Educate, Discover, Connect

There are several expected results of the UT system strategic planning process. They include:

* UT's newly defined role and goals for next decade

* Platform for system-campus/institutes support

* Enhanced effectiveness and efficiency

* New research partnerships

* Powerful support for economic and workforce development

* Communications and marketing for strong loyalty and engagement

* Enhanced advocacy for UT system of higher education

This is an exciting process and I look forward to modeling it as we update our strategic plans with IPS.

Baldrige Forum

On October 19 the Naifeh Center hosted a half-day information forum on the Baldrige Quality criteria. Three great case studies were presented from two state agencies (TRICOR and the Department of Labor and Workforce Develoment) and one local government (the City of Germantown).

As we continue our own Baldrige journey in IPS, it is great to hear stories from other successful public service agencies in our own state.

Each agency has a team, lead by members of the Leadership Academy, writing a Baldrige application. When each agency's application is complete, we will have spent 18 months focusing on improvements. I hope in the not-too-distant future that we will be able to share our own successes with our customers.

Thanks to all those staff members who are participating in this process.

Educate, Discover, Connect

The UT system strategic planning effort will be informed and developed through a strategic stakeholder engagement process that includes:

*A steering committee
*Listening sessions (individuals and focus groups)
*Task forces
*Broader constituent engagement via the Internet


We are using a 5-phase process that includes:
1 - project planned and launched - this is complete

2 - Data-gathered and analyzed; task forces and other stakeholders engaged (October - January)

3 - Goals refined; broader stakeholder review; financials analyzed (February - March)

4 - Plan approved; budget developed (March - April)

5 - Implementation road map activated; outcomes-driven dashboard (May - June)

This is an ambitious, but doable project timeline. You will have an opportunity to participate along the way. So, stay tuned!

IPS Supervisors' Training

On October 10 all of the supervisors in IPS participated in a day-long training program on strategic planning. We focused on identifying our values, clarifying our mission statements for each agency and beginning to define our vision.

Mitch Owen, a facilitator from North Carolina, lead us through the day. He also spent a couple of days with the IPS leadership team in the early summer.

All staff will hear more about strategic planning as each agency begins (or completes!) and up of its plan. We want widespread participation from our staff, customers and stakeholders.

Thanks to Judie Martin for putting together a great training program.

Educate, Discover, Connect

President Joe DiPietro just kicked off a new strategic planning effort for the entire UT system. A steering committee composed of representatives from each campus and institute as well as faculty, staff, students, alumni and board of trustees representatives met September 28 to begin the effort.

The planning process will focus on President DiPietro's key themes of:
*Outreach as a land-grant university
*Capital investment
*Statewide advocacy for UT
*System support of campus and institute strategic plans and activities
*Academic outcomes advancing workforce needs
*System wide marketing and communication

Key strategies during the process include:
*Engage senior leadership early; ensure a process that is transparent, inclusive and communicated with consistency
*Engage key managers and staff in important roles - develop internal ownership and buy-in
*Deal directly with the "critical issues"
*Traverse silos through community building exercises
*Resource implementation work plans

I will continue to update you as we move through this process. It is timely in that we are also updating our agency plans and ultimately will also update the IPS plan.

IPS Awards

Each of this year's award winners is featured in a special publication that is posted on the IPS web site here.

Congratulations again to all this year's winners and to all the staff of IPS who do outstanding work everyday to serve the citizens of Tennessee.

Thank you!

Conflicts of Interest

Each year all staff are asked to update their Conflict of Interest forms. Normally we only ask individuals to make an update if there has been a change since the last announcement. However, this year with a new chief business officer, we decided to make sure all our files are up to date with completed forms. Thanks to everyone for your cooperation. We had a 100% response rate without much nagging!

It is interesting to review the forms to see the wide range of activities our staff are involved in beyond their work with IPS. We have individuals serving on boards of health care related organizations, airport authorities, port authorities, economic development agencies, and a wide variety of professional organizations. We have a few individuals serving in elected or appointed government positions. We also have among us music publishers, book authors and adjunct instructors.


Impressive group!

TGEI

Each year IPS hosts the Tennessee Government Executive Institute, a two-week program targeted at high level state government employees. This program began in 1982 as a partnership with the state department of human resources.

This year's class of 28 includes two deputy commissioners and one assistant commissioner as well as a host of other state government executives. This is week two at the UT conference center in Knoxville. Two commissioners are speaking during lunch. UT Athletics Director Joan Cronan is speaking one morning and UT President Joe DiPietro is wrapping up the week's guest speaker list.

Congratulations to Tom Kohntopp and Macel Ely for another successful year of state government leadership programs.