Staff members from across the Uni-versity are being encouraged to attend the first all-University M-Quality Expo at the Michigan Union Oct. 20–21.

Under a theme of “Creating the Future: Sharing What We Are Learning,” the Expo is designed to provide “a new way for all of us to learn about improvements and innovations in the University in such areas as satisfying those we serve, using M-Quality tools and techniques to promote effective problem-solving, improving the work environment, and fostering a spirit of teamwork and empowerment,” say Gilbert R. Whitaker Jr., executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Farris W. Womack, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

“We believe the Expo will give all of us a better sense, from more than 50 exhibitions, of the many contributions people are making to the University, as well as their early accomplishments in implementing M-Quality.”

The Expo will be open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Oct. 20 and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Oct. 21.

Activities will include a tantalizing group of door prizes, including a grand prize of round-trip air fare for two from Northwest Airlines to any place in the continental United States.

In addition to the exhibits, there will be three formal presentations on Thursday, all in the Kuenzel Room:

Results of the recent survey of staff perceptions of the workplace, presented by education Prof. Marvin W. Peterson and business administration Prof. Kim Cameron. 11 a.m.

Statistics Prof. Edward D. Rothman will explain how common sense, which serves us well in some circumstances, leads us astray in others in the context of quality management. 2 p.m.

Statistics Prof. Richard W. Andrews will give a humorous presentation to “half-heartedly” support 15 “half-baked” issues for quality management, with a goal of convincing people to develop their own set of quality principles. 4 p.m.

Karen E. Sayer, head of the film and video library at the University Library will be showing two videos on Oct. 21: More Bloody Meetings, featuring John Cleese, 11 a.m., and Leadership and the New Science, featuring Margaret J. Wheatley, 1 p.m., both in the Kuenzel Room.

Admission is free and Whitaker and Womack have encouraged deans, directors and unit heads to provide release time, without loss of time or pay when possible, to staff who wish to attend the program.

“In a university as large and decentralized as the University of Michigan we have heard many of you say that it is important for all of us to recognize that we have much to learn from others, and much to teach others, as all of us perform our jobs,” Whitaker and Womack say. “We are in complete agreement with these thoughts and feel it is important for staff to know that these thoughts were a major impetus for the Expo.”

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