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Report of the Chancellor's Campus-Wide Task Force on Administration and Reengineering

PART II: Reengineering

III. Consumer Suggestions for Administrative Savings

Numerous suggestions for administrative savings were received from the interviews, letters, and focus groups of students, faculty, and staff in the Fall of 1995. The Task Force has summarized these suggestions into three categories consisting of goals, short-term savings, and long-term process improvement savings.

Administrative Savings and Process Improvement Goals

  1. Streamline processes to eliminate unnecessary reviews, sign-offs and reports.
  2. Make systems user-friendly and increase user flexibility.
  3. Seek maximum deregulation related to State and Federal regulations where feasible.
  4. Unify and centralize systems electronically to increase accuracy and efficiency in administrative operations.
  5. Eliminate unnecessary duplication in services.
  6. Consider total cost, not just marginal costs, in changing processes.

The following is a general compilation of cost saving ideas presented to the Task Force during the data gathering phase. The Task Force has not researched estimated total cost/savings or determined the validity of any item presented below. However, these items appear to have cost saving potential.

Cost Savings ---Short-Term (6-9 months)

  • Centralize mailings and improve efficiencies - for example: consolidate postage meters; consolidate first-class pre-sort; and, utilize bar-code labels.
  • Develop standards for official stationery, business cards, etc., to enhance image and communication.
  • Temporary labor pool and sharing of secretaries/classified staff. Cluster departments into structures like the Division of Biological Sciences to achieve administrative efficiencies.
  • Financial aid consolidation of cashiers and Perkins Office staff in Strong Hall during peak times.
  • HR/Pay geographic hubs to create pockets of expertise accessible to all departments.
  • Customer service training
  • - process improvement for all service providers
  • - effective communication and coordination.
  • University card for internal purchases, for example: motor pool, office supply, postage and facilities.
  • Purchasing: state contracts on-line; develop specs on-line; review authorization limits; APO's and SOV's on-line; and, computer trade clearinghouse.

    • Cost Savings --- Longer Term Process Improvement Projects

  • Space - review space management process, including allocation of space.
  • Technology - electronic bulletin to replace campus mail announcements.
  • Purchasing
  • - contract exemptions (example, computer contract)
  • - authorizations from State
  • - streamline procedures and authorizations
  • Campus Recruitment
  • Financial Systems
  • - need to be streamlined
  • - need to be made more user friendly (customer service)
  • - need to eliminate paper
  • - need to eliminate signatures
  • - need to eliminate duplication of audit
  • - need to eliminate shadow systems by improving financial computer systems
  • General Administration
  • - identify and eliminate internal and external roadblocks (example, carry-over money at year end), work towards deregulation
  • - streamline campus policies and procedures
  • Consolidate or effectively coordinate the placement bureaus.
  • Privatization
  • - identify potential areas for privatization
  • - develop criteria to assess the total cost savings
  • Training - determine, prioritize and develop training programs
  • Communication improvement

    • Return to Report main page | Members | Introduction | Process Identification | Student Support processes | Computing and Telecommunications | Facility Improvements and Building Construction | Facilities Operations | Funding of Classroom Improvements | Effective Utilization of Classified Staff | Purchasing | Space Allocation | Privatization/Outsourcing | Concluding Statement | KU Announcements page | University Relations main page