From the League

Established 25 years ago, the League’s Innovation of the Year Award was devised as a way to recognize significant innovations reflecting capstone achievements and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded. The award is designed to recognize staff at member colleges who have designed and implemented a significant innovation. Granting this award provides a venue for showcasing these innovations and the dedicated community college educators who are working to create new programs, improve processes, and enhance the opportunities available in their communities.

Criteria. Selection of award recipients is based on the following criteria established by the League:

• Quality. Students and/or staff agree that the innovation increases quality in the course, program, office, or institution.

• Efficiency. The innovation contributes to more efficient processes.

• Cost Effectiveness. The innovation adds value to the institution while containing or reducing costs.

• Replication. The innovation is easy to replicate at other institutions.

• Creativity. The innovation is original and creative.

• Timeliness. The innovation is not more than five years old in the institution, allowing plenty of time for it to be tested.

Nomination. To begin the nomination process, each college announces the Innovation of the Year award competition at its institution. The individual college forms a local committee to establish college-specific criteria and select the college’s award winner. The League encourages participating colleges to seek nominations from all areas of the college, including full- and part-time instructors, student services staff, administrators, and support personnel. The award celebrates the innovation as well as those who designed and implemented it; therefore, a single nomination will include both the innovation and the people who developed it.

Selection. Each participating college determines the selection process it will use and follows that process to select its Innovation of the Year award recipient. The college shares information about the winning innovation with the League, including a brief description of the innovation and the names, job titles, and a photograph of the personnel who developed the innovation. The League presents an Innovation of the Year award to each participating college’s winning innovation.

Honoring Local Award Recipients. Participating colleges have a variety of ways to celebrate their local winners and further emphasize the value of innovation in community college education. Some colleges plan special award ceremonies, recognition programs, receptions, or dinners to honor and celebrate their award recipients. A number of colleges provide each member of the winning team with funding to attend a League conference. Participating colleges often issue news releases announcing the selection, and some publish pamphlets or booklets featuring the winning innovation.

2007 Innovation of the Year Award Winners. In 2007, 39 awards were granted in seven categories: (1) workforce preparation and development, (2) learning and teaching, (3) student services and activities, (4) research, assessment and accountability, (5) resource development, (6) basic skills and developmental education, and (7) leadership and organization. Click on the links below to learn more about the winning innovations in the 2007 Innovation of the Year competition. To learn more about the competition and how your college can participate, contact Wendy Neil at neil@league.org or (480) 705-8200, ext. 234.

For more information about the 2007 Innovation of the Year award winners, visit http://www.league.org/league/competitions/innovations/display2007.cfm.

This edition of Innovation Showcase is sponsored by Microsoft.

Cynthia Wilson, Editor