About this Presentation
This presentation provides the background of Medgar Evers College and of TOC being used there; the TOC thinking processes (TP) roadmap, unique features of the college scene; acceptance of departmental guidelines and TOC across the college; next steps and a summary. Medgar Evers College is part of City University of New York (CUNY) (one of two state universities of NY); the college is one of 20 units of CUNY and has three schools (Liberal Arts and Education; Business; Science Health and Technology); offers two and four year programs. For over 30 years the college had tried to address its attrition problem. In 1998 the faculty senate identified 24 academic and non-academic issues causing attrition and suggested one action for each issue. TOC was then applied to the 24 issues. In 2001 a federal grant was awarded to study attrition. Three faculty members attended a Jonah course and studied the problems. This presentation is about implementing TOC to improve retention. The full TP were applied to analyze and solve the problem.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
The team identified student attrition in mathematics as a major problem in their institution.
They used the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to systematically analyze and address this problem, developing a detailed plan for implementation.
They received a grant of $300,000 to implement their plan, and are now in the process of winning acceptance from different parts of the college and developing a website to disseminate information about the project.
Instructor(s)
Umesh P. Nagarkatte
Ms Alka Wadhwa
Alka Wadhwa is an experienced consultant and process improvement expert with over 24 years of expertise in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean Six Sigma, and organizational performance optimization. She has successfully led projects in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, driving significant improvements such as a 67% boost in hospital operations and a 140% increase in outpatient visits.
Previously, Alka Wadhwa spent 17+ years at GE Global Research Center, where she led initiatives to enhance various GE businesses through advanced technologies, process redesign, and system optimization. Founder of Better Solutions Consulting, LLC, she specializes in using TOC, Six Sigma, and data analytics to streamline operations and build high-performance teams.
Her work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Empire State Award of Excellence in healthcare.
Dr Gary Wadhwa
Dr. Gary Wadhwa is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive experience in the field. He completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery training at Montefiore Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and has served as an Attending at prestigious institutions like St. Peters Hospitals, Ellis Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital in NY. With a career spanning over two decades, he was the former CEO and President of a group specialty practice in NY from 1994 to 2015. Dr. Wadhwa holds an MBA from UT at Knoxville, TN, and has undergone additional training in System Dynamics at MIT, Health System Management at Harvard Business School, and Entrepreneurship and healthcare innovations at Columbia Business School. Committed to expanding access to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery care, he is currently engaged in a meaningful project to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in inner city and rural areas through non-profit Community Health Centers.