Restructuring Our Administrative and Business Systems

For the University to respond nimbly to the challenges ahead with the resources we have, we will need to be lean and creative in our administrative support systems. Achieving that goal requires us to restructure how we operate – both within UCOP and between UCOP and the campuses – so that more resources can be moved to where they are needed most: our programs of instruction, research and service.

The Office of the President, with the help of consultants from the Monitor Group, has undertaken a major restructuring initiative. The diagnostic phase, now complete, identified several immediate priorities:

  • Clarify the respective roles of UCOP, the Regents and the campuses, both in the management of the University and in the specific services provided;
  • Re-engineer the capital projects development process to generate savings by reducing unnecessary delays; and
  • Upgrade Human Resources capabilities to an appropriate level, including:
    • Implementing performance management processes to recruit, develop and retain high-performing employees and to identify and manage underperforming employees;
    • Reforming Senior Management Group hiring and compensation; and
    • Upgrading information systems to enable timely, comprehensive reporting.

    What’s next?

    The working group charged with examining the role of the Office of the President has completed its report. The working group on capital projects gave a progress report to Regents in March. The UCOP Human Resources department has created a website to provide updates on its restructuring initiatives.

Additionally, at the same time that we are developing a new budget process for the University’s systemwide capital and operational budgets that is firmly guided by our academic priorities, we are:

  • Revising the UCOP budget process for 2008-09 to implement a more systematic and transparent approach that for the first time enables departments to clearly articulate their needs as well as identify opportunities for savings.

    • What’s next?

    The 2008-09 UCOP appropriations request was presented to Regents for discussion in March and is expected to be formally adopted in May.

Lastly, we will continue to look for near-term opportunities to improve efficiencies and performance within UCOP. Currently, this includes:

  • Consolidating basic desktop computing services under Information Resources and Communications (IR&C).

    • What’s next?

    IR&C has begun recruiting for the new Technology Support Analyst positions to expand its TechDesk staff. The positions are posted here. The initial recruitment process will be open to existing UCOP staff who meet job requirements. After hiring and training the new staff, IR&C expects to provide centralized desktop support for departments starting in April.

  • Reviewing reserves and cash management to ensure funds in our short-term investment pool (STIP) are invested to maximize returns.

    • What’s next?

    Vice President Anne Broome has been working closely with campus representatives on various investment alternatives, to be discussed with the Regents Finance Committee at a future meeting.

Once UCOP has taken these concrete steps to restore its credibility with the campuses and with the public, we will begin to:

  • Identify incentives for campus cost reduction initiatives, which provide a far larger source of potential savings on an ongoing basis.This includes streamlining their own activities, coordinating with one another as appropriate, and taking the lead in areas where individual campuses or campus consortiums can accomplish administrative functions more efficiently than the center can.

    • What’s next?

    Executive Vice President Katie Lapp, has begun assembling a task force for this review, drawing on the leadership of the campus vice chancellors for administration.

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What other issues should we consider?