Getting Rid of Stupid Stuff

HPW Ideas Worth Sharing:

Work tasks and processes need to be reviewed periodically by the department with a critical eye to identify tasks and processes that are poorly designed, unnessecary, or burdensome. Departments often continue to invest resources (e.g., faculty time for committees) in certain projects/tasks because these projects/tasks "have always been done", and work can continue to be done in a burdensome way because "we have always done things this way" without awareness that the historical reasons for carrying out work in this manner no longer exist or are no longer a priority. Given that faculty are overworked, it is crucial that departments invest resources only in work that is necessary. The following are some ideas for departments to consider: 1) Consider whether longstanding department committees are still required and if still required whether the number of faculty members can be reduced. 2) Reserve meeting times for real discussion. Information can be sent out by email rather than having faculty members report during meetings. 3) Streamlining of thesis defences a) reconsider the minimum number of faculty members that are really needed for thesis defence committees b) limit the number of pages for theses. The following are some ideas for universities to consider: 1) Streamline procedures for tenure and promotion a) shorter files b) fewer reviews c) smaller committes. 2) Look for ways to simplify administrative work for faculty members such as financial systems, which are often complicated with many steps. 3) Provide clear and consistent approval chains for grant proposals, conference travels, etc. 4) Improve training for REB reviewers and researchers so the review process is shorter, less adversarial, and is less about potential for litigation and more in line with disciplinary best practices. 5) Develop more real leadership training for department heads and other administrators.