University of Wisconsin Stout Efficiency Study. April 11, 2013

Transcription

1 University of Wisconsin Stout Efficiency Study April 11, 2013

2 Table of Contents Page I. Objectives 3 II. Approach 4 III. Timeline and Key Deliverables 6 IV. Menu of Recommendations 8 V. Focus Area Assessments a. Campus Space Utilization 10 b. Information Technology 25 c. Academic Administrative Structure 38 d. E-textbooks & Textbook Rental 46 VI. Appendix a. Information Technology 55 b. E-textbooks & Textbook Rental 60 c. Interview List 61 2

3 Project Objectives The project was undertaken to assist the University in its efforts to identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve services and process efficiencies, and promote better usage of performance metrics to drive decision-making. Functional Areas Reviewed Campus Space Utilization Information Technology Academic Administrative Structure E-textbooks and Textbook Rental 3

4 Project Approach Throughout the engagement, we employed a consistent, five-step approach to identify and review individual efficiency opportunities. Confirm Scope and Objective Information Collection Assessment and Analysis Business Case Development Present Findings & Gain Consensus Confirm project scope and objectives Develop detailed project work plan Define roles and responsibilities Conduct kickoff and planning meetings Provide UW Stout with a formal data request Utilize available data on University s website Verify findings with administrators Use existing knowledge of the UW System gained from engagements at Madison, Stevens Point and Platteville Gather benchmarking information from peer institutions Collect industry sources, and best practices, for each of the scope areas Identify significant gaps between UW Stout s operations and best practices Develop quantitative assessments of the opportunities identified Assess implications to service levels and attendant risk exposure Provide analysis and high-level recommendations Present recommendations identified and discuss with Steering Committee and other key University constituencies 4

5 Information Collection Engagement activities focused on data collection and interviews, resulting in a fact-based profile of the current state: Reviewed financial, staffing, and operational data Conducted over 100 stakeholder interviews Conducted focus groups and open discussion forums Performed benchmarking analysis Reviewed best practices and trends in higher education and their application to UW- Stout Reviewed high-level current state findings with Steering Committee at project mid-point 5

6 Timeline & Key Deliverables Project Timeline Week Beginning 2/11 2/18 2/25 3/4 3/11 3/18 3/25 4/1 4/8 1. Confirm Scope 2. Information Collection 3. Assessment / Analysis 4. Business Case Development 5. Presentation / Consensus 1 2 Confirm Scope Information Collection Assessment / Analysis Business Case Dev. Presentation / Consensus Activities Kickoff presentation Detailed work plan Communications plan Project meeting schedule Initial interview schedule Status reporting process Interview & data collection analysis Assessment themes Observations / gaps Develop business cases for the four focus areas Assess risk and recommendation implications Present on findings & gain consensus Deliverables Midpoint Presentation 1 2 Final Presentation Business Case Menu of Recommendations Cost-Benefits Analysis 6

7 Summary List Key Huron has developed 13 recommendations across the four focus areas: campus space utilization, information technology, academic administrative structure, and e-textbooks. The key below provides guidance on our evaluation of each recommendation. # Recommendation One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancements Risk to University Difficulty of Implementation Tracking number Short description of the recommendation Initial amount saved by following recommendation Aggregate future budget impact of recommendation Impact of recommendation improvements on organizational structure or processes Impact the recommendation will have on the University s ability to provide enhanced services to the university community Likely effect of negative ramifications due to following recommendation Difficult in following recommendation at the University Level of Impact Description of Impact % Change from Original 0 None No effect 0% 1 Minor Lesser effect 20% 2 Moderate Limited in scope or effect 40% 3 Material Consequential 60% 4 Substantial Substantial 80% 7

8 Menu of Recommendations The following recommendations are covered in greater detail in the respective sections of this report. Campus Space Utilization One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Implementation Difficulty 1 Institute Comprehensive Space Management Policy N/A Enabler Centralize Scheduling of University Space N/A Enabler Actively Manage Space to Meet UW-System Standards Up to $56.7M $1.19M Information Technology One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizationa l Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Implementation Difficulty 4 Implement Formal IT Governance Structure N/A Enabler Reorganize Learning and Information Technology (LIT) N/A Enabler Consolidate Help Desks N/A $360K None 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Material 4 Substantial 8

9 Menu of Recommendations The following recommendations are covered in greater detail in the respective sections of this report. Academic Administrative Structure One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Implementation Difficulty 7 Consolidate Enrollment/Recruitment Functions N/A TBD Eliminate Advisement Center N/A $655K Consolidate Program Directors N/A $600K Eliminate the School Director Position N/A $280K Realign Research Administration N/A Enabler Develop a Comprehensive Strategic Academic Plan N/A N/A E-Textbooks and Textbook Rental One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Implementation Difficulty N/A N/A 13 Move to E-textbooks; Manage and Operate the Program inhouse Move to E-textbooks, Manage the Program in-house and Outsource Operations Fully Outsource E-textbook Management and Operations to a Third Party Vendor N/A ($3.6M) N/A ($2.5M) N/A $195K None 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Material 4 Substantial 9

