Introduction:
The purpose is to provide the reader a summary of the responses to the questions raised during the UEA Summer Leadership Academy small table discussions about the UEA’s Transformation. Another purpose is to offer further insight to the Transformation’s role, function, and expected outcomes as they are related to the prospectus. We will continue posting additional questions and responses every month, so please stay tuned. (Questions are listed as they appeared in the table discussion documents. They have not been edited.)
1.Where are the teachers in all this?
Response: The goal of this Transformation is to ensure the well being of all the members. This is why it will be important to get input from the members. Our members are concerned with Utah’s changing environment. Therefore the UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments for becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will look to its members for feedback in order to use its limited resources effectively and wisely.
2. Are we on track for the timeline?
Response: YES, as mentioned in the briefing and prospectus, we anticipate the first draft of recommendations will be shared in late August.
3. Why the transformation? UEA has great leadership-great process. Why look at changing?
Response: From time to time, it is necessary and healthy for an organization to examine its structure, policies, products and services. In the spring of 2008, following the voucher defeat, the Board of Directors and the newly-assigned Executive Director began collecting data from UEA stakeholders, members, leaders and staff that could be used in the development of a plan for the future of the organization; this plan began the Transformation process.
4. New leader training we put together a map. Hasn’t it always been the members at the top of the flow chart? I think that many members don’t feel like they have a voice. Are members really going to have more input?
Response: This is a very good question and, YES, members are the reason we exist. However, one of the main goals of the Transformation Team will be to ensure that this perspective is explored. In addition, the goal for this Transformation is to ensure the well-being of all the members. This is why it will be important to get input from the members.
5. What is it we are trying to fix? What is broken?
Response: Soon the UEA will celebrate its 100th anniversary and, from time to time, it is necessary and healthy for an organization to re-examine itself. In this re-examination, the UEA must continuously explore what we should hold on to and value about public schools? And what we should hold on to and value in our Association? Including, what should UEA look like in order to meet the needs of educator members and to help students in the 21st Century. Plus, how do we change our behavior, communication, and systems in order to move the UEA forward?
6. Same Questions-is this a national trend?
Response: Yes, somewhat. As you know, the downturn in the economy and the loss of positions has taken its toll on the state of Utah, not to mention the educational system. Our members are concerned with this changing environment. Therefore, the UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely.
7. Are we trying to become bottom up or top down.
Response: Neither, we are committed to helping build an organization that embraces a culture of collaboration, collective problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making. This means we all have a stake in the success of the UEA.
8. Do we need transformation or evolution (more nimble)?
Response: We need both. The focus is to ensure every leader has a clear understanding of their role – what is expected and is supported by formal and informal evaluation – to be able to make appropriate decisions. This is about teaching our teachers to advocate for themselves, students, and each other. We need to use technology to enhance the communication in all directions (top to bottom, bottom to top, and side to side). Nimble in this process is marked by quick, alert, clever conception, comprehension, or being resourceful. This is what Transformation is all about.
9. Will this bring about change?
Response: YES! Only if you get involved. We need everyone to have a stake in this effort.
10. Do we need to make significant changes?
Response: This will depend on where the data leads us. We will base our recommendations on the process of data analysis. Therefore, your input will be very important.
11. Will members really have a voice?
Response: YES, that is our expectation. The goal of this Transformation is to ensure the well-being of all the members. This is why it will be important to get input from the members. We expect to keep our constituents informed and, in turn, they will be expected to inform their rank and file members; this approach will give us a meaningful way to reaching deeper into the organization.
12. Is there an end to the transformation phase?
Response: The goal is that when the Transformation Team delivers its recommendations, the Transformation Team will explore and redefine its role and then that’s when the implementation phase will begin.
13. Is this a top down organization or a grass roots organization?
Response: As mentioned earlier, we are committed to helping build an organization that embraces a culture of collaboration, collective problem-solving and data-driven decision-making. This means we all have a stake in the success of the UEA. We are a grass roots organization that embraces democratic principles and elects its leaders to lead the organization.
14. Information from Rank and File members, How is this gathered?
Response: At this point, we are focusing on the internal constituents. However, as we move forward, we will expect to keep our constituents informed and then they will be expected to inform their rank and file members; this approach will give us a meaningful way to reaching deeper into the organization.
15. Is there good representation on the transformation team? Are people attending?
Response: YES we have, the Transformation Team is a representation of the constituency groups. Most members do attend, but like anyone else we do experience some challenges with scheduling conflicts; but we have in place a follow-up mechanism to brief those who did not have the opportunity to attend. This process helps bring team members up to speed on items discussed. We also use the Transformation Update newsletter to inform all constituency groups and team members.
16. Copy of the power point should be given to LPs so they can share it. It will help members catch the vision.
Response: The Transformation Team agrees that this would be a great idea. However, this will not be the substitute for having face-to-face conversations.
17. Membership and political action need to be center of all association activities. How does it fit into transformation?
Response: The Transformation Team identified member engagement and advocacy
(which includes political action) to be at the center of all activities.
18. How big of an overhaul can we expect?
Response: The overhaul will depend on how we as an organization will address the recommendations. These recommendations will serve as the bases for building our capacity and reaching our strategic goals.
19. What substantive changes will be made?
Response: These changes will depend on the data collection process and analysis. At that point, a set of recommendations will be shared that will inform the organization on what it should consider for making adjustments, changes and how we operate as a system.
