolve cross-functional issues and to remove organizational barriers.
• Provide leadership, support and feedback to subcommittees.

Dependencies and Related Groups

• Faculty and staff in academic units
• UMN students
• Academic Technology iCoP
• CEI, DRC, Libraries, and ATSS
• Provost’s Advisory Committee on Teaching, Learning and Technology
• Faculty Development for Online Teaching (FDoT)
• U of M Online Steering Committee
• Academic unit and system campus IT and academic leadership
• eLearning Support Network
• University Learning Technology Advisors (ULTA)
• Digital Arts Sciences and Humanities (DASH) 
• UMN Unizin Coordinating Committee
• OIT Leadership
• Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost

Meeting Schedule

Once monthly

Sponsors

• Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
• Office of Information Technology

Chairs

• Keith Brown, Interim Senior Director for Academic Technology, Office of Information Technology
• Emily Ronning, Enhanced Learning Director, College of Liberal Arts 

Members

• Keith Brown, Interim Senior Director of Academic Technology and Service Owner, Academic Technology Support Services, Office of Information Technology and Co-Chair, Learning Tools Group
• Kellie Greaves, Communications Manager, Office of Information Technology
• Jamey Hansen, Chief Information Officer, College of Liberal Arts
• Kara Hanson, Manager of Academic Technology, University of Minnesota - Duluth
• Lauren Marsh, Academic Technologist, Office of Information Technology and Co-Chair, Learning Analytics Group
• Shane Nackerud, Technology Lead, e-Learning Support Initiative, University Libraries and Co-Chair, Learning Analytics Group
• Amanda Rondeau, Director of Academic Technology and Innovation, College of Education & Human Development and Co-Chair, Learning Platform Group
• Matt Sherwood, IT Director, College of Continuing and Professional Studies and Co-Chair, Learning Tools Group
• Stacey Tidball, Director, Continuity and Compliance, Academic Support Resources
• Jeff Weber, Service Owner, Academic Technology Tools, Office of Information Technology and Co-Chair, Learning Platform Group

Chair Accountabilities

Chairs play an important role in coordinating group meetings and activities and have a responsibility to:

• Manage meetings (schedule and communicate meeting logistics, prepare meeting agendas, assure appropriate meeting planning and follow-up, and chair meetings).
• Assure preparation of action plans and the completion of action items and project deliverables.
• Share meeting agendas one week before meeting times.
• Keep group sponsors informed on progress and request meetings as needed.

Group Member Accountabilities

Each group member has a responsibility to:

• Attend group meetings, actively participate in meetings, and promptly complete assignments.
• Participate in adding agenda items, frame up recommendations and prepare deliverables.
• Consider and provide input based on the perspective of what is good for the University, not only for specific units.
• Work to ensure group effectiveness and adherence to committee ground rules.
• Support group decisions and actions.

Ground Rules

• First and foremost, all group members will participate in a manner that embraces the spirit of the DiaLOG charter: finding and embracing the healthy tension that is inherent to our work, talking through the tension in order to understand the issues, making sure everyone is heard and understood, and then finding a way to move forward as a group.
• Start on time and work to stay on schedule.
• Come prepared.
• If you must miss a meeting, you are responsible for all information and assignments. Contact the chair.
• Share high-level meeting notes within one week following meeting.
• Monitor digressions and refocus the discussion.
• Handle disagreements. Poll other co-workers on controversial decisions. Treat all members with courtesy and respect – regardless of opinions.
• Honor confidentiality if requested. Otherwise, feel free to share.
• Take issues that involve a few people or further investigation offline.