10 Campus Space Utilization

11 Opportunity Summary UW-Stout has an opportunity to promote the efficient and strategic use of space to help meet the current and planned needs of the campus community and limit additional future investment. Current State Strategy and Operational Alignment: Opportunities exist to formalize and enforce space-use guidelines and more efficiently plan for current and future space needs Control of space has been pushed down to the local units causing uneven utilization levels and varied levels of enforcement Policy: Inconsistent enforcement of policies contribute to inability to maximize space utilization Process: There is no formal process to vet and prioritize space requests Opportunities Create an institutional policy with effective enforcement that incentivizes the best use of campus space Optimize EMS to improve utilization of academic spaces Develop baseline metrics to analyze and monitor the productivity of space in order to maximize utilization of current space. Low utilization spaces can be fashioned into multi-functional spaces to ensure maximum utilization and eliminate the need for additional space Summary of Options 0 None/NA 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Material 4 Substantial One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Difficulty of Implementation 1 Implement Comprehensive Space Management Policy N/A Enabler Centralize Scheduling N/A Enabler Actively Manage Space to Meet UW-System Standards Up to $56.7M $1.19M

12 Benchmarking Huron normalized Gross Square Feet (GSF) to student enrollment FTE and faculty and staff FTE to provide a benchmarking comparison. GSF Comparisons GSF/Student FTE GSF/Faculty and Staff FTE Peer Average: Stout Stevens Point Whitewater La Crosse Eau Claire 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, ,628 2,595 2,556 Whitewater Stout Stevens Point Peer Average: 2,396 2,323 2,237 La Crosse Eau Claire Observations UW-Stout has the highest GSF per Student among its peer set UW-Stout exceeds the peer group average with the second highest GSF per FTE among its peer set Sources: UW-System Agency Physical Development Plan; UW-System Financial Statement; IPEDS 2011 Staff Data Benchmarking indicates that UW-Stout appears to have an opportunity to utilize space more efficiently. 12

13 Physical Development Plan Analysis UW-Stout completed a Campus Space Audit Inventory and Utilization Study to assess space needs for the Campus Physical Development Plan Campus Physical Development Plan Space Needs Summary 2 UW-Stout completed a Campus Space Audit, Inventory and Utilization Study to address facility use of all building relating to efficiency, availability, appropriateness, condition and flexibility of space UW-Stout identified the need for additional space as follows: Facility ASF 3 Use Heritage Hall (CFSC/SOE) 10,900 Laboratory and Office Sports and Fitness Center 100,040 Special Use and Office Masters of Fine Arts and Design 9,580 Laboratory and Office Military Science/ROTC 3,280 Laboratory and Office Discovery Center 15,050 Laboratory and Office International Education/ESLI 1,500 Office Veterans Center 600 Office McNair Program 600 Office University Total 141,550 1 UW-Stout Campus Physical Development Plan 9/6/ ASF: Net Assignable Square Footage UW Campus Sport and Fitness Center Benchmark Analysis Benchmark data from UW System campus peers was gathered to compare Sport and Fitness Center ASF. Huron s analysis shows that UW Stout has a larger Sports and Fitness Center than like peers and does not need to add an additional 100,040 ASF of Sport and Fitness special use and office space. Campus Facility ASF La Crosse Eagle Center 103,776 McPhee Physical Education Center Eau Claire and Ade Olson Addition 135,202 Whitewater David L. Kachel Fieldhouse 100,000 Green Bay Kress Events Center 175,000 River Falls Karges Physical Education Center 67,150 Average 116,226 Stout Sports and Fitness Center 136,635 Huron s assessment and analysis has identified opportunities for enhanced space utilization limiting the need for additional campus space. 13

14 Space Utilization Analysis (PAGE 1 OF 3) As part of its assessment, Huron conducted a high-level space utilization analysis using data provided by the University to compare current utilization rates with the results of the 2007 campus space audit. Approach Huron developed a heat map to illustrate utilization rates for laboratory and general assignment (GA) classrooms between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Huron compared UW-Stout s utilization rates to the UW-System utilization standards: UW System General Assignment Classroom utilization standard: 78% UW System Laboratory utilization standard: 54% UW System utilization standards apply to peak time: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Utilization is measured using a gradient scale: Illustrates the space is utilized at a rate that is greater than or equal to the UW System standard Illustrates that space is underutilized compared to the UW System standard Illustrates that space is significantly underutilized compared to the UW System standard The assessment is based on spring 2013 data provided by the Registrar Seat utilization was compared based on GA classroom data 14

