Faculty and staff received a survey the week of September 26 asking for candid and confidential feedback regarding their awareness of and satisfaction with the three Shared Service areas – Finance, Facilities and OIT – and how the new workflows in those areas impact all SMU employees. The results will be used to identify priority areas for improvement. The survey will be open until 6pm CST on Tuesday, October 4.
Numerous stories over the past two months have focused on savings and improvements resulting from OE2C. Twelve 12 SMU doctoral students received the first University Ph.D. fellowships created from funds that were saved through OE2C in 2015, and examples of their research were highlighted. Eight additional Ph.D. students will also be supported by the funds.
The Payroll, Accounts Payable and Grant and Contract Accounting areas of the Finance Department are now offering more personalized service and new electronic solutions. These include electronic authorization payment forms, more frequent processing of direct deposits, and designating grant/contract accountants for each school and area.
Key performance measurements have been identified to track progress in administrative cost savings in numerous areas, including the OIT Help Desk and Support area, Facilities, Finance, Contracts, Graduate Application Processing and Purchasing. Leaders in each area were interviewed about the measurements – why they chose those particular metrics to evaluate progress, what findings most interested them, and what their main areas of focus will be as they move forward. Extensive charts and graphs were provided with detailed information about savings and progress in each area.
In addition, faculty and staff were notified that they can now opt out of receiving promotional brochures, flyers, invitations and other printed mail from campus departments, although they would continue to receive mail considered mandatory for all employees.
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Featured News
OE2C Savings Fund New University Fellowships
Time Savers and Improved Customer Service
Assessing Our Metrics: New Data Shows Progress Towards Operational Excellence’s Mission
Metrics – OIT Help Desk and Support
Metrics – Graduate Application Processing
Ability to Opt Out of Campus Mailings
