Tag Archives: Griggs University

Rebuilding the Plane While Flying It

by Armchair Aviator

Wondering why I’ve been so quiet on this blog? I’ve had a huge learning curve in my new job, but it’s also the chaos of a merger!

I’ve been making sense of it all by using the metaphor that we are rebuilding the plane while we are flying it.

The plane is Griggs University with all of its online students; as well as Andrews University and all its online students; as well as the off-campus programs of both Griggs and Andrews.

Griggs uses the open enrollment model, which means we always have students. There is no way to “stop” and start over! So as we have moved to Andrews University and are now working on merging with Andrews, all the changes need to be made while we are still serving students. And as we merge with Andrews, we have to consider the “Andrews way”, the “Griggs way”, and create some new way that is most efficient for everyone!

Here’s a brief overview of some of the work in our horizon:

  • Merging two student information systems
  • Merging two financial systems
  • Merging two learning management systems
  • Figuring out how to create new processes to support open enrollment students in a primarily semester-based Andrews system
  • Inventory of all distance courses of Griggs and Andrews and identify needed course upgrades
  • Determine needs of Griggs and Andrews faculty to identify needed training and faculty development
  • Infrastructure: building and streamlining processes and support technologies to better serve distance students

That’s a little peek into my world…

Fun fun!! Onward & upwards!