Higher education administrators juggle many responsibilities, so anything that helps make their roles easier and more efficient is always a hit with everyone. Having extra capacity and flexibility becomes even more crucial when big changes happen at work.
As research at Appalachian State University has grown in importance for faculty recruiting and the student experience, the use of InfoReady has grown as well.Speaking to InfoReady, Katie Howard (Associate Director of Grants Resources & Services in the Office of Research) shared her tips for increasing support and use of the platform. She serves as the primary contact on her campus and enjoys sharing the system with her colleagues: “It’s really revolutionized how I go about my daily work.”
Start small
- “We originally bought InfoReady for me to manage limited submissions and internal grants, so I really wanted to have a solid handle on those things before we tried to share the system with other people.”
- Know your own programs first. Katie took about a semester to get familiar with the system and update existing processes before reaching out to colleagues she believed could benefit too.
- Spend time now, save time later. Developing templates and competitions from the ground up can be time-consuming, but investing the effort initially will significantly reduce the time required in future iterations.
Spread the word
- “I think the reputation is growing on our campus, and the beauty of it is, now that we’re three years in, everybody is much more comfortable with it, and they expect certain things to come through it all the time.”
- Face-to-face is most effective. The Vice President for Research gives friendly presentations to faculty councils to introduce the system, and Katie enjoys doing demos for colleges and units.
- Use multiple methods. When someone first encounters InfoReady, it's usually by filling out an application or review. You can also spread the word through emails, social media, and good old-fashioned word of mouth.
Negotiate (financial) buy-in
- Identify the selling point. For the administrators Katie interacts with: “It’s almost always related to efficiency because...I’m talking to people who have done this a different way, and the different way is almost always an amalgamation of three or four different systems.”
- Cost share if you can. Find a balance that works for you to help cover the overall cost.
Add ways to use over time
- Share templates to generate ideas. Katie makes her templates available to other administrators, but also prompts them to design their own: “I encourage administrators to spend time in the create mode and seeing what the system can do, and building it custom for what they need.”
- Track activity. Run reports to see numbers and types of applications and opportunities. Ask: How are colleagues using the system? Are there others that could use it in a similar way?
Dream big dreams
- “My dream is that everything internal competition-wise, whether it’s scholarships, fellowships, awards, internal grants, limited submissions, all of these opportunities would live in one place for the whole campus.”
- Build relationships with key stakeholders. For many teams already using InfoReady, the financial aspect might be the trickiest part when encouraging colleagues to join in.
- Be patient. Gaining support and shifting programs takes time, so be patient. Keep showcasing how efficient and cost-effective it is, and soon enough, others will be happy to hop on board.
We want to thank Katie for sharing her experience with advocating for using InfoReady across campus.