15 Space Utilization Analysis (PAGE 2 OF 3) UW-Stout General Assignment Classroom Utilization Days 8am 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm UW-Stout Laboratory Utilization ` 8am 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm Observations Average (Peak) Monday 45.70% 76.30% 76.30% 67.80% 59.80% 61.80% 60.70% 66.20% 50.00% 30.20% 11.20% 8.70% 2.70% 64.86% 47.49% Tuesday 40.80% 65.80% 90.20% 75.60% 65.20% 82.50% 68.90% 71.20% 41.40% 28.50% 24.10% 14.70% 6.40% 70.10% 51.95% Wednesday 45.70% 78.40% 77.10% 70.50% 63.30% 61.50% 56.40% 60.70% 47.80% 31.80% 12.80% 7.70% 2.90% 64.46% 47.43% Thursday 38.70% 63.60% 84.70% 72.40% 66.70% 81.30% 64.60% 65.20% 41.20% 31.90% 20.00% 7.90% 1.10% 67.46% 49.18% Friday 33.60% 59.70% 61.20% 50.50% 47.20% 45.70% 31.60% 23.50% 19.50% 23.90% 21.60% 21.60% 18.80% 42.36% 35.26% Average 40.90% 68.76% 77.90% 67.36% 60.44% 66.56% 56.44% 57.36% 39.98% 29.26% 17.94% 12.12% 6.38% 61.85% 46.26% Monday 15.80% 19.80% 25.50% 28.20% 16.60% 18.90% 23.90% 30.40% 25.50% 13.60% 5.50% 4.40% 3.20% 23.60% 17.79% Tuesday 25.10% 28.60% 32.90% 30.60% 23.80% 24.50% 25.20% 27.90% 20.70% 10.00% 4.30% 4.20% 2.60% 26.78% 20.03% Wednesday 45.70% 78.40% 77.10% 70.50% 63.30% 61.50% 56.40% 60.70% 47.80% 31.80% 12.80% 7.70% 2.90% 64.46% 47.43% Thursday 24.00% 28.20% 34.70% 33.70% 26.40% 24.50% 23.30% 26.10% 20.10% 9.30% 3.60% 2.60% 1.40% 27.13% 19.84% Friday 10.30% 17.10% 25.70% 24.50% 11.60% 10.40% 12.30% 12.50% 8.00% 2.30% 0.00% 1.10% 1.10% 15.26% 10.53% Average 24.18% 34.42% 39.18% 37.50% 28.34% 27.96% 28.22% 31.52% 24.42% 13.40% 5.24% 4.00% 2.24% 31.45% 23.12% Classrooms are underutilized during peak scheduling hours (between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.) UW-Stout s classroom utilization is 61.85% during Peak Hours compared with the UW System standard of 78% UW-Stout s lab utilization of 31.45% during Peak Hours is well below the UW System standard of 54%; some of this variation may be attributable to the specialized nature of many UW-Stout labs Average (Peak) Total Average Total Average 15

16 Space Utilization Analysis (PAGE 3 OF 3) UW-Stout GA Classroom Seat Utilization Seat Utilization Number of Classrooms 20% - 30% 3 30% - 40% 1 40% - 50% 13 50% - 60% 14 60% - 70% 18 70% - 75% 5 75% - 80% 6 80% - 90% 17 90% - 100% 4 100% 6 UW-Stout Seat Utilization by Building Building (Room) Seat Utilization 1 Applied Arts 28.25% Jarvis Hall Science Addition 46.15% Bowman Hall 47.62% Robert S. Swanson Learning Center 47.69% Micheels Hall 48.96% Jarvis Hall Science Wing 51.46% Heritage Hall 59.76% Vocational Rehabilitation 62.18% Communications Technologies 70.89% Harvey Hall 73.82% Sports & Fitness Center 78.00% Fryklund Hall 78.95% Jarvis Hall Technology Wing 95.24% Average 61.69% Observations UW-Stout average seat utilization is 61.69% 55 of 88 GA Classrooms have an average seat utilization below 75% benchmark Opportunities exist to better utilize existing space by: Optimizing match of section sizes to classroom capacity Centralizing classroom scheduling through the Registrar Establishing seat utilization targets and monitoring actual performance 1 Utilization rates may be inflated due to spaces being scheduled to block off space 16

17 Policy and Process Analysis (PAGE 1 OF 2) Space management at UW-Stout does not appear to be guided by an institutional space management strategy resulting in local governance, compartmentalization and reactionary decision making. Current Space Request Process Requests aren t always vetted by the Department or College before they enter the process Requester often bypasses meeting and seeks direct approval from the Chancellor Six approvals required Opportunities exist for UW-Stout to improve space utilization by taking a more strategic view of instructional space, standardizing processes, relying on consistent criteria to guide project reviews, and improving overall campus coordination. 17

18 Policy and Process Analysis (PAGE 2 OF 2) Academic scheduling at UW-Stout is decentralized with limited consistency, authority or guidelines around standardization leading to less than optimal utilization of classroom space. Current Space Scheduling Flow Department Chairs Registrar Event Management System (EMS) Impact of the Decentralized Scheduling Flow Lack of central management has led to the University offering 21 class combinations and over 400 course periods Total Course Periods M MF MTWF MTWR MTWRF MW MWF MWR MWRF T TR TRF TWR TWRF W WF R F S SSU SU Class Combinations 18

19 Recommendation #1 IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE SPACE MANAGEMENT POLICY (PAGE 1 OF 3) UW-Stout does not have a comprehensive set of policies and standards to guide institutional space utilization and management, making it difficult to encourage or enforce positive utilization and planning practices. Policy Setting and Enforcement General Assignment Scheduling Departmental Needs New Construction Room / Building Renovation Institutional space is a valuable asset that enables UW-Stout s core mission; policy development and enforcement can be an effective tool to improve the lifecycle of institutional space management. 19

