2001 GDC Activity Report

GDC Purpose

The GDC will provide the only student-focused group system support facility in the Northern Plains (50% time committed to students). This system facilitates group problem solving in a meeting atmosphere characterized by open, collaborative, and criticism-free idea generation and objective evaluation. Central to the facility is the interactive computer-based environment provided by the GroupSystems software.

Summary:

August, 2001 marks the end the third very successful year of the NDSU Group Decision Center (GDC), a technology laboratory consisting of 24 participant PC workstations, a network server, lead station using the GroupSystem software for electronic meetings. The purpose of the GDC is primarily for student and faculty development and secondarily for research and service. The GDC provides the only student-focused facility using GroupSystems software in the Northern Plains. The activities of the GDC provide students with 1) an introduction to electronic discussion system; 2) training in the use of GroupSystems software, and 3) classroom discussions, program feedback for curriculum accreditation, clubs/organizations and research projects resulting in hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology. In addition to the development of student skills, the GDC is used by faculty and administration for planning, evaluation, research, and community service. The research conducted in the GDC is closely tied to its service and outreach activities are enhanced by the Cargill Scholarship Program resulting from Cargill's role as a major contributor to the GDC. The GDC's FY01 Activities are profiled below and described more completely in the following Annual Report.

	FY01 Activities: User	Hours	# of Events
	Administration	142.75	57
	Facilitator	5	3
	Grant	18	6
	Outreach (Community)	242.50	86
	Partners	6	2
	Student Use - Classes/Org's	181.75	131
	Tri-College	27	12
	Surveys	93.75	35
	Total Hours	716.80	332
	FY99 Activity Totals	431	197
	FY00 Activity Totals	486.25	306

FY 2001 Project Evaluation

The GDC Activities continue to increase in all areas from 306 events/486 hours last year to 332 events/716.75 hours this year. These figures reflect the changes in the types of GDC applications. First, demonstrations and short meetings continue to be replaced by longer and more complex meetings. Both off campus and on campus groups are realizing the value of "electronic discussion" to maximize meeting effectiveness by allowing everyone to share their ideas simultaneously and anonymously. GDC Polling and reporting enhance meetings. The intended outcomes are realized efficiently.

Secondly, a new function has been added to the GDC. A survey tool, part of the GroupSystems software was tested for the use in the GDC and on the GDC web site. In October, the survey tool was available both on campus and off campus. This tool has been widely used by clients, i.e., NDSU President Chapman campus to determine needs and concern to student graduate research to regional social services program to evaluation of service to businesses client confidences.

At NDSU, the focus of the GDC applications enhances the land grant mission of NDSU -- teaching, research, administration and outreach at the same time as it broadens Cargill visibility on campus and off campus.

Impacts on the GDC

The First Impact of GDC realized by Cargill is the on-campus activity: student, faculty and administration contacts on campus. For example, in GDC class sessions-MIS/CS class sessions, a new MIS/CS/English hybrid class involving nearly 100 students using the GDC as an integral part of the class work, industrial engineering capstone classes use the GDC for the develop projects, troubleshoot and evaluate the projects by their business clients. These sessions the curriculum afford Cargill visibility to 1235 students contacts. Student research increased including an eating disorder survey and focus groups, risk drinking survey and focus groups, and other class related surveys. The total number of classes using the GDC also increased. Student clubs and organizations continue using the GDC, i.e., the Athletics Department to address the development of Rugby Program and the expansion of the Team Makers membership. As the first strip, the students came in to their perspective in a simultaneous and anonymous environment and as the second step, they will return with the coaches and work on setting goals for the next season. "The electronic discussion is again proving to be as innovative and creative way to focus on the team ideas and programmatic needs," according the to the women's athletic director.

President Chapman used the GDC to develop and administer a web survey of the faculty and staff on campus to determine opinions and concerns related to the development of the NDSU strategic planning report to the State Board of Higher Education. The faculty response rate was 63%. The Research Administration Office used a combination of GDC meetings and a web survey and focus groups, to review the effectiveness of the office and gather suggestions for possible changes and responses to the changes that were being proposed. Administration and faculty held 57 meeting events and 21 survey events.

