Strategic Partnerships as Lever for Change Marilyn J. Amey Michigan State University Pamela L. Eddy College of William and Mary

Background External Context Economy National Goals State Environment Policy Mandates to encourage partnerships Desire to create seamless education pathways Resource savings American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New Orleans

Definitions Strategic Partnerships Identification of institutional goals Intentionality in selecting partners Alignment of partner values Traditional Partnerships Often initiated by individuals Not necessarily tied to institutional goals Happenstance American Association of Community Colleges

Partnership Model American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New Orleans Antecedents Partnership Sustainable Dissolves Motivation Context Outcomes Untenable Context How can strategic partnerships leverage change?

Policy McDonnell & Elmore (1987) Mandates Inducements Capacity-building System-changing Assumptions Direct impacts Common application American Association of Community Colleges

Change Theories Kezar (2001) outlines six categories Evolutionary Theological Life-cycle Dialectical Social cognition Cultural First-order vs. Second-order change American Association of Community Colleges

Stage One American Association of Community Colleges Antecedents Motivation Context Institutional Planning Identification of Goals and potential partners

Stage Two American Association of Community Colleges Partnerships Outcomes Context Environmental Scanning Value/goal alignment Identification of outcomes Leadership Framing

Stage Three American Association of Community Colleges Partnership Capital Feedback Context Second order change Institutionalize

Implications Policy Makers Consideration of resources required for system changes Moving beyond incremental changes Questioning underlying assumptions Institutions Critical reflection of values and strategic goals Environmental scanning for alignment and selection of partners American Association of Community Colleges

Implications (con’d) Leaders Inventory of existing partnerships Identifying resources Reward system for alignment of values/goals Institutionalizing for sustainability Questioning assumptions Embedding via collaboration Framing the message American Association of Community Colleges

Conclusions Partnerships are here to stay Need for selection based on strategy Role of relationship building over time Framing of message at multiple levels American Association of Community Colleges

Thank You Marilyn Amey Pamela Eddy American Association of Community Colleges