20 Recommendation #1 IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE SPACE MANAGEMENT POLICY (PAGE 2 OF 3) Though policies should be tailored to the unique issues and requirements of each institution, Huron recommends UW-Stout consider certain items when developing institutional space policies. Items To be Considered When Developing Institutional Space Policies Alignment with campus master and strategic plans Administrative space standards Scheduling goals Seat utilization goals Consistent start times and scheduling patterns Target goal reports Policy Implementation Considerations Establish an annual review process to assess administrative space requirements due to changes in departmental needs Establish standards for administrative space allocation for office and conference space Establish institutional goals to increase classroom utilization Review and improve scheduling practices to better manage classroom space to reduce peak usage times, relieve stress on support infrastructure, and address student needs Disseminate more detailed information on classroom usage patterns and solicit suggestions for increasing utilization from faculty and staff Survey students, staff, and faculty to identify preferences and limitations Effective policies provide structure while also accommodating flexibility; all policies should undergo periodic assessment by a campus committee charged with managing space. 20

21 Recommendation #1 IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE SPACE MANAGEMENT POLICY (PAGE 3 OF 3) As part of the policy development process, UW-Stout must clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved in space management. Department Role Responsibility Executive Leadership (Chancellor, Provost, VC, Admin. & SLS) Registrar Campus Event Services Facilities Create institutional space management policy Manage assignment of instructional course space for campus community Provide centralized management of noninstructional space for campus community and external users Manage space data and communicate capital planning initiatives that impact space availability Champion the creation of an institutional policy to ensure efficient use of space Provide oversight to the exception process Ensure policy standards are adhered to regarding faculty assignment of classroom space Management of the faculty/course assignment process Maintain accurate data on classroom assignments in EMS Maintain accurate data on non-instructional space in EMS Coordinate with campus community to allocated space based on need, both internal and external Perform marketing of space for external use and increase market share of event management space in the local area Maintain accurate data on refurbishment schedule and updated square footage in Space Management system 21

22 Recommendation #2 CENTRALIZE SCHEDULING Centralizing the scheduling function through the Registrar will eliminate multiple entry points into EMS and enforce the space management policy, which will reduce schedule variance that lowers utilization. Recommended Scheduling Flow With the implementation of the new Guidelines for Scheduling of Courses 1 the Registrar and Faculty Senate have taken steps in developing scheduling guidelines, but UW-Stout needs to continue to decrease the number of course periods and class schedules available As recommended in the 2007 Space Utilization Study 2 : Schedule all classrooms through the Registrar s office to provide more accurate classroom utilization information. and elevate authority of the Registrar to optimize scheduling Department Chairs Registrar Event Management System 1 UW-Stout Academic Scheduling Policy, Guidelines for Scheduling of Courses, 12/11/ UW-Stout Campus Space Audit, Inventory and Utilization Study,

23 Recommendation #3 ACTIVELY MANAGE SPACE TO MEET UW SYSTEM STANDARDS Huron recommends that UW-Stout set goals for classroom utilization; the following general metrics may be used to analyze and monitor productivity of space against the UW System and industry standards. Metric Current Benchmark/Goal Definition Calculation 1 Percentage of GA GA Utilization 62% 78% classrooms in use Lab Utilization 31% 54% 1 Percentage of labs in use 2 Percentage of room capacity Room Capacity Usage 37% 75% that is being used Number of GA in Use / Number of GA Available Number of Labs in Use / Number of Labs Available Course Section Meeting Enrollment / Classroom Student Seating Capacity Seat Utilization 61% 75% 2 Percentage of seats occupied when a room is in use Number of Seats in Use / Number of Seats Available Non-Prime Hour GA Classroom Utilization Rate 29% 20% 2 Percentage of total seats in use outside of prime hours (prime typically 10am - 2pm) For time outside prime hours: Room Utilization x Seat Utilization Non-Prime Hour Lab Utilization Rate 15% 20% 2 Percentage of total seats in use outside of prime hours (prime typically 10am - 2pm) For time outside prime hours: Room Utilization x Seat Utilization 1 UW System Standard 2 Industry Best Practice Maintaining metrics on space utilization would give UW-Stout the ability to make informed decisions regarding the addition and/or repurposing of space on campus. 23

24 Benefits of Improving Space Utilization By improving utilization of existing campus space, UW-Stout can meet the needs identified in the Campus Physical Development Plan and avoid up to $56.7 million in new capital spending. Opportunity Determination Based on UW-Stout s Proposed Campus Physical Development Plan 1 Facility ASF Space Type How Need is Met Cost Heritage Hall (CFSC/SOE) 10,900 Laboratory and Office Improved Utilization $ 6,565,433 Sports and Fitness Center 100,040 Special Use and Office Existing Space 32,513,000 Masters of Fine Arts and Design 9,580 Laboratory and Office Improved Utilization 5,770,353 Military Science/ROTC 3,280 Laboratory and Office Improved Utilization 1,975,653 Discovery Center 15,050 Laboratory and Office Improved Utilization 9,065,117 International Education/ESLI 1,500 Office Improved Utilization 435,000 Veterans Center 600 Office Improved Utilization 174,000 McNair Program 600 Office Improved Utilization 174,000 University Total 141,550 $ 56,672,557 Total cost for each of the identified needs were calculated using construction rates published by UW-Stout 2 : laboratory space ($278/GSF), office space ($145/GSF), and special use space ($175/GSF) GSF estimated using the following efficiency ratios: laboratory space (0.6), office space (0.65), special use space (0.7) Total costs include 30% design and engineering costs There is an additional budget impact of approximately $1.19M per year in annual maintenance costs for the spaces listed above. This assumes average operating costs of $4.94/GSF based on UW-Stout published capital maintenance costs 3 1 UW-Stout Campus Physical Development Plan 9/6/ UW-Stout Construction Costs Guidelines 3 Growth Agenda Accountability report,

