RALEIGH, N.C. (June 10, 2014) - A new Wake Tech initiative to engage employees in creative, collaborative problem-solving has won the 2014 Innovation of the Year Award from the League for Innovation. The initiative, called SAIL (Succeed, Achieve, Improve, Learn), is a structured process through which college staff and faculty can work together to address institutional challenges. 

SAIL trains and supports employees in developing innovative proposals to target identified college priorities. It includes rigorous review and evaluation components to ensure the quality, feasibility, and sustainability of plans and projects. In its first implementation, SAIL guided the competitive selection of Wake Tech’s Quality Enhancement Plan, an important requirement for accreditation. 

SAIL also provides a process for scaling-up and capitalizing on another Wake Tech initiative – a very successful one – called Applied Benchmarking, in which every employee is asked to find a “great idea” or solution and adapt it for use at Wake Tech. SAIL harnesses the energy (and synergy) emerging from so many employee-generated ideas and use it to bring about significant improvements.

The League’s Innovation of the Year Award is designed to recognize faculty, staff, and administrators at member colleges who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community. Wake Tech’s award was one of 44 granted for outstanding innovations that serve community colleges and students.