The Practice of Co-Laboring | Workflow, Productivity and Communication
How do we work together to set and achieve these goals?
Always keeping Center goals and partnerships in foci, all Center activities, happenings, and projects should aim to contribute to our research themes (Areas of Inquiry) and the progression of our goals. Including being able to immediately respond to current societal events or concerns while continue moving forward on in-progress plans.
Items related to implementing Center goals are tracked by the Center Manager (CM) utilizing timeline and workflow guides for the Science and Justice Graduate Training Program (SJTP), undergraduate curriculum, and events for project management.
How does each role actually contribute to the mission and supportive goals?
Assistant Director (if employed)
Steering Committee
Graduate Student Researcher
How do we set our weekly priorities?
Template: This Week in Science & Justice
Template: Weekly Center Meeting Agenda
The Center Manager generates a weekly email to the Director titled, ‘This Week in S&J: <insert dates>’ which includes links to agendas and needed information for upcoming meetings (eg: weekly Center Admin meeting, meetings with campus admin, affiliates, committees, etc). The email should also flag deadlines, events, questions or notes, and list top 3 priorities per person. This should be sent out Monday's by 12 noon. As needed (depending on how many people need to communicate all topics with), the Center Manager will maintain a weekly ‘progression plan’, also titled This Week in S&J. This ‘progression plan’ is a prioritized breakdown of delegated duties listed by person and category according to Center goals. Items and goals are set or marked as completed, next steps are determined, meetings are confirmed, or general status’ change.
The Center has many deadlines with students, affiliates and partners to help progress delegated duties. Upon reviewing the action items in the Top Priorities listed in the Monday ‘This Week in S&J’ and based on broader need and understanding, the Center Manager (CM) with the Director propose either a deadline or next check-in point. The Director should provide guidance and direction on any needed reprioritization. If needed, the Center may consider outsourcing some delegations as event co-sponsorships where applicable.
As items are scheduled and confirmed, they are tracked in the weekly agenda, SJRC Admin Calendar, Event Calendar and planning documents, and Google Calendar. Unconfirmed items shall include a To Be Determined (TBD) note until confirmed. Unless otherwise scheduled in advance and approved by the Director in writing, the below staffing schedules are typical.
Specific Workflow Processes: Visiting Scholars, Committee and Advisors
See Daily breakdown:
Per Term
Solicit input from Center Manager (CM), GSR, Director of Teaching (DoT), Director of Research (DoR), Steering Committee, Advisory Board, and Director to plot the 3 year cycles of Areas of Inquiry (research themes). and annual foci.
CM: set deadlines, confirm dates; update the SJRC Productivity Calendar, the weekly agenda, SJRC Admin Calendar, Event Calendar and planning documents, and Google Calendar. as needed.
Spring: confirm next years appointments: GSR, Committees
Monday
Staffing Schedules
Center Manager (CM):
(pre-COVID) Works on campus 8am-12noon in Oakes College for SJRC and 1pm-5pm in Rachel Carson College for the Sociology department.
GSR
Works remotely on projects as needed.
Director
Work remotely, be available via email or phone from 8-12.
Communication and Workflow
Center Manager (CM):
Check the Center’s SciJust@ucsc.edu email account.
Check regular work email for updates on delegated duties, immediate questions, or direction.
Compile the ‘This Week in S&J’ email:
Make a copy of the ‘This Week in S&J’ document emailed from the previous week, renaming as the current week.
Remove completed items and update any new items.
Review items still needing to be completed, note flagged items needing to be addressed on the weekly Center meeting agenda.
Update the SJRC Productivity Calendar, Event Calendar, and Google Calendar as needed.
Aiming for 10 am, no later than 12noon, email the Director: ‘This Week in S&J’ document, all meeting agendas
Continue checking and responding to emails accordingly.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities.
Director:
Review ‘This Week in S&J’ emailed by CM.
Suggest any adjustments to priorities as needed.
Review and take care of items flagged on the Center Meeting agenda.
Answer items questioned and suggest additional items to be discussed.
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities.
