Completed Teams
Check Distribution
Classified Staff Hiring
Direct Deposit
Electronic Transaction Initiative
Enhanced Employee Training
Faculty Hiring Business Case/Work Group
Implementation of $5,000 LPO
Implementation of Vendor Credit Card
Local Expenditure Limits/Approval Authority
New Employee Orientation
Research Administration
Short-term Enhancements to Sponsored Program
Travel Reimbursement Policies and Procedures
Web-based Forms
Check Distribution
The check distribution team developed the recommendations that led to
a shift from a weekly pay schedule to a biweekly pay schedule for wage
employees, and to the successful implementation of direct deposit for
all wage and overtime payments. A result of this shift, departments
no longer spend a significant part of their Fridays hand-delivering
paychecks and are realizing a significant time savings. Team members:
| Jay
Scott, team leader, School of Medicine |
Steve Kimata, Bursar's Office |
| Susan Baugher, Bursar's Office |
Megan Koch, Office of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
| Joyce Chewning, Facilities Management |
Dolly Prenzel, Purchasing |
| Karen Eldridge, Audit |
Ken Sinarski, Financial Administration |
| Tim Gillet, Financial Administration |
Joe Tamony, Payroll |
| Barbara Graves, School of Engineering and Applied Science |
Susan Thompson, Psychology |
| Kelly Hershey, Payroll |
Paul Watson, Neurosurgery |
| Marshall Hunt, Housing |
Martha Williams, Human Resources |
| Laurie Kelsh, Office of the President |
|
Classified Staff Hiring
A business case team was established during the Spring of 1996 to
collect information about the process, identify potential areas for
improvement, develop an argument for change, and create a work plan
for a redesign team. The team targeted hiring officials and applicants
as the stakeholders needing the most attention. In April 1997, a redesign
team was formed to undertake further analysis of the hiring process
and to recommend changes. Goals of the team include: increasing customer
satisfaction with and understanding of the employment process; providing
hiring officials an easily accessible pool of qualified applicants to
meet departmental needs; providing applicants information about job
opportunities and the application process that is easy to understand;
and recommending methods, contents of training and other ways to help
hiring officials in the hiring process. Final
report.
Direct Deposit
During 1996, a Direct Deposit team was created to analyze the distribution
of payroll/stipend payments and earnings statements to employees and
stipend recipients, and to make recommendations to create a more efficient
and less labor intensive distribution system. After conducting an extensive
analysis of payroll distribution, the team recommended that direct deposit
become mandatory for all new employees hired on or after July 1, 1997
(faculty, classified staff, and wage, including student wage). While
direct deposit will not be mandatory for current employees, they will
be strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit. Employees who
decline to sign up will be required to pick up paychecks at one central
location. To ensure a smooth transition, the new policy is being phased
in by vice presidential area. All vice presidential areas will be phased
in by July 1, 1998. Effective October 31, 1997, all employees will receive
their earnings statements through U.S. mail and discontinue distribution
through home departments. Projected savings equal $42,000. Anticipated
time savings resulting from this new policy equal 5 FTEs. Final
report.
Electronic Transaction Initiative
The Electronic Transaction Initiative (ETI) was formed to provide guidance
to the teams charged with implementing the web-based forms, e-forms,
and other electronic efforts. The team completed phase two of the web-based
forms project, making thirty additional forms available online. The
team also completed the Automated Information Processing Project (AIP),
replacing a number of paper processes with proven online systems, with
receiving departments such as Accounts Payable accepting only online
transactions of forms. The single payee payment voucher form was officially
rolled out. This form replaces the old "COMBO" form. In addition,
training for the new process was made available, and the team made changes
to the appropriate web sites, such as Travel and Procurement. Financial
Administration has assumed responsibility for updating all policies
on-line. The initial review and update of institutional policies was
completed Fall 2000.
