Early Bird

Applaud your colleagues

Learn how your fellow Roadrunners are identifying problems, creating solutions and aiming for excellence.

By Lindsey Coulter

May 28, 2019

Three months ago, a committed and energized group of Roadrunner faculty and staff embarked on their own “excellence” adventure.

Fourteen employees representing 11 campus departments spent the spring semester attending the inaugural Process Improvement Operational Excellence (OpEx) Training Institute, developed by Sarah Buller, process-improvement specialist, and Jim Murphy, professor, Accounting.

The training’s goals were:

• To understand the key components of process-improvement culture and Lean thinking.
• To develop a working knowledge and hands-on practice applying Lean problem-solving methods and tools.
• To practically apply those skills and tools to complete a process-improvement project.
• To gain exposure to team-building, group dynamics, facilitation techniques and change management.

The OpEx training helped Meagan Hodge Sagaser, budget and office manager within the Strategy, Marketing and Communications branch, to identify an operational inefficiency, then take a step back and reflect on the process as a whole before developing a solution that incorporated Lean practices. “It really has opened my eyes to seeing room for improvement and growth instead of being stagnant,” she said.

“Having the opportunity to work on a real problem in real time while in the training institute helped me to apply my new skills and work with my team in a really effective way,” added Amy Middleton, director of Social Work Student Services, Administration and Finance. “Sarah (Buller) invited us ‘to stop doing things that don’t make sense,’ and I gave the same invitation to my team.”

Jill Lange, academic-department coordinator, Journalism and Technical Communications, appreciated the insightful discussions among cohort members and opportunities for building relationships with colleagues. “I’ve been able to bring back skills to my team that I am using to make an immediate impact on our collective work,” Lange said.

On June 12, celebrate and recognize all participants and learn how they are applying process-improvement tools in their teams to increase efficiency and improve workplace satisfaction.

CAVEA and JSSB 420

Refreshments at 9:30 a.m.

Presentation from 10 a.m.-noon

Participants include:

• Joanne Ammidown, budget/financial analyst, Office of Budget
• John Bosick, office manager, University Advancement
• Kate Burns, advisor, Management
• Jonathan Colón, assistant to the registrar and special-projects manager, Registrar
• Meagan Hodge Sagaser, budget and office manager, Strategy, Marketing and Communications
• Matt Hooley, senior associate registrar, Curriculum and Systems
• Haley Kline, initiatives manager, Office of Financial Aid
• Jill Lange, academic-department coordinator, Journalism and Technical Communication
• Amy Middleton, director, Social Work Student Services, Administration and Finance
• Melissa Miller, records and registration coordinator, Registrar
  Thomas Ragland, associate director for student conduct, Dean of Students
• Amanda Ryder, associate director of Admissions – High School Outreach, Admissions
• Kendra Stansbury, associate registrar of records and registration, Registrar
• Emalie Whan-Traylor, special projects and office manager/assistant to the AVP, Dean of Students