How to Get Campus Buy-In Leading from the Middle

What do you mean, buy- in? Wheel of Risk Risk Management and Insurance - A Handbook of Fundamentals NACUBO 1983

Set the Stage Create allies among your fellow administrators –Natural allies usually found in public safety, finance, EH&S, human resources –Know your fellow administrative department managers –Support them whenever possible –Call rather than on sensitive issues or where it appears that your interests diverge

Set the Stage Know your institution –Values –Resources –Priorities Help your institution get to know you –Web site –Newsletter –Training –FAQ s

Form the Proposal Keep it simple and precise Why is it needed? Tell stories to illustrate. When is it needed? Who / what departments will be affected? What will be the affects of the program -- financial, programmatically, administrative? What are consequences of not doing?

Analyze the Issues Who has ultimate control for the project? –President? Treasurer? Dean of the College? Are there any potential stoppers? –Trustees? Faculty? Others? What flexibility is there in implementation? Can participating departments share ownership?

Communicate Be a resource, not a dictator Test on allies first – refine as needed Bring in key depts who will be impacted – be open to suggestions to help make it their idea Help affected depts see benefits Collaborate on how to announce policy change to campus

Implement When full consensus is achieved, make it so Get the message out – , memo and/or web Follow up on departments that are implementing – build ownership if applicable Remind departments if process is repetitive Refine process as needed

Monitor and Refine Report on how it went/is going to concerned managers Refine processes based on results Remind departments as needed if program is ongoing

Remember Never ask for unnecessary administrative activity Build consensus before launching a project !! Good Luck !!