Monday Matters
Last Thursday at the College Faculty Meeting I presented my report to the faculty. The report highlighted faculty and staff accomplishments that were coordinated by my office during the past year. In addition I referenced several ongoing or planned initiatives. I have made a notated edition of this report the subject of today's Monday Matters .
Finance
Accomplishments
• Implemented local development and control of department and office budgets
For the 2003 – 2004 fiscal year each department and office created their budgets after receiving a base allocation. The Business Office now requires an authorized signature on all expenditures or changes to a budget. Allocations of external revenue generated by a department were also added to the department budget.
• Implemented local carry-forward for academic departments
At the conclusion of the current fiscal year, all monies not spent by an academic department will remain with that department. This deviates from the past policy of clearing department budgets at the end of each year.
• Created budgets that can be viewed on the College web
The first version of an online budget system was implemented. Although this system was unstable and beset with problems, it provided a shift toward open budgets and ongoing access to income and expenditures. Entries in the online budget precede entries in the University accounting system. The second version of the online system will be released for the next fiscal year. Testing has shown this system to be stable and free of the problems that plagued the first version.
• Transitioned to the University value-centered management system
We changed our accounting systems to comply with University-level VCM. In addition, we implemented revenue allocation systems to bring VCM to the department level.
• Created and implemented a policy of funding distribution for course contracts
As part of the revenue allocation system, we adopted a policy for the distribution of funds received from course contracts. Instructor expenses are paid out of the revenue (via the department) and then the remaining funds are distributed with an 80-20 split. The department receives 80% of the revenue and the College receives 20% of the revenue.
Planned Initiatives
• Transition all COE budgets to the web-based system
Only “A” accounts (i.e. instructional accounts) were included in the current online budget system. The new system that will be implemented next fiscal year will include all accounts, including accounts for grants and contracts.
Technology
Accomplishments
• Established minimum computing baseline and upgraded computers to meet baseline
We adopted a policy to proactively upgrade computers. Rather than replacing computers on an as-needed basis, we established a minimum hardware and operating system baseline for College computers, then upgraded all computers that fell below this baseline.
• Created a computer classroom
The Training Center “Donkey Room” is now a classroom with 24 desktop computers that are wirelessly connected to the internet. The room will soon include a presentation station to facilitate various forms of presentation to the students who sit at the desktop computers during class.
• Created a two-way audio-video classroom
The Training Center “Monkey Room” is now a two-way audio-video classroom and conferencing center. This room can be connected via the internet to any other room in the world that has two-way audio-video capabilities. This room will soon include a presentation station.
• Enhanced the College web and transitioned to the University template
The content and appearance of the College web was upgraded to include dynamic pages that include news, electronic forms, and a document archive. In April we transitioned all official pages on the College web to the University template.
• Created first phase of an online budget system
An online budget system was developed to facilitate department and office administrators who need to keep track of income and expenditures. A second, and much more stable, version of the system is now being used to document budgets for the next fiscal year.
• Created electronic systems for administrative functions
Several electronic forms were created to make some administrative functions more efficient by automatically transmitting the information to the appropriate office. Additional forms were converted to a PDF format that allows users to fill in blanks electronically and then send the saved file via email to the appropriate office. All of these forms are accessible on the College web.
Planned Initiatives
• Build enhanced web pages for departments, programs, and offices that still need them
The next phase of web development will include a review of all College web pages to ascertain relevance, usability, and accessibility. Assistance will be provided to departments and offices in updating pages and including materials that should be accessible for internal and public use.
• Establish a system for eliminating outdated web pages
As part of ongoing web development a system will be implemented to periodically review and consistently update web pages. Each dynamic page will be linked to a responsible individual. In cases where this is difficult, the page will be converted to a more static format.
• Implement phase two of the online budget system
The second phase of the budget system provides the Business Office with the ability to create viewable budgets for every account in the College. These budgets will be regularly updated with expense entries so that the budgets will always be within one week of being up-to-date.
