Promoting Regional Collaboration in a Competitive Institutional Environment

1. Promoting Regional Collaboration in a Competitive Institutional Environment Higher Learning Commission 2011 Annual Conference Dr. George Swan III and Michelle Mueller

2. Collaboration • A recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals • Sharing knowledge and learning • Building consensus • Creative in nature • An intellectual endeavor • Collaboration requires leadership within a decentralized and egalitarian group Excerpted from July 27, 2010 SEMCOG University Presentation on Regional Collaboration: Re-Tooling the Workforce

3. Benefits • Teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources • Structured methods of collaboration encourage introspection of behavior and communication (Source: NEI Regional Collaboration Best Practices Talent, Workforce Development Task Force Report, August 2010)

4. Essential Elements • Transparency • Reciprocity • Accountability

5. Everyone wants us to Collaborate! • Federal Funding Opportunities • State and local economic development agencies • Workforce Investment Boards • Private Sector Entities • Philanthropic Institutions • Elected Officials • Community and Faith-Based Groups

6. So why can’t we all get along? • Economic Uncertainties • Financial constraints • “Silo mentality” • Who to partner with? • Perceived Altruistic Endeavor

7. So why can’t we all get along? • Maintaining a competitive posture • Transparency and Trust • Knowledge sharing • Consensus Building

8. The Challenge of Overcoming Boundaries! “Some community colleges, such as those involved in the Momentum Southern Mississippi project and the Community College Consortium in southeast Michigan have come to terms with this challenge in new and creative ways…” Source: Strategic Workforce development as a catalyst for Economic Growth: Lessons and Insights from the Field and Implications for the Future of WIA, Report by Public Policy Associates, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, University of California at San Diego/Extension, and Berkeley Policy Associates, March 31, 2010, p 14.

9. Source: Strategic Workforce development as a catalyst for Economic Growth: Lessons and Insights from the Field and Implications for the Future of WIA, March 31, 2010

10. Educational Leaders in Economic & Workforce Transformation • The Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium is a regionalcollaborative. • The consortium is committed to strengthening the workforce of the region by identifying needs, sharing resources, knowledge, and developing collaborative training solutions to build institutional capacity and support economic development.

11. Member Institutions of theSoutheast Michigan Community College Consortium (SMC3)

12. Consortium Member Regions

13. Agreeing to Agree: The Letter of Understanding • The determination to submit an application for grant funding served as the impetus in organizing the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium. • The letter of understanding signed by all college CEOs acknowledged: “…an affiliation among public community colleges…for the purpose of improving communication, coordination and cooperation in responding to emerging economic and workforce development needs in southeast Michigan”

14. Four Strategic Goals • Position SMC3 as a strategic partner/leader in economic and workforce development • Build institutional capacity through sharing and developing resources • Foster transparency, communication, and accountability among SMC3 member institutions • Promote regional, economic, and workforce development through collaborative community college initiatives.

15. SMC3 CBJT Award as a Unifying Factor A U.S. Department of Labor Community-Based Job Training Grant (CBJT) was awarded in December 2006 to develop Regional Centers of Expertise in Advanced Manufacturing and Alternate Energy Technologies. A steering committee to coordinate issues of governance and collaboration along with a grants committee to provide oversight for the CBJT initiative were established for the SMC3.

17. Making Collaboration Work! • Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium - SMC3 Nine Community Colleges in SE Michigan - from Ann Arbor to Port Huron, from Monroe to Flint – formed a collaboration to educate and train workers in skills ...www.michiganskillstoday.org/ - Cached • Macomb Awarded $5 million Grant to Support Defense - Michigan... Feb 12, 2010 ... The Michigan Community College Association provides leadership on issues ... including: the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium, ...www.mcca.org/news_details.cfm?rowID...– Cached • [PPT] The WCCCD Corporate College: Re-tooling the Workforce through ...File Format: Microsoft Powerpoint - Quick ViewJul 27, 2010 ... The Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium is a regional collaboration comprised of nine community colleges in southeast Michigan. ... www.semcog.org/.../Community.../WCCCD%20SEMCOG%20University%20Presentation%2007272010.pps • [PDF] Lean Process Training File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick ViewSoutheast Michigan Community College Consortium. Lean Process Training. Circle ONE date for each course to complete the entire series. ...www.hfcc.edu/programs/documents/LeanTrainingSpring2007.pdf - Similar