25 Information Technology

26 Opportunity Summary Information Technology provides reliable core services; however, significant enhancements to governance, strategy, and organizational alignment are required for IT to become a strategic enabler for UW-Stout.. Current State Opportunities Governance and Strategy: No integrated governance structure that aligns IT resources with University strategic goals No formalized project management function beyond the intake and project setup processes Absence of governance and strategy diminishes the capability to meet user needs and take advantage of innovative technologies Organizational Alignment & Services: Organization not optimally aligned to best meet the needs of campus users Some decentralized units provide redundant help desk and networking support services Establish effective IT governance structure to better align IT initiatives with University-wide strategy Integrate governance processes to better incorporate stakeholder concerns and increase transparency around strategic IT goals and priorities Realign IT structure to rationalize service delivery eliminating duplication of tasks performed across IT units and to incentivize crosstraining Create a formal IT security position that directly reports to the CIO to increase awareness of IT security issues with the University leadership Summary of Options 0 None/NA 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Material 4 Substantial One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Difficulty of Implementation 4 Implement Formal Governance Structure N/A Enabler Re-organize LIT N/A Enabler Consolidate Help Desks N/A $360K

27 Learning & Information Technology Profile Core Services Organization/ Service Delivery Model Funding Core services provided by Learning & Information Technology (LIT) include Infrastructure and operations; instructional technology; information management; helpdesk support; information security; technology planning and life cycle management; campus information technology standards LIT also acts as the primary coordinator and support unit for the undergraduate laptop program Three operating units comprise LIT: Enterprise Information Systems (EIS), Learning Technology Services (LTS), and Telecommunications and Networking (T&N) EIS supports the student information system, web application and server applications LTS provides training and expertise to faculty and staff to incorporate instructional technology into their teaching practice T&N provides held desk and network infrastructure support UW-Stout receives continuing base and onetime funding to support both centralized and decentralized LIT expenses Base funding is provided on cost distribution to major activities. (Student Services, Institutional Support, Instruction, Research, Public Service, Academic Support and Physical Plant) One-time funding is provided through project proposal vetting processes including Special Project, Student Technology Fee, Access to Learning, estout and Classroom Modernization Central IT Budget, Expenses, and Revenue Central IT Expenses by Category $ Millions Budget Expenses Revenues $ Millions Capital Supplies Salaries FY12 FY FY12 FY13 27

28 Central IT Staffing and Budget at UW-Stout Benchmarking analysis using the EDUCAUSE core data survey dataset suggests that LIT is more decentralized than UW-Stout s peers. Central IT Staff as a Percentage of Total IT Staff Central IT Budget as % of Total Budget 80% % 75% 70% % 4.00% % 3.00% 60% 2.00% 55% 1.00% 50% UW-Stout Peer Average 0.00% UW-Stout Peer Average Challenges with Decentralized IT Services at UW-Stout Consistency in services levels is difficult to maintain as decentralized staff report to the local level Deans or administrators rather than LIT Coordination challenges between LIT and distributed support units can lead to inconsistent role expectations, skill levels, and training Absence of a single, integrated help desk system inhibits LIT s ability to leverage data for issue resolution and continuous improvement Core processes are not performed consistently across campus (i.e., PC refresh, data backup, etc.) which leads to inefficient IT operations, business continuity issues, and significant risk exposure in the absence of a strong central governance model Strong central governance and a restructured organization can support opportunities for cost savings / resource re-allocation; productivity improvements; and improve the consistency, timeliness, and quality of IT service delivery for all campus stakeholders. 28

29 Strategy and Governance THE IMPORTANCE AND FOCUS OF EFFECTIVE IT GOVERNANCE A disciplined governance structure aligns investment decisions with university-wide priorities. Leadership aligned at the appropriate levels of the organization can focus IT priorities to align with long-term strategies and goals. What is Governance? Governance in the case of IT is Focused on Institute-wide IT, not just Central IT Clarity related to input, analysis, priority-setting, and accountability Designed to engage stakeholders and increase transparency Governance in the case of IT is not IT strategy, but the processes and organization to enable strategic decisions and successful execution Bureaucratic structure to slow the evaluation and execution of initiatives Network Management Server Administration Network & Data Security Database Management Data Centers / Facilities IT-specific Needs Governance Business Applications Academic Applications Reporting Design & Support Common University Needs Emerging Technologies Unit Specific Technology Needs Ongoing Training Project Support Data & Reporting Analysis Unit-specific Needs IT governance structures and processes need to be clearly defined. Clear objectives, processes, and committee structures must be established to ensure the governance structure meets UW-Stout s needs. 29