Enhanced Employee Training
The Enhanced Employee Training team's mission was to design a training
framework that provides administrative employees the opportunity to
obtain the skills necessary to perform their jobs effectively. In May
1997, the team recommended that an Employee Education Coordination Council
be established to promote the training of staff, coordinate training
plans, conduct training needs assessments and evaluations, and develop
suggestions to enhance the learning culture for University staff. Other
recommendations are to: identify individuals in central administration
to serve as contact points to departments; develop a communication plan
to apprise employees about training programs and to provide answers
to frequently asked questions; establish a network of experts within
each department or group of departments to serve as a point of contact
to employees; and develop and implement training plans for all administrative
and clerical employees. Projected benefits include significant time
savings for employees (estimated at 54,600 hours the first year of implementation);
a decrease in the amount of time it takes a new employee to learn the
job (132 employees were hired during FY 1995-96); reduction in errors
and problems; higher employee morale; and increased service to customers.
Faculty Hiring Business Case/Work Group
A business case team was established in December 1996 to collect information
about the process, identify potential areas for improvement, develop
an argument for change and determine whether a redesign team should
be formed to further examine the process. The Faculty Hiring work group
was launched in the spring 1998 to implement the recommendations offered
by the Business Case team to improve the quality and effectiveness of
the faculty hiring process. Key changes made to the process include
the elimination of two forms (the Faculty Data Sheet and the Preliminary
Approval Form) which should produce time savings, and the creation of
a standardized offer letter that should provide better consistency and
control in the offer process. An E-form initiative to automate the routing
of forms required by the Equal Opportunity Office (EEO) has been put
into place. Final report.
Implementation of $5,000 LPO
By increasing the maximum amount of a limited purchase order (LPO) from
$2,000 to $5,000, the University offered greater autonomy for end-user
departments in the purchasing process and expedited procurements. The
implementation also reduces administrative effort for small dollar purchases
University-wide. The estimated administrative savings of implementing
this project was approximately $41,000 a year.
Implementation
of Vendor Credit Card
This team successfully implemented the American Express Corporate Purchasing
Card Program at the University. The card facilitates small purchases
and reduces the cost of recording transactions in the University's accounting
system. As of May 1997, there are 547 cardholders. These cardholders
have generated 10,654 transactions this fiscal year, with a volume of
$1,892,307. With the cost of processing and paying a bill estimated
between $50-$75 per purchase, the implementation of the University Purchasing
Card has resulted in approximately $665,875 in savings for the 1996-97
fiscal year for the University. Team members:
| Rick Seaman, team leader, Financial Information Services |
Sandy Layne, Purchasing |
| Lester Andrews, Chemistry |
Gary Nimax, Purchasing |
| Jackie Daniel, ITC |
Ken Sinarski, Financial Administration |
| Ellen Greer, Medical Center |
Diane Auger Smith, Office of the Vice President for Management and Budget |
| Dolores Hildebrand, Purchasing |
Hedy Southard, Biology |
| Jeannie Inge, Purchasing |
Hal Toms, Financial Information Services |
| Sarah Jordan, Financial Administration |
Tara Tyler, Organizational Development and Training |
| Susan Kirby, Audit |
|
Local
Expenditure Limits/Approval Authority
In the spring of 1997, the Local Expenditure Limits/Approval Authority
Team was created to examine policies regarding Dean/Vice President signature
requirements on vouchers for meals, lodging, flowers, and gifts. The
goal of the team is to reduce the number of approvals for local funds
that require approval at the Dean/Vice Presidential level. The team
made recommendations increasing limits to the Steering Committee in
early October. The team hopes to finalize its report by the end of the
calendar year. Final report.
New
Employee Orientation
During the winter of 1996, the New Employee Orientation team was formed
to analyze the current orientation process and to recommend a new process
that would be more efficient and effective for UVA. Final recommendations
are for the University to implement a new employee orientation process
that: begins with a pre-employment benefits sign-up; continues as an
ongoing education and training effort within the employing department;
and culminates in a New Employee Welcome and Resource Fair event in
which senior administrators and University resource representatives
greet and interact with new employees. The New Employee Orientation
implementation team carried out the recommendations of the NEO redesign
team and established a new employee orientation process that begins
with a pre-employment benefits session, continues as an ongoing education
effort within the employing department, and culminates with the New
Faculty/Staff Welcome and Resource Fair. Since July 1998, three resources
fairs have been sponsored. In total, 1,970 faculty and staff have been
invited to participate in the sessions, with an average of 46 University
departments and state agencies displaying exhibits at each fair. In
addition, the team developed the "University of Virginia Orientation
Guide for New Employees" to assist hiring officials in conducting
departmental orientations. The guide includes basic orientation information,
a Departmental Orientation checklist, and a resource directory of faculty
and staff. The team officially completed its work in April 1999, with
ongoing support of this effort now residing in Human Resources.
