ITC eNews Week of September 22, 2025 | From The Desk Of Fred
I often describe myself as a “recovering administrator”. I’ve never regretted being an administrator and still miss many aspects of it. I like problem-solving and I like creating a positive/empowering work environment for my staff.
What I almost never enjoyed was the myriad of meetings and committee work. And I know you sometimes find it a struggle as well. I’m sure all of. Us have had days of nothing but meetings. I can’t think of anything more mentally exhausting to go through. Much of the meeting and committee culture is well-intentioned, but it consumes valuable time with limited results.
I have witnessed several great fails associated with meetings in my career:
- Those attending rarely share what they learn at a meeting with their direct reports Sure, notes eventually wind up on a website but most information has a shelf-life and needs to be shared in a timely manner.
- Many meetings don’t accomplish anything so you are meeting for the sake of meeting? And...
- Many committees are “siloed” and have a narrow range of campus participation. They are academic – or student services – or administrative. There is often no cross-pollination. As a result, we’ve diminished the sense of team on our campuses.
It can be hard to change a campus meeting/committee culture, but our campus is attempting to do just that. We are under new leadership – and have been challenged to shift from an abundance of committees and meetings to fewer “work groups” that focus on getting things done. I’ve already transformed our AI/Emergent Technology committee to a set of functional Work Groups – we will meet as a full group when needed but will otherwise focus on being engaged and productive.
Time will tell but I’m looking forward to the new approach and (hopefully) being more productive.
Fred Lokken,
Professor, Political Science
Business & Social Sciences Division
Truckee Meadows Community College
Member, Board of Directors, Instructional Technology Council
Executive Commissioner, Nevada WICHE/Regional WICHE
Recipient, 2025 ITC Lifetime Achievement Award
Articles
Free Course Teaches Students AI Skills, Ethics, Inside Higher Ed
The University of Mary Washington in Virginia offered all students a one-credit online course on how to use generative artificial intelligence tools.
California Community Colleges, Google, Partner To Provide Students With AI Skills, Campus Technology
A new collaboration between the California Community Colleges system and Google will provide free access to AI tools and training for more than 2 million students and faculty across the state.
WGU Aims To Help Students, Alumni Highlight Career-Ready Skills, eCampus News
The digital platform closes the gap between learning and employment, giving students and alumni control over their educational and career trajectories
What Happens When AI Enters The Classroom?, The Evolllution
As generative AI (GenAI) becomes a staple in student learning, institutions are grappling with how to adapt their pedagogies without compromising academic integrity or human creativity.
How-To Guide: A Realistic Approach To AI Adoption, University Business Magazine
Many higher education institutions are still grappling with AI adoption and its impact on their educational missions and campus operations.
How Microcredentials Are Fueling New Workforce Innovation. University Business Magazine
About 100 colleges work with the Lab’s Community College Growth Engine to build short-term microcredential programs that correspond to the latest labor market demands.
Video Of The Week, Amazon Just Launched Its ZooX Taxiicabs In Las Vegas…
The company is offering free rides from a few select locations, with plans to expand more broadly across the city in the coming months.