30 Governance & Strategy Current State UW-Stout s current governance model focuses on the intake process with no formal decision making criteria to ensure projects align with UW-Stout s strategic goals and objectives Current State Governance Map Current State Gaps Findings Approval & Project Management???? No integrated governance structure Current structure does not ensure alignment of IT resources with campus strategy and planning Intake & Prioritization Approved IT Projects Chancellor Priority List Current structure focused on submissions with no guidelines or clarity around prioritization or decision making Multiple opportunities for campus community to submit requests, but no prioritization criteria guidance Business units provide requests to the CIO who determines priorities in counsel with IT Committees IT Committees serve in an advisory role with no decision making authority CITAC EITAC Tech Fee Priority Lists CIO Priority Lists Priority Lists Other Requests Once projects are approved and set up, no discernible governance structure or project management The current process is focused on the front end, with no ongoing oversight or project management once projects have been approved for implementation No ability to track ongoing progress, make adjustments, or review resource consumption to ensure alignment with UW-Stout strategic goals Vice Chancellor Provost Other Units A disciplined governance structure aligns investment decisions with University-wide priorities, which can provide UW-Stout with a formal mechanism to ensure projects are aligned with university IT strategy. 30

31 Recommendation #4 IMPLEMENT FORMAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE (PAGE1 OF 2) UW-Stout should develop a governance structure that ensures alignment of initiatives to University goals and actively monitors progress throughout the project lifecycle. Governance Process Framework Demand Management Portfolio Management Transition Management Project and Program Management The framework provides a sequential view of project requests through the entire life cycle from project initiation to transitioning into production The suggested framework provides a mechanism to allocate resources to the projects that have the greatest benefit to UW-Stout as a whole This process allows the leadership and business process owners to determine the allocation of resources across a managed portfolio Ongoing project and program management throughout the lifecycle ensures Demand Management Portfolio Management Transition Management Review institutional inputs, requirements and business cases for viable academic, administrative and technology initiatives that support UW-Stout strategy Requires a structured framework for new project capture, review, prioritization and decision making Performed centrally by a PMO function that continually reviews the mix of projects and monitors which projects are on track, which need intervention and which need to be discontinued due to a change in business objectives or other project specific variables Provides consistent information and transparency while improving risk Requires close coordination between LIT, administration and finance units, and the Department where the implementation was completed in order to successfully transition to LIT s service delivery framework and ensure ongoing success and supportability of the system or application A centrally managed Project Management Office (PMO) that provides oversight, process standardization, and continual assessment and review of project performance metrics is essential to implementing an effective governance framework. 31

32 Recommendation #4 IMPLEMENT FORMAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE (PAGE 2 OF 2) UW-Stout can benefit from the strategic use of stakeholder-driven committees to address priority-setting within IT and ensure alignment with University-wide strategic initiatives. Approved IT Projects Description Executive IT Steering Committee Executive IT Steering Committee Executive planning and decision making group Takes recommendations from the committees and has ultimate approval over IT priorities, new projects and policy decisions Approves and prioritizes technology initiatives based on institutional strategy and recommendations of the CIO PMO Support Administrative Systems Committee Approved Request Academic Systems Committee Approved Request Approved Request Infrastructure Committee Administrative Systems Committee Business-led governance body, users prioritize needs CIO and key IT staff serve as technical advisors Prioritize and make requests regarding administrative systems that primarily affect staff and administrators Request Request Request Staff Faculty & Students Request Request Request Request Request Request All Users Academic Systems Committee Consists of academic representatives Prioritize and make requests regarding teaching and basic research systems that primarily affect faculty and students in the classroom environment Infrastructure Committee Consists of CIO and key IT staff Prioritizes and recommends infrastructure improvements *Some parts of the proposed governance model exist now but may not have the authority, structure, and/or personnel to perform effectively. 32

33 Organizational Model CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. LIT and several of the Decentralized Units provide redundant services, and resources within LIT are misaligned, resulting in inconsistent and inefficient service delivery to campus technology users. LIT Organization Decentralized IT Support Units Key Challenges of the current state: The decentralized units provide redundant services in network management and technical support with multiple help desks There is an inconsistent approach to the alignment of resources and functions across the LIT organization There is no single customer service support function in LIT, resulting in multiple entry points, inefficient service, and confusion among customers Clear overlap and redundancy among the decentralized units, providing an opportunity to rationalize the service delivery model under LIT Learning Technology Services provides redundant photo/video services and academic support functions that better align with the Provost Division 33

34 Recommendation #5 REORGANIZE LEARNING & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY(LIT). Reorganizing LIT to appropriately align functions and resources will enhance effectiveness of the organization, improve efficiency, and ensure that IT at UW-Stout meets the needs of all customers and stakeholders. Externally realigned functions 1 See appendix for list of decentralized IT positions Key Design Principles Consolidates redundant, decentralized functions into LIT to improve quality, establish process standards, and improve efficiency and customer service Strategically aligns resources to concentrate key expertise and skills within functional areas Creates dedicated Customer Support function to simplify and improve customer service Re-aligns learning and classroom technology support in LIT to ensure quality and efficiency of services Establishes a new project management function to ensure proper support for IT projects across campus Strategically realigns the Nakatani Teaching and Learning Center to report directly to the Provost Division Realigns Multimedia staff to University Communications Additional re-alignment of 18 decentralized IT resources into LIT may be necessary where redundancies exist; will require position-byposition analysis 1 34