The Second Impact of the GDC realized by Cargill is the social impact. This impact is making the significant difference in the "electronic town hall meetings" which range from strategic planning of a community, to the discussion of youth and service providers addressing youth issues, concerns and unmet needs in a safe environment. For example, Fargo Youth Initiative (FYI) is a pilot project made possible by Cargill Scholarship Hours, was used to develop a proposal for a community wide project. This proposal was funded by NDSU President's grant program and activity began in August, 2001. This is further indication that the GDC is viewed as a valuable tool. The youth will represent a cross section of the community ranging from 14-20 years old and the adult participants will be parents and service providers including the Chief of Police to the Superintendent of the Public Schools to the juvenile court representative to public healthcare providers. This project has received a great deal of positive attention as a vehicle to empower youth to become engaged citizens involved in the development of solutions for their own concerns. Cargill is highlighted in all the meetings.

A similar project has been funded to provide the same resources to eight communities statewide by an NDSU Capacity Building Grant. Work is underway with those communities. Again this will give Cargill and NDSU wide visibility.

In fact, Hettinger has engaged the teens and adults in a problem solving session where they have moved on to develop and implement an action plan and have a part-time coordinator to assist with the implementation of this plan.

The GDC is being used to administer a Tribal College/NDSU Collaborative 1.2 million dollar grant from the Office of Navy Research to increase the number of Native American students in Science/Math/Engineering. The GDC was used for the discussion and development of the grant as well as obtaining feedback from the students and administrators/faculty involved at all sites.

The Fort Berthold Community College continues to use the GDC for strategic planning. The Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Planning communities are exploring the use of the GDC as at the Sitting Bull Community College.

Other GDC activities include the Children Service Coordinating Council who used the survey to determine their clients' satisfaction with the programs prior to the council's strategic planning meeting. They realized nearly a 50% return rate. Cargill Scholarship hours were key in this agencies ability to afford this service.

The Moorhead Police Department wrote the GDC activities into a proposal to the state of Minnesota which was funded. The GDC was used for a review of the department and strategic planning. Strategic planning activities at the GDC also included the Cando Health Center, FM United Way, FM Area Foundation, EideBailly LLP and the Native American Outreach Council.

The following methods describe the on-going evaluation of the GDC Activities: 1) obtain and review comments and evaluations from all users; 2) compare meeting objectives to client's stated outcomes/benefits; 3) compare participants expectations at the start of the meeting with the level of realization of those expectations; 4) track all Center events; 5) monitor the status of the Cargill Scholarship Program; and 6) monitor the GDC's financial status. The Development Team reviews the GDC activity on a monthly basis, the NDSU Vice President for Academic Affairs receives a quarterly update and an annual report is made to the Advisory Board and the NDSU Vice President of Academic Affairs and Cargill.

Dr. Matthew Coumb and a communications graduate student have worked with the GDC staff and board to develop a more complex evaluation instrument. This new evaluation method will be implemented in August.

Cargill's Scholarship Program

Comments

Off Campus Clients

Equality of Participants
Eye opener to differences within the group
Seeing expectations for others
Controls emotions during discussions of controversial issues
It only took us four hours and last year it took two days
This should be sold to all the business in the region
Allows all ideas to surface
No hurt feelings
Good use of time/No wasting time/No need to wait turns
I have never left a meeting feeling so good about what happened

On Campus Clients - Students

Easy to work with
Helped structure meeting
Need to plan meeting better next time
Makes decisions go faster
Liked focus so meetings went somewhere
Fun to use this tool
Discussions more open
Voting helped us move through issues

On Campus Clients - Faculty/Staff/Administration

Saw ideas/issues surface that we had not seen before
Liked anonymity
Surprised at the amount of information generated
Liked complete reports
Orderly/logical focus of the meeting process
Easy way to integrate ideas
Instant feedback on ideas
Honesty and quality of comments
Friendly environment/free to ask questions

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E-Mail: ndsu.gdc@ndsu.edu
www.ndsu.edu/gdc
NDSU Group Decision Center
320 Family Life Center
Department 2030
PO Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Phone: 701.231.6414