• Create an enhanced paper-reduced administration system
We will continue to seek ways to eliminate paper and transfer to electronic systems. Paper files will be converted to electronic files. This will necessitate the adoption of stable and easy-to-use back-up systems, electronic signatures, and other cutting-edge technologies.
Organizational Structure
Accomplishments
• Developed a productivity-based reward system for staff
A new bonus system was implemented this year. The system rewards staff productivity with bonuses of up to $1,000. This system replaced the semi-annual outstanding staff award. The first bonus award letters will be sent to selected members of the staff within about a week
• Stabilized logistical support with a reorganized Services Center
The Services Center replaced the Logistics Office. New procedures were implemented to ensure the dependability of this office with minimal closures.
• Increased personnel for desktop hardware and software support
We added a new staff member in both Information Technology and Instructional Support to provide support for hardware infrastructure, assist with computer upgrades, help with software training, and manage students who work in the areas of IT or IS.
• Established property management procedures for common-use areas
The Service Center now handles scheduling and property management (e.g. computer upgrades and facilities checks) for several common-use conference rooms and classrooms. In the future we will provide this service for additional rooms and add an online scheduling system.
• Added personnel for database, web, and electronic forms development
We added a staff member to the Dean's Office who is assisting with the development of databases and forms and enhancing the web. As a result we hope to soon have several key databases in place (e.g. faculty, staff, and grants information) that can be accessed by those who need the information on a regular basis.
• Successfully recruited seven tenure-track faculty members
This past faculty recruiting “season” was very successful. We found excellent individuals for each of the seven tenure-track positions that we advertised.
• Successfully recruited four clinical faculty members
We also enhanced our departments by adding four excellent clinical faculty members for next year.
Planned Initiatives
• Create enhanced paperless systems for administrative tasks
I would like to convert literally all of our paper systems to electronic systems. This is less costly in terms of personnel time and office expenditures than using paper.
• Develop a rich College information system with online retrieval functions
My goal is to create a central College database that contains all of the common information that many administrators need on a regular basis. This will be a system that can be accessed via the web.
• Develop an online manual for common College policies and procedures
Holly and I have about completed the first phase of an online manual for common policies and procedures. Over time I hope to enhance this to include all of our College policies and procedures.
• Create a quality assurance and evaluation system for internal services
Renee and I will soon be working on a system that will enable all of us to evaluate the services that we use in the College. We will establish a baseline for the common perception about these services and then seek to enhance this perception through a higher quality of service.
Research
Accomplishments
• Transitioned to the University online proposal system
The new USCERA system is in place and members of the College faculty and staff have been trained in the use of this system. This is electronic proposal system is now the only method used for putting grant and contract proposals through the College and University system.
• Established or clarified proposal processing and funding distribution policies
We developed procedures for processing grants and contract proposals. We also clarified and created policies for distribution of funds earned through salary reimbursement or additional contract revenues. These will all soon be posted on the College web in a new online policies and procedures manual.
• Initiated web-based dissemination of faculty research findings
We have begun collecting news about faculty research and we publish these stories on the web, with links on the home page. In the future I would like to create a database of abstracts with links to these on a public “research page” on the College web.
Planned Initiatives
• Establish external funding targets
I will work with department chairs to establish one, three, and five-year funding targets. I will announce these at the fall faculty meeting.
• Create a grants and contracts office to provide logistical and accounting support
I have begun looking into the feasibility of creating a grants and contracts office in the College. This office would help seek funding opportunities, facilitate the creation of a proposal (particularly the budget), and manage much of the logistical work that is associated with proposing and conducting externally funded research.
• Develop an incentive policy for externally-funded researchers
By the fall semester I hope to have a policy in place for providing research supplements to prolific researchers who procure external funding for their research. These supplements will be add-ons to base salary so they will provide a monetary reward for acquiring external funding.
As always, I would love to hear your comments about any of these initiatives or ideas you might have for future enhancements. The best improvements made in the College are not my ideas, but simply an implementation of an idea that someone else has suggested. Let me hear from you!
Until next time,
Mike