We are the current members of Penn State Altoona's "Just Do It!" Team (The Team). The Team is back after a four-year hiatus with new members and a new leader, Elise Vernarsky. For many employees who joined Penn State Altoona during the past four years, the "Just Do It!" Team is here for the first time; we appreciate the opportunity to tell you what we do.
Penn State Altoona first became involved with formal Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in 1992. Many CQI projects required a great deal of study and time, but CQI Steering Team member Joe Reasy envisioned some issues that could be addressed with fewer hours of thought and more immediate action. From Joe's vision, The "Just Do It!" Team was born. The Team collects ideas from people who are faculty, staff, students, or any other member of our community. We review those ideas. If they have obvious merit and don't require a lot of study, we recommend action to our sponsor, Chancellor Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry. If she approves of our recommendation, she gives the order to "Just Do It!." The Team then works with appropriate offices to handle implementation and a practical change is made that improves immediately the quality of our campus' teaching and learning, student life, campus-community interactions, or even the overall campus environment. Some of the past successes of the "Just do It!" Team include:
- Converting a paper directory to one available via the web,
- Placing clocks & pencil sharpeners in all classrooms and two-way light switches in some classrooms,
- Posting signs outside of faculty offices indicating professors' names and titles,
- Locating a campus phone in the library for students,
- Installing speed bumps and improving parking,
- Reducing paperwork and changing the timing of students' bills,
- Improving cleanliness of recreational area changing stations and adding shelves in bathrooms.
- Installing safety carpet in hallways and handicap accessible door entrances, and
- Installing cigarette urns outside all buildings to collect butts
The following items were completed during the 2006-2007 school year:
- Ban smoking at building entrances – one door for each building is now designated and marked with paw prints to show distance from the door.
- List names/phone numbers in directory by department – the on-line directory on NOW can be sorted by department.
- Install public bulletin board on first floor of Hawthorn – completed.
- Move clocks in Hawthorn classrooms from behind projection screens – completed.
- Part-time faculty sharing one office need multiple frames to post office hours – completed.
- Add pictures to campus directory – you can access the directory at www.altoona.psu.edu/webaccess to voluntarily download your pictures. If any questions, contact Jonathan O'Harrow at oharrow@psu.edu.
- There is a large hole in the pavement in the Smith parking lot near the pavilion – parking lot was repaved.
- Synchronize the clocks in classrooms and hallways – replace current clocks with atomic clocks over a period of time.
- Improve pedestrian crossing marking and signage when crossing to Cypress Building from Ivyside Park. – completed.
- When holding an event, all of the sandwiches were ham. What about kosher Jews and observant Muslins? Suggest a policy that all lunches provided for college events include a non-ham option – Dr. Bechtel advised chancellor committee members to encourage faculty/staff to be mindful of diversity and the needs of all individuals when ordering for catered events.
- We need direction arrows painted on the pavement at the entrance and exit gates for all parking lots. Also, add reflective tape to the gate so it can be seen better at twilight/dusk – completed
- Replace the large mat used for stretching/exercise in the corner of the second weight room of Adler – completed
Many of these changes we take for granted. It's hard to believe that they were not here just a few years ago.
What's your idea?
The CQI Just Do It team is looking for your ideas to improve the quality of our college community. Please use one of the
three options listed below to submit your suggestion:
Want to know more? Contact a committe member:
- Carole Bookhamer - E-mail:
- Debbie Brennan - E-mail:
- Marissa Carney - E-mail:
- Shannon Corrigan - E-mail:
- Jeff Covino - E-mail:
- Sue Dodson - E-mail:
- Bill Engelbret - E-mail:
- Cheryl Hatch - E-mail:
- Sharon Lacue - E-mail:
- Jackie Mowery - E-mail:
- Linda Nedimyer - E-mail:
- Jen Slusser - E-mail:
- Elise Vernarsky - E-mail:
- Rob Yingling - E-mail:
RSS Headlines