This initiative focuses on optimizing policies and systems throughout the university to improve performance and increase employee satisfaction. Based on the findings from the Administrative Quality Satisfaction Survey administered to faculty and staff, the following areas were prioritized for improvement.
Priority Areas for Improvement
Communication Gaps
Desire for more effective communication and guidance on understanding and navigating policies, processes and systems
Process Visibility
Essential processes require better visibility to track progress, allowing users to know when a step needs attention or intervention
Modernization Needs
Many processes with manual steps (e.g., paper forms, emails) need to be streamlined and automated
Notable Outcomes
New Budget and Finance Portal
Curated resources and training tools with 38,000 views in the first 4 months
Travel Process Consolidation
Streamlined the travel approval process and developed training materials
Travel Planning
Cost Savings in Print Services
Reduced costs by over 50% by switching print services vendor
Collaborative Procurement
Partnered with Pitt and Penn State to achieve more competitive pricing with a new office supplies vendor
Read Announcement
Research Approval Automation
Deployed an automated workflow to replace a previously manual proposal approval process