[2480] in UA Exec
Re: World Cafe Idea
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Alice Zielinski)
Sun May 15 23:49:58 2016
In-Reply-To: <CAE4K8ZObGqFZtRSB34gujpZ7nKCzSpyT4j+Cx3dq5Wf5b4q-ew@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 May 2016 23:49:54 -0400
From: Alice Zielinski <alicez@mit.edu>
To: "trattner@mit.edu" <trattner@mit.edu>
Cc: Daysi N Gomez <gomezd@mit.edu>, Sally Susnowitz <susnowit@mit.edu>,
"ua-exec@mit.edu" <ua-exec@mit.edu>
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Hi Andy,
I just wanted to drop a quick note about this thought based on my
experiences with student-admin discussions: I like the idea and likewise
believe that it can be fruitful. My only concern would be ensuring that the
students in attendance are up to date on policy and have a foundational
understanding of how policy and influencing operations works. Otherwise,
this could easily become a round table event that is very introductory in
the sense that due to the massive amount of onboarding required to bring a
student to the level of understanding that is conducive
to influencing change, no actual forward work or thinking would get done.
If the goal would be to just garner feedback of varying quality and/or
interact with students without a real sense of expecting direct outcomes,
then the background understanding of the students wouldn't matter so much.
I think it's just something to consider and of which to be mindful.
Best,
Alice
On Sunday, May 15, 2016, Andy Trattner <trattner@mit.edu> wrote:
> Hi Daysi,
>
> I forgot to follow up with you on our conversation of a couple weeks ago.
> I was speaking with Sally (cc'd), and we came to this awesome "world cafe"
> idea based on what Sally had done previously as head of the Public Service
> Center.
>
> There are administrators who feel like they lack student feedback or
> simply don't know how to obtain a broader perspective than perhaps what
> Institute committee members feed them or perhaps just would like more
> opportunities to interact with students. There are also students who do not
> have time nor inclination to join committees or lobby student leaders to
> convey their perspectives (and perhaps tend to complain after a policy is
> announced rather than trying to influence its course).
>
> The idea to help these people get in touch is to bring ~30 students and
> ~30 administrators together for a 3-course dinner where each course
> requires a seat change and possibly a guiding discussion question for each
> table. Perhaps each participant would get 10 cards with name and email so
> that if a discussion is particularly fruitful, the members can follow up
> with one another by exchanging contact cards. Sally mentioned that she
> could possibly help with the venue and food, and it seems that this would
> not be too hard to handle once per semester in terms of just inviting
> people to a date and time, and polling for some questions. Perhaps UA
> members could use it as a sort of banquet or general hang-out.
>
> Not sure if this description makes sense; feel free to call or we can get
> coffee and chat about it. I see it primarily as an opportunity to get more
> actionable feedback and better relations among the student body and
> administrators/faculty than current events such as the mental health forums
> or random dinners with admins held recently in dorms. These tend to be more
> confrontational or just descriptive as opposed to productive and helping to
> envision the future. Do you have any thoughts or additional things you
> might see this being useful for?
>
> Sally may want to add some details or perspective, but I guess the main
> question is, who do you think would be the best person on the UA side to
> help make this happen?
>
> Cheers,
> Andy
> 262-314-4291
> _____
> *availability*
> <https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=andtratt%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York>
>
>
--
Sent from my mobile. Please pardon brevity and typos.
Alice M. Zielinski
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology '16
alicez@mit.edu
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Hi Andy,<div><br></div><div>I just wanted to drop a quick note about this t=
hought based on my experiences with student-admin discussions: I like the i=
dea and likewise believe that it can be fruitful. My only concern would be =
ensuring that the students in attendance are up to date on policy and have =
a foundational understanding of how policy and=C2=A0influencing operations =
works. Otherwise, this could easily become a round table event that is very=
introductory in the sense that=C2=A0due to the massive amount of onboardin=
g required to bring a student=C2=A0to the=C2=A0level of understanding that =
is conducive to=C2=A0influencing=C2=A0change, no actual forward work or thi=
nking would get done. If the goal would be to just garner=C2=A0feedback of =
varying quality=C2=A0and/or interact with students without a real sense of =
expecting direct=C2=A0outcomes, then the background understanding of the st=
udents wouldn't matter so much. I think it's just something to cons=
ider and of which to be mindful.</div><div><br></div><div>Best,</div><div>A=
lice<br><br>On Sunday, May 15, 2016, Andy Trattner <<a href=3D"mailto:tr=
attner@mit.edu">trattner@mit.edu</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gma=
il_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-lef=
t:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hi Daysi,<div><br></div><div>I forgot to follow up =
with you on our conversation of a couple weeks ago. I was speaking with Sal=
ly (cc'd), and we came to this awesome "world cafe" idea base=
d on what Sally had done previously as head of the Public Service Center.</=
div><div><br></div><div>There are administrators who feel like they lack st=
udent feedback or simply don't know how to obtain a broader perspective=
than perhaps what Institute committee members feed them or perhaps just wo=
uld like more opportunities to interact with students. There are also stude=
nts who do not have time nor inclination to join committees or lobby studen=
t leaders to convey their perspectives (and perhaps tend to complain after =
a policy is announced rather than trying to influence its course).=C2=A0</d=
iv><div><br></div><div>The idea to help these people get in touch is to bri=
ng ~30 students and ~30 administrators together for a 3-course dinner where=
each course requires a seat change and possibly a guiding discussion quest=
ion for each table. Perhaps each participant would get 10 cards with name a=
nd email so that if a discussion is particularly fruitful, the members can =
follow up with one another by exchanging contact cards. Sally mentioned tha=
t she could possibly help with the venue and food, and it seems that this w=
ould not be too hard to handle once per semester in terms of just inviting =
people to a date and time, and polling for some questions. Perhaps UA membe=
rs could use it as a sort of banquet or general hang-out.</div><div><br></d=
iv><div>Not sure if this description makes sense; feel free to call or we c=
an get coffee and chat about it. I see it primarily as an opportunity to ge=
t more actionable feedback and better relations among the student body and =
administrators/faculty than current events such as the mental health forums=
or random dinners with admins held recently in dorms. These tend to be mor=
e confrontational or just descriptive as opposed to productive and helping =
to envision the future. Do you have any thoughts or additional things you m=
ight see this being useful for?</div><div><br></div><div>Sally may want to =
add some details or perspective, but I guess the main question is, who do y=
ou think would be the best person on the UA side to help make this happen?<=
/div><div><br clear=3D"all"><div><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr=
"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div =
dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><font color=3D"#000000">=
Cheers,</font></div><div><font color=3D"#000000">Andy</font></div><div><fon=
t color=3D"#000000">262-314-4291</font></div><div style=3D"text-align:right=
"><font color=3D"#000000">_____</font></div><div style=3D"text-align:right"=
><a href=3D"https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=3Dandtratt%40gma=
il.com&ctz=3DAmerica/New_York" style=3D"font-size:12.8px" target=3D"_bl=
ank"><font size=3D"1"><i>availability</i></font></a><font color=3D"#999999"=
size=3D"1"><br></font></div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>=
</div></div></div></div></div>
</div></div>
</blockquote></div><br><br>-- <br>Sent from my mobile. Please pardon brevit=
y and typos.<p>Alice M. Zielinski<br>Electrical Engineering & Computer =
Science<br>Massachusetts Institute of Technology '16<br><a href=3D"mail=
to:alicez@mit.edu">alicez@mit.edu</a><br></p>
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