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How can I get involved in Lean Six Sigma for Higher Education?

Valdosta State University's Lean Six Sigma program is always looking to recruit additional faculty and staff to continue the process of campus improvement. If you are interested, we hope you will join us. Provided below are the steps you can take in order to get involved:

 

Step 1: Lean Six Sigma for Higher Education Certification

The first step to participating in Six Sigma is becoming certified. There are four levels of certification:

  • White Belt - White Belts are familiar with the history, the definition, and overall process of Lean and Six Sigma. White Belts are able to participate in Six Sigma projects as team members, but are more often called upon to act as content specialists in their fields.
  • Yellow Belt - Yellow Belts have the same qualifications as White Belts, but also have understanding of Six Sigma documentation such as project charters, DMAICs, and executive summaries. White Belts are most often the core team members in a Six Sigma project, but can also be called upon to act as content specialists in their fields.
  • Green Belt - Green Belts have the same qualifications as Yellow Belts, but also have in-depth training in the statistical tools of Six Sigma, such as Pareto charts, standard deviation, and Ishikawa diagrams. Green Belts are qualified to lead Six Sigma projects on campus.
  • Black Belt - Black Belts have the same qualifications as Green Belts, but also have expertise in all facets of Six Sigma combined with the experience of past completed projects. Black Belts are expected to be the champions of the Six Sigma initiative for their campus.

The University System of Georgia offers Lean Six Sigma for Higher Education training and certification to faculty and staff at no cost to the individual or department up through the Green Belt level. These sessions are made available through Employee and Organizational Development.

  • Click here to review a list of availabilities for Lean Six Sigma training sessions.
  • Click here for the registration form for Lean Six Sigma training sessions.

 

Step 2: Suggest a Project

Send us your ideas for Six Sigma projects. Even if a project falls outside of your work area, we'd love to have an opportunity to find out what ideas you have for improving various processes on campus. At regular times during the year, we bring project idea submissions to a committee of the university's leaders. They will then select the projects the university is the most interested in pursuing and we will form Six Sigma teams in order to support these projects.

  • Click here to review a list of projects that have either been completed or are in progress.
  • Click here to submit a new project idea.

 

Step 3: Join a Project Team

Six Sigma teams meet for approximately 1-2 hours per week over the course of 3-6 months in order to work on their projects.

If you will have the time during a particular semester to participate in a Six Sigma project team, please send an e-mail to jrseverns@valdosta.edu in order to notify Jeanne Severns, the VSU Six Sigma Liason, of your availability and interest.

If a project has begun or is going to begin that requires a Six Sigma certified faculty or staff member from your area of expertise, Jeanne will provide you with the details.