18. Making Collaboration Work! • MCCC ACCEPTING APPLICANTS FOR GRANT-FUNDED ACCELERATED - Monroe ... Aug 6, 2009 ... Grant partners include the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium, Southeast Michigan Wired, Monroe Public Schools, Southeast ...www.monroeccc.edu/news/weldinggrant-cohort.htm • Division of Engineering Technology Hybrid Electric Vehicle Courses ... “The training is supported by the Community Jobs Training (CBJT) Grant operated by the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium (SMC3),” says Yeh. ...www.eng.wayne.edu/news.php?id=1635– • Process Technology - myHFCC Web Services HFCC is a member of the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium, nine community colleges sharing resources and developing mutual educational • Training Opportunities - APTAC-Procurement Technical Assistance ... In partnership with the Southeast Michigan Community College Consortium, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) of Schoolcraft College is ...www.aptac-us.org/new/Govt_Contracting/training.php - Cached - Similar

19. Example of SMC3 at work!

20. The CBJT Grant ends…What to do next? • In 2010, the CBJT Grant concludes and a new Memorandum of Understanding is executed by member institutions. • SMC3 formalizes structure affirming purpose and intent. • SMC3 designates representatives to serve on other regional and statewide partnerships and collaborations. • Resource development and knowledge sharing continue as key elements for institutional alignment and participation in collaboration.

21. Putting “Energy” into the DTE Project Michigan’s largest public utility has a problem and seeks a collaborative response. • One program! • One Curriculum! • One Price! • Delivered across the utility’s service area (With the opportunity to do the same for other state energy providers)

22. The SMC3 Solution • Developed, modified and agreed upon the same curriculum across member institutions. • Negotiated pricing for the program consistent across the SMC3 territory. • Determined the lead institution based on DTE program launch facility. • Launched the program in Fall 2010 with continued guarantee of SMC3 support.

23. Regional Collaboration continues as a work in process! • Defense Sector • Advanced Manufacturing • Automotive Communities • Healthcare • Health Information Technologies • Transportation, Distribution & Logistics • Green Technologies and Sustainability • Developing new Centers of Expertise

24. Lessons Learned from SMC3 and other Regional Collaborations Survey of best practices conducted for the New Economy Initiative Talent/Workforce Development Task Force, August, 2010

25. Make the case: • Focus on issues where interests are aligned. • Develop strong meaningful partnerships • Regionalism does not mean losing local control or autonomy. • Understand the political realities of regionalism • Provide legitimacy and stakeholder “buy-in” early

26. Mobilize and engage key participants: • Leverage resources. • Do not move forward until all partners have appointed their representatives to the governance committee. • Bold actions are needed to have real scaled-up impact • Engage and sustain senior leader participation to ensure focus and commitment to collaborate.

27. Foster mutual learning: • Keep divisive issues off the table • Build trust • Have one unified voice for the region • Be flexible and willing to adapt to change • Identify a key motivating factor as a core catalyst for the collaboration • Once a decision is made, do not revisit it without unanimous consent

28. Forge collaborative decisions: • Use existing structures when possible. • Establish a common language • Have one entity as the intermediary, the convener, and fiscal agent • Modify plans accordingly. • Develop a work plan with timeframes • Discuss sustainability early in the process

29. Take Strategic Action • Focus on the key needs of the region. • Focus on the partnership and planned results • Develop a Memorandum of Understanding identifying the purpose and the work that needs to be done. • Strive to have the same representatives of each partner attend each meeting.

30. Remember!Regional Collaboration requires: • Transparency • Reciprocity • Accountability

31. Regional Collaboration is: • Challenging • Difficult • Constant • Time-Consuming

32. And worth the investment if done right!!!

33. Discussion