Work Succeeding

The Task Force 2021 and Beyond was charged with exploring "how MIT might invent a thriving new future" in a post-Covid world. The task force’s Administrative Workstream focused on MIT's administrative functions and their implications as MIT plans for the future.

One of the workstream’s "Big Ideas" was to explore flexible and sustainable work practices at MIT that will continue to enable teams to further the MIT mission — including examining the many successes of remote work throughout the pandemic and the opportunities it provides. A project called "Work Succeeding" was launched to realize this idea.

Work Succeeding provides guidance and tools for how we can work together and policies to support teams as we discover how to operate in our new world. Through an iterative process, we will learn together — leveraging lessons learned to design a strategy for the future.

Steering Committee

• Ramona Allen, Vice President for Human Resources, Co-Chair
• Robin Elices, Executive Director, Office of the Executive Vice President and Treasurer
• Shirley A. Entzminger, Administrative Assistant, Department of Mathematics
• Amy Glasmeier, Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
• Joe Higgins, Vice President for Campus Services and Stewardship, Co-Chair
• Tim Jamison, Associate Provost
• Erin Kelly, Professor, Sloan School of Management
• Tom Kochan, Professor, Sloan School of Management
• Christina Lo, Director of Strategic Sourcing and Contracts, Office of the Vice President for Finance
• Todd Robinson, Senior Campus Planner, Office of Campus Planning
• Krystyn Van Vliet, Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Research, Co-Chair

Ambassadors

Ambassadors help share information about the Work Succeeding initiative with their areas of the Institute.

Administrative Departments

• Gabrielle Acardi – Human Resources Manager (Office of Strategic Alliances and Technology Transfer)
• Sharon Bridburg – Director of Human Resources (Office of the Vice Chancellor)
• Chris Caplice – Executive Director (Center for Transportation and Logistics)
• Peter Cummings – Executive Director of Administration (Division of Student Life)
• Tolga Durak – Managing Director (Environment, Health and Safety)
• Dahlia Fetouh – Counsel (Office of General Counsel)
• Bill Fitzgerald – Executive Director, Finance and Operations (Alumni Association / Resource Development)
• Ellen Gilmore – Executive Director of Human Resources (Resource Development / Alumni Association)
• Eamon Kearns – Senior Director, Enabling Services (Information Systems and Technology)
• Colleen Leslie – Assistant Provost for Research Administration (Resource Administration Services)
• Jennifer Marshall – Assistant Director (Office of Campus Planning)
• Ann McNamara – Executive Director, Finance, Administration and Ops (President’s Office)
• Lesley Millar-Nicholson – Director of Technology Licensing (Office of Strategic Alliances and Technology Transfer)
• Greg Raposa – Space Administrator (Office of the Associate Provost)
• Mary Ellen Royer – Manager, HR Operations (Human Resources)
• Brian Schuetz – Executive Director (MIT Medical)
• Carol Wood – Director, Research Administration Systems and Support (Office of the Vice President for Research)

Academic Units:

• Bill Garrett – Senior Associate Dean and Chief Administrative Officer (Sloan School of Management)
• Ken Goldsmith – Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration (School of Architecture and Planning)
• Marc Jones – Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration (School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences)
• Elizabeth Lennox – Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration (School of Engineering)
• Eileen Ng – Assistant Dean for Administration (Schwarzman College of Computing)
• Heather Williams – Assistant Dean (School of Science)

Work Succeeding Survey for Administrative and Support Staff

MIT administrative and support staff from across campus were invited to respond to a survey to provide insights on how MIT can promote flexible approaches to work while enabling teams to support MIT’s mission. The survey was open from April 26, 2021 through May 5, 2021.

Survey results are available on the MIT Institutional Research website.

Work Succeeding Survey for Faculty, Instructional Staff, and Research Staff

MIT faculty, instructional staff, and research staff were invited to respond to a survey to provide insights on how MIT can promote flexible approaches to work while enabling teams to support MIT’s mission. The survey was open from May 26, 2021 through June 7, 2021.

Survey results are available on the MIT Institutional Research website.

• "Work Succeeding: resources for fall planning" — letter from Ramona Allen, Joe Higgins, and Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Work Succeeding Steering Committee co-chairs, June 24, 2021
• "Work succeeding update and survey findings" — letter from Ramona Allen, Joe Higgins, and Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Work Succeeding Steering Committee co-chairs, May 17, 2021
• "For staff, more on summer and fall" — letter from Ramona Allen, Vice President for Human Resources; Martin A. Schmidt, Provost; Glen Shor, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, March 16, 2021
• "3 Questions: Task Force 2021 and the future of working at MIT" — MIT News article, March 16, 2021
• "Planning for summer and fall" — letter from President Reif to members of the MIT community, March 12, 2021
• Task Force 2021 and Beyond
• MIT Employment Policy Manual (3.1): an outline of current Institute policies and guidelines related to flexible work.