$500 Practical Ideas – Winners

On Tuesday 15 July, I presented the outcomes of the latest Your Say Survey of staff. The survey results revealed a lot of good news but also that more work is needed on processes and procedures, student satisfaction, change management and recruitment and selection. As the survey questions are very broad, we needed your help in identifying the real problems you face in these areas. We offered 10 prizes of $500 each to staff for the best responses in identifying a problem and providing a practical solution.

A panel representing expertise in research, learning and teaching, sustainability, facilities, student support and human resources was convened and compiled a short-list of recommended ideas for my consideration. From the shortlist, I selected the following 10 ideas as winners of the $500 prize.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter and congratulations to the winners:

• Iain Brew: Sustainable printing and submission of assignments.
• Henriette Viethen: More sidewalks on campus streets.
• Della Goswell: Customisation of campus map
• Leanne Price:  Emergency staffing database.  
• Michael Bastion: Equipment and furniture swap facility
• Tina Kong: Changeable date plaque for graduation photos
• Tina Kong: Improving forms for new staff
• Kerry Agars: Electronic meeting booking system for students
• Kerry Agars: Secure storage with recharge facilities for student laptops
• Sam Perera: Improving online / web marketing for a broad range of cultures

Keep a look out in 2009 as we put each of these ideas into practice.

Please keep sending those great ideas to me … the more ideas, the better Macquarie will be.

Steven Schwartz
Vice-Chancellor