20. After this year, ongoing transformation team follow up?
Response: After the recommendations are shared, the Transformation Team will explore and redefine its role.
21. What role does the Board play?
Response: The UEA Board has been the driving force behind this Transformation. Discussions started after the voucher initiative – when the board debriefed regarding the campaign – and when the new executive director was hired. It was expressed that the UEA should consider assessing how best we can become proactive and relevant to the changing environment of our members and to the educational school/community at large.
22. Why do we have to change in the first place?
Response: Change is evitable due to changes in the political and economic landscape, as well as the changing demands on education, and the challenges our education professionals face. Therefore, as an organization, we must remain relevant and responsive to these demands; we must embrace change.
23. How many people in this room will be at the meeting in August to hear the plan?
Response: We are not sure, but we will make every effort to get the word out to reach as many as possible. We expect a lot of interest as the first draft of recommendations will be presented at this meeting; we will seek feedback by facilitating specific discussions on how best to move forward.
24. How are we going to get feedback from all constitutes before the final phase?
Response: As mentioned during the Leadership Academy, we will be seeking continual input and data collection from each of the constituents groups. We discussed the possibility of using numerous venues. For example: website, Face book, social networking and face-to-face contacts. Our primary focus is to offer opportunities for feedback and dialogue.
25. What was used to come up with the five areas?
Response: From May through November 2008, UEA members, Uniserv and UEA staff, local education association leaders and the UEA Board of Directors were interviewed and/or completed written and online surveys in which they were asked to share their vision for the Association, identify UEA strengthens and weakness, and weigh in on which products and services should be added, maintained or eliminated. After examining the initial data, the executive director presented a vision for the organization – a vision that outlined the five areas.
26. Are we looking at the four goals or what? Explained themes and how they were plugged into the areas?
Response: There are four UEA strategic goals and four transformation theme areas. Through the data analysis phase, the team identified four “theme” areas – priorities that emerged from the stakeholder data. Themes include: Leadership, Communication, Member Engagement, and Advocacy. The Transformation Team continues assessing the organization on two levels, products and services delivery, and structure and policy. The aim is to identify the gaps, challenges, and alignment issues, and to recommend ways the organization can reach its strategic goals.
27. What did NEA and UEA feel was ineffective? Ex. We can’t answer that, we need info from you (we haven’t identified specifics).
Response: It didn’t. The UEA has chosen to act proactively and to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely. In this re-examination, the UEA must continuously explore what we should hold on to and value about public schools? And what we should hold on to and value in our Association? Including, what should UEA look like in order to meet the needs of educator members and to help students in the 21st Century. Plus, how do we change our behavior, communication, and systems in order to move the UEA forward?
28. What are the deficiencies NEA and UEA saw to start with?
Response: As mentioned earlier, this year the UEA will celebrate its 100th anniversary and, from time to time, it is necessary and healthy for an organization to re-examine itself. The downturn in the economy and the loss of positions has taken its toll on the state of Utah, not to mention the educational system. Our members are concerned with this changing environment. Therefore, the UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely.
29. Are we making the best use of our resources?
Response: YES we are. We are also working to reduce random acts of improvement and moving from a service organization to a problem-solving organization. Therefore, the UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely.
30. Are the five questions the benchmark?
Response: If you mean the four strategic goals, then YES they are the benchmarks.
31. When was the team formed?
Response: The UEA Board appointed a Transformation Team, whose members represent all stakeholder groups within the UEA. The team came together for the first time in November 2008.
32. When does it change from data gathering to implementation?
Response: The goal is that when the Transformation Team delivers its recommendations, the Team will explore and redefine its role. That’s when the implementation phase will begin.
33. Which of the four things is most important?
Response: They all have the same importance. The four things (themes) are interconnected.
34. Is it change for the sake of change?
Response: No! The aim is to identify the gaps, challenges, and alignment issues, and to recommend ways the organization can reach its strategic goals.
35. Where is the survey coming from-what is the information being used for?
Response: The methods used to analyze the data or information is based on reviewing all the information, looking for common themes, and then clustering them into groups to determine which direction warrants further targeting. The next step is to develop further questions (survey) so that appropriate adjustments can be made for determining the recommendations and next steps.
36. What made you think there needed to be a transformation?
Response: As mentioned earlier, the downturn in the economic trends and the loss of positions has taken its toll on the state of Utah, not to mention the educational system. Our members are concerned with this changing environment. Therefore, the UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely. We are committed to help build an organization that embraces a culture of collaboration, collective problem-solving, and data-driven decision- making.
37. Is UEA serving all of the people?
Response: No! This is not realistic, but the UEA is committed to continuously explore what we should hold on to and value about public schools? And what we should hold on to and value in our Association? Including, what should the UEA look like in order to meet the needs of educator members and to help students in the 21st Century. Plus, how do we change our behavior, communication, and systems in order to move the UEA forward? This means we all have a stake in the success of the UEA. We are a grass roots organization that embraces the well being of its members, democratic principles, and elects its leaders to lead the organization.
38. Are we making major changes?
Response: The UEA has chosen to act proactively to make the necessary adjustments to becoming a more relevant, and knowledge-based organization that will use its limited resources effectively and wisely.
39. When is implementation?
Response: The goal is that in October, when the Transformation Team delivers its recommendations, the Team will re-examine and redefine its role. That’s when the implementation phase will begin.