Research
Administration
In March of 1996, the Grants and Contracts Business Case team recommended
that a process simplification redesign team be formed to examine the
research administration process. Accordingly, the Research Administration
team was formed and officially launched on September 8, 1997. The mission
of the team is to evaluate and to recommend re-engineering sections
of the research administration process to improve quality, efficiency
and ease of use. The Research Administration team presented its final
recommendations to redesign the University's research administration
process in June 1998. The team examined research administration from
start to finish and offered 19 recommendations to facilitate research
at the University, improve the quality of the current process, make
it more effective and efficient, and establish clear lines of responsibility
and accountability throughout the process. The RAT implementation team
was launched in 1999 and completed its work and submitted its final
update to the VP for Management and Budget in June 2000. This team implemented
numerous initiatives. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) completed
internal reviews of its grants management process and implemented a
new "teaming" system for managing grants and contracts. Pre-
and post-award staff now work together according to the type of award,
such as federal, industry, and foundation. A mechanism to provide schools
with delegated signatory authority for standard proposals was put into
place. A number of updates to the OSP web site were completed. The web
site now includes information on policies and procedures, available
training, and cost accounting standard requirements. The search for
the Director of OSP, which is being overseen by the Office of the Executive
Vice President, was launched in June 2000. Changes will continue to
be made as needed. Final report.
Short-term
Enhancements to Sponsored Program Processes
The team identified University needs for information contained in the
sponsored program data base and successfully developed the means for
accessing it. In addition, the team automated the notice of award to
schools, departments and investigators. Primary benefits are in time
savings and enhanced service delivery. Team members:
| Mike
Glasgow, team leader, Microbiology |
Elizabeth
Fortune, School of Architecture |
| Becky
Abell, Office of Sponsored Programs |
Norma
Miller, School of Medicine |
| Debbie
Boggs, Psychiatric Medicine |
Rick
Seaman, Financial Information Services |
| Faye
Cline, School of Engineering and Applied Science |
Bill
Thurneck, School of Engineering and Applied Science |
| Troy
Dunaway, Law School |
Hal
Toms, Financial Information Services |
Travel Reimbursement Policies and Procedures
The Travel Reimbursement Policies and Procedures implementation team
was formed in June 1996. The Travel Reimbursement Policies and Procedures
team implemented new travel procedures designed to simplify the travel
planning and approval process, decrease the turnaround time for reimbursement,
produce time savings for both travelers and travel processors, increase
departmental accountability, and improve customer satisfaction. A new
Travel Authorization and Claim form, created in an Excel format, allows
users to complete a variety of key travel forms in an automated fashion.
The Excel form also automatically carries out predefined calculations
based on the information provided and transfers key data across forms
in the workbook. The Excel form simplifies processing of a number of
required travel forms and reduces errors in completion of these documents.
Summary status report.
Web-based Forms
A team was formed in late September 1997 to create a plan for putting
appropriate non-automated paper forms on the World Wide Web as a means
to eliminate or make more efficient the use of paper forms. The team
does not take the place of the current efforts of ITC to implement e-forms
technology at the University. Putting all of the current paper forms
on the Web now may produce a cost savings and also take the University
another step toward an automated and paperless workplace. Goals of the
team include creating a single Web site in which all forms are "inventoried,"
and making recommendations on how to handle multi-part forms and any
other non-standard forms. Operating units then will be able to go to
one location, identify the form they need, complete the form on the
screen and print it for manual distribution. The team will focus on
human resources, financial administrative, and purchasing forms. Benefits
of the project will be savings in printing costs and storage space,
and having available the most current form. Final
report. |
