The Barrier Team at UWG will identify, assess, and provide recommendations for improving operational processes, policies, and practices with the goal of eliminating barriers of inefficiency. With a culture and mantra of problem solving, this team must align identified barriers with efficient solutions through the lens of mandated statutes, governing policies, and system shared services.
The Barriers Team does not address issues related to interpersonal conflict, discrimination, professional misconduct, supervisor/employee disputes, instructor/student issues, or faculty/staff issues. If you are dealing with any of these issues, here are some other offices on campus that may be able to assist you.
- The Ombuds Office on campus is a place where the staff works to resolve university related conflicts and concerns. Specifically, it can help when you do not know how to begin the process of resolving your conflict. The Ombuds office is completely confidential and does not have a responsibility to report.
- The Office of Human Resources can formally address issues related to discrimination and harassment as well as conflict resolution.
- Barrier Team Members Jump to content
- Projects In Progress Jump to content
- Sledgehammers Awarded Jump to content
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Barrier Team Members
Chair Ms. April Coe Duffie
aduffie@westga.edu
Prospect Research Coordinator, Advancement Members Mr. Kevin Shunn Chair, Department of Art Ms. Rebecca Smith Assistant Director, Newnan Center Ms. Liz Baker Executive Director, Budget Services Mr. Ron Richards Director, Internal Audit Dr. Shea Rose Associate Professor, Geosciences Dr. Jennifer Jordan AVP Enrollment Management, SAEM Ms. Angela Mehafee Interlibrary Loan Manager Dr. Denise Overfield AVP Academic Affairs; Dean, Graduate School Ms. Brooke Keener Staff Advisory Council, Publications & Printing Mr. Vedat Gunay Project Manager, ITS Mr. Cole Fannin Business Consultant, Small Business Dev. Center Dr. Tammy McClenny RN to BSN Director and Asst. Professor, THSSON Ms. Bridgette Stewart Health & Community Wellness Program Coordinator and Sr. Lecturer, COE Ms. Elizabeth Smith Associate Director, Auxiliary Services Ms. Aysha Marennis Director, New Student Programs -
Projects In Progress
Barrier Team Projects in Progress as of January 1, 2019 Survey Reliability/Validity Faculty Hiring Process Tracking Campus Committees (Charge & Membership) NEXTGen Scholarship Portal Utilization OneUSG Employee Assistance Fund -
Sledgehammers Awarded
Academic Catalog
Barrier: A combination of concerns about the timing of publication of the academic catalogs and the process for updating their content.
Solution: The Provost Office (under the direction of Dr. Myrna Gantner) led the implementation of new catalog and curriculum software--Acalog and Curriculog, respectively. UWG will complete implementation of the software systems and will begin the process of sharing information out to campus so the systems can fully launch in Fall 2018.
Faculty Toolkit
Barrier: Faculty needs a way to quickly and easily refer students to the proper resource(s) for common topics.
Solution: The Faculty Toolkit
Extended Leave Replacement August 2014
Barrier: Departments operate inefficiently when an employee has to take an extended leave.
Solution: Human Resources - Leave Administration
Earlier Distribution of e-tuition Dollars
Barrier: The late distribution of E-tuition dollars makes it difficult for units to utilize funds in ways that most benefit the students who pay those dollars.
Solution: View our Barrier Identification Form - E-tuition (pdf) to explore our recommendations.
Dual Career Assistance Program
Barrier: Desirable staff and faculty candidates who are considering relocation to UWG may not accept an employment offer if they do not believe career assistance is available for their working partners.
Solution: Establishment of a Dual Career Assistance Program (DCAP) managed through UWG's Office of Public Service and Outreach. Visit the DCAP website.
Revised Academic Calendar
Barrier: The current approach to annual scheduling results in confusion in every division of the institution, less instructional time for classes, insufficient time for processing important information (transcripts, diplomas, etc.), insufficient time for students to move between classes, and a lack of breaks during the fall semester.
Solution:
- Provost should make the decision about which of the 4 fall options (2016) he prefers. That decision will determine the pattern for future calendars.
- Once the decision is made, we recommend that he appoint the permanent UWG Academic Calendar Committee. This standing committee will be charged with producing the calendar for the next four years (2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021) and each year thereafter. (Each year, the UWG Academic Calendar Committee will develop the calendar for the next 5th year so that the institution always has calendars established for five years).
Note: the Barrier Team subcommittee consisted of members of the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, Student Affairs, Auxiliary Services, Academic Affairs, and Business and Financial Services.
Work West Employee Toolkit
Barrier: The lack of an easily accessible source for important documents, procedures, policies, etc., is a barrier to our operational success.
Solution: Create a centralized website that houses frequently requested forms, policies and procedures beneficial to the larger UWG campus community. View the Work West Employee Toolkit.
Internal Communications
Barrier: The declining usefulness and readership of the current Daily Report.
Solution: Replace the Daily Report with a weekly Work West Bulletin; to reduce clutter, the Work West Bulletin focuses on items relevant to faculty, staff and administrators across campus, is issued weekly, and relocates events to a separate calendar platform.
Work West Brochure
Barrier: A lack of knowledge about the full picture of what it's like to "Work West" may hamper recruitment of faculty and staff.
Solution: Created a print-on-demand brochure that can be found online by potential hires and/or distributed by departments to candidates for positions. View the Work West Brochure (PDF, 13.8M).