35 Recommendation #6 CONSOLIDATE HELP DESKS (PAGE 1 OF 2) The current help desk support model provides multiple points of contact for UW-Stout faculty and staff. The LIT help desk serves the entire campus as a call center, but users may rely on locally managed service desks. Challenges with Current Support Model Multiple points of contact for users creates inconsistency and potential service gaps Local help desks likely provide many common services to the LIT Service Operations group, causing staffing inefficiencies and higher than needed personnel expense Local help desks may use different software and processes for tracking issues/tickets, causing higher than needed software license expense Documentation quality among local help desks might be insufficient or inconsistent, making knowledge transfer of specialized applications/systems difficult Faculty Staff Students MULTIPLE POINTS OF CONTACT Local Help Desk LIT Help Desk Opportunity exists to consolidate help desks and reallocate resources to focus on more mission critical needs while simultaneously improving quality and consistency of service for end users. 35

36 Recommendation #6 CONSOLIDATE HELP DESKS (PAGE 2 OF 2) An ideal future state help desk model includes the concept of a single point of contact for all support issues and consolidates multiple help desks in LIT. Future State Model Considerations According to benchmarks from Educause 1, the current staffing levels of the LIT Help Desk may be adequate for the entire campus population. There may be an opportunity to repurpose IT Help Desk staff after consolidating the decentralized units With an ideal support staff model of approximately 1,460 end user FTE per Help Desk FTE, EDUCAUSE data suggests that the total number of help desk support at UW-Stout should be approximately 7 to 8. Consolidating the distributed Help Desks functions in SLS and Library into LIT brings total Help Desk employees on campus to 14; right-sizing the help Desk to 8 FTE results in potential budget impact of approximately $360K (assuming average LIT salary of $60K/FTE per FY13 LIT budget data) Additional analysis is necessary to determine the appropriate mix of Help Desk (Tier 1 and Tier 2) support and end user support Faculty Staff Students SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT LIT Centrally Managed Help Desk 1 ECARS 2007 Study: Service on the Front Line: The IT Help Desk in Higher Education Consolidating help desk functions into LIT reduces and allows the right-sizing of help desk support on campus so that resources may be realigned to support other critical mission needs. 36

37 Additional IT Opportunities Through interviews and analyses, Huron identified additional opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the IT function at UW-Stout. Opportunity Increase Multifunction Device (MFD) usage across campus Outsource Enterprise scheduling tools Technology refresh Server virtualization Desktop virtualization Description Establish a strong printing policy that mandates the use of Multifunction Devices (MFD s) to reduce printing maintenance and hardware costs. MFD s can be deployed under a managed print service solution that combines MFDs with photocopiers, printers, and software solutions to provide a complete supplier managed service that covers all document production using a single cost-per-page pricing structure. Outsource campus to an external vendor (e.g., Google, Microsoft) to improve accessibility and decrease IT maintenance and hardware expenses Implement enterprise calendaring and scheduling tools such as MS Outlook to increase scheduling efficiency among administrative support staff and reduce the amount of time required to schedule meetings, freeing administrative resources to focus on other activities Reducing the total number of desktops in use across campus yields significant cost savings in hardware refresh expenses; computer lab consolidation, modernization, and desktop virtualization result in a significant reduction in the total number of machines supported across campus, lowering maintenance refresh costs. Reducing lab space allows repurposing of lab space for instruction or other purpose. Reduce the total number of physical servers across campus to reduce maintenance and support cost while providing improved service and data security through standardized backup protocols Provide virtual desktop services to campus users of IT virtual desktop configurations allows remote access to software available in computer labs and enables a reduction in computer labs cross camps; achieves cost savings by utilizing campus-wide licensing agreements and reduces support costs for lab computers 37

38 Academic Administrative Structure

39 Opportunity Summary There is an opportunity to reduce duplication between academic and administrative functions and better align resources to support students and the academic mission of UW-Stout. Current State Opportunities Strategy and Organization Alignment: Consolidate recruitment and enrollment services within the Graduate UW-Stout does not have a comprehensive academic master plan that School, Stout Online, and International Student Services into a central explicitly identifies the faculty, space, technology and other financial enrollment function reporting to the Provost Division resources required to support academic program development Eliminate the Advisement Center Eliminate the School Director position Growth in academic programs has created significant and uneven stress Realign Research Administration to report to the Provost Division on resources Consolidate Program Directors and make the position a full-time There are opportunities for increased communication and collaboration professional focused on a narrower scope of responsibilities between units Develop a comprehensive academic master plan Roles and Responsibilities: Unclear delineation of responsibility between academic units and other university departments has resulted in duplication of effort in recruiting, advising, scheduling, and Career Center services Summary of Options 0 None/NA 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Material 4 Substantial One Time Capital Savings Potential Budget Impact Organizational Efficiencies Gained Service Enhancement Risk to University Implementation Difficulty 7 Consolidate Enrollment/Recruitment Functions N/A Undefined Eliminate Advisement Center N/A $655K Consolidate Program Directors N/A $600K Eliminate the School Director position N/A $280K Realign Research Administration N/A Enabler Develop a Comprehensive Academic Master Plan N/A N/A