Tuesday
Staffing Schedules
Center Manager (CM):
Works on campus 8am-12noon and 1pm-5pm in Oakes College for SJRC.
GSR
Works remotely on projects as needed.
Director
Works on campus. Is generally available for meetings and/or teaching.
Communication and Workflow
Tuesdays are generally reserved for teaching/office hours and meetings. Common conflicts include:
9:30-10:30 Jenny’s office hours
10:30-11:30 SJRC Center Meeting
11:40-1:15 Sociology Department meetings/Colloquia
Afternoon, Jenny teaches.
Center Manager (CM):
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Complete delegated tasks.
Prepare for Center Meeting
Print agenda and any materials needing review.
Print any financial items needing Director’s signature
Log in any remote participants
Conduct Center meeting, take notes, translating discussion into action items.
Debrief and touch base with others ass needed on next steps from meeting.
Update the SJRC Productivity Calendar, Event Calendar, and Google Calendar as needed.
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Teach as scheduled.
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Complete delegated tasks.
Prepare for Center Meeting reviewing agenda for added items.
With Center Manager, conduct Center meeting, take notes, translate discussion in action items.
Debrief and touch base with Center Manager, GSR, or others as needed on next steps from meeting.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Director
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Prepare for Center meeting, review agenda for items needing to be discussed, and complete any “To Do” items.
Attend Center meeting.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Wednesday
Staffing Schedules
Center Manager (CM):
Works on campus 8am-12noon and 1pm-5pm in Oakes College for SJRC unless otherwise scheduled.
The CM should aim to attend all events for logistical support and content understanding. Depending on time constraints the CM can work remotely at the event, in a nearby shared office, or accrue overtime up to 12 hours per term (internal cap to prevent burnout). Overtime is not paid out, rather used before using vacation time.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Works on campus. Is generally available for meetings and/or hosting and attending center happenings.
Director
Works on campus. Is generally available for meetings and/or hosting and attending center happenings.
Communication and Workflow
Wednesdays are generally reserved for informal gatherings over the lunch hour 12-1:30pm or 1:30-3pm, or 4:00-5:30pm. And formal events from 4-6pm.
Center Manager (CM):
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Complete delegated tasks.
Prepare for Center happenings
Print bios, abstracts and any materials the Event Host needs.
Print any financial items needing participant signatures.
Print and set out sign-in sheets.
Set up/clean up refreshments and audiovisual, logging in any remote participants and gather participant signatures for logistical paperwork.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Complete delegated tasks and responsibilities.
Prepare for, attend and participate in Center happenings
Act as Moderator or Event Host as needed.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Director
Check and respond to emails accordingly.
Complete delegated tasks and responsibilities.
Prepare for, attend and participate in Center happenings
Act as Moderator or Event Host as needed.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Thursday
Staffing Schedules
Center Manager (CM):
Does not work for SJRC.
Works on campus 8am-12noon and 1pm-5pm in Rachel Carson College for the Sociology department.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Works on campus. Is generally available for teaching and/or meetings that the CM doesn’t need to attend.
Director
Works on campus. Is generally available for teaching and/or meetings that the CM doesn’t need to attend.
Communication and Workflow
Thursdays are generally reserved for teaching/office hours and meetings that the Center Manager (CM) doesn’t need to attend (ie: AD with GSR or affiliates or student researchers, AD with Director on research agenda or grants). Common conflicts include:
9:30-10:30 Jenny’s office hours
11:40-1:15 Sociology Department meetings/colloquia
Afternoon, Jenny teaches.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Teach as scheduled.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Director
Teach as scheduled.
As time permits, complete delegated tasks and responsibilities. Prepare, Conduct and/or attend any other planned meetings regarding the Center, its initiatives, trainings or projects.
Friday
Center Manager (CM):
Does not work for SJRC.
Works on campus 8am-12noon and 1pm-5pm in Rachel Carson College for the Sociology department.
As time permits, updates ‘This Week in S&J’ with items completed and plans for next week’s workflow.
AD (if an Assistant Director is employed)
Works on personal research from off campus.
Updates ‘This Week in S&J’ with items completed and plans for next week’s workflow.
Director
Works on personal research from off campus.