40 Project Scope The greatest opportunities for eliminating redundancy and unmanaged growth will occur at the institutional level rather than at the department level. Our approach was to focus on functional areas within the Academic Administrative Structure. Through our interviews and analysis, we determined that UW-Stout is currently facing unmanaged growth that needs to be addressed through a comprehensive academic master plan. Program Directors, Department Chairs School Directors, Graduate School, Stout Online, Discovery Center Institutional Academic Services We believe that by focusing on redundancies occurring at the institutional level, guided by an academic master plan, an even greater potential exists for UW-Stout to reduce costs by eliminating redundant roles and responsibilities and growing academic programs in a more strategic manner. A strategic academic plan will enable UW-Stout to grow its academic programs more effectively and position the University to more strategically align its academic support staff. 40

41 Decision Tree Analysis Through interviews and analysis, Huron determined that much of the redundancy in responsibilities exists between Academic and Administrative Divisions rather than within Academic Departments. Decision Tree Analysis Huron performed a decision tree analysis to determine if the Program Director s roles and responsibilities were redundant with other roles and responsibilities on campus, and if so, whether those positions rested at the department level, the university-level, or both. Our analysis found that very few if any redundancies exist with other positions at the department level; the majority of redundancies exist with centralized units at the university level. 41

42 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis was performed to assess the current Program Director program, its role in the Student Lifecycle, and to identify opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the position. Strengths Weaknesses UW-Stout has a 97.9% placement rate 1 Current system works; Program Directors and Department Chairs have a good working relationship The Program Director model is focused on providing services to the customer; recruitment, retention, and job placement No comprehensive academic strategy addressing program growth Clear overlap between academic units and administrative functions on campus (i.e. recruitment, advisement, career services) Program Directors receive a standard benefit of $1,500,.25 release time and 10 days summer pay Workload for Program Directors varies among programs based on enrollment and accreditation needs Opportunities Academic Administrative Structure Threats Align resources with administrative functions that best serve the campus community and focus on core responsibilities of teaching and research Close gaps between business units that currently operate in silos Develop strategy to align resources with academic requirements to meet strategic growth goals Unplanned growth in the number of undergraduate programs (31 to 44) from 2008 to 2012 is not sustainable without a more strategic alignment of resources and a comprehensive academic strategy Collaboration amount outside business units (i.e. Marketing and Communications, Advisement, Enrollment Services, etc.) with 67 PDs is resource intensive, and continued growth will only further burden current resources 1 UW-Stout Annual Employment Report March 5, 2012 While opportunities exist to enhance the current Program Director model, Huron believes the program is strong and should be realigned to better manage the University s enrollment lifecycle needs. 42

43 Future State Roles and Responsibilities After assessing the major functions of the student lifecycle, Huron recommends that UW-Stout rebalance the roles and responsibilities of the centralized units and local departments to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Student Lifecycle Central Units Program Directors 1 Recruitment 5 Curriculum Development 5 Student Advising 1 Marketing 1 Program Assessment/Accreditation 3 Industry Relationship Development Recruitment, marketing and program assessment are primarily coordinated by the central units and driven by the strategic academic plan, but require input and participation from the Program Directors Career counseling and programming should be coordinated centrally through the Career Center with advice and support from the Program Directors The Program Director s role in developing relationships with industry partners has been very successful and should continue to be a major part of their role moving forward Improving student retention should be a shared responsibility 2 4 Student Retention Career Counseling & Programming 5 Curriculum development should be coordinated by the Program Director within the auspices of the strategic academic plan; student advising should be coordinated through the program director UW-Stout has an opportunity to better rationalize services administered across campus and strategically identify how best to serve the needs of the campus community by centralizing certain services now performed at the department level. 43

44 Recommendations (PAGE 1 OF 2) Huron recommends that UW-Stout realign and consolidate functions across campus and develop a comprehensive academic master plan to guide future academic planning and related resource planning. Recommendation 7: Consolidate Enrollment/Recruitment Functions Enrollment Services, Stout Online, Graduate School and the Office of International Education all serve in an enrollment function facilitating recruitment, marketing, and admissions To increase collaboration, strategically align resources, and better serve the mission of UW-Stout, Huron recommends centralizing the enrollment functions within these business units under an Executive Director of Enrollment Services to oversee Undergraduate, Graduate, Transfer, International, and Stout Online recruitment Savings will likely be generated through achieving economies of scale; a more detailed analysis will be required to determine total savings Recommendation 8: Eliminate Advisement Center UW-Stout s advisement is currently a shared responsibility between the Advisement Center and Program Directors and faculty members Huron recommends UW-Stout shift the current centralized advisement role to general education faculty and academic staff to better align with university best practices Huron estimates that the University could save approximately $655K by eliminating the Advisement Center s 10 FTE positions (based on 2009 average salary of $65,557 per FTE including fringe 1 ) Recommendation 9: Consolidate Program Directors UW-Stout currently has 67 Program Directors who receive an average annual benefit of $21K each for a total program cost of $1.3M Huron recommends eliminating faculty involvement in the Program Director role so that faculty and academic staff can focus on core missions of teaching and research Huron estimates that the University could save approximately $600K by replacing the 67 faculty Program Directors (each receiving a $21K benefit that includes.25 release time, a $1,500 stipend and 10 days of summer pay for their service) with eight full time professional Program Directors (two for each college). Estimated salary of the new Program Director position is $94K (including fringe); this salary estimate is based on the current School Director salary as the roles and responsibilities of the new position would be similar 1 Salary data accessed from public salary records published online at 44