3rd Draft

Finance and Administration

Goals to Assist with the University Strategic Plan

August 30, 2004

 

Strategic Direction #1:  Enhance the University’s reputation, visibility, and influence.

 

  1. Grants and Contracts office will prepare a long form indirect cost calculation that will enhance the revenue ability through maximum recovery of indirect cost.
  2. Internal Audit (IA) will evaluate the University’s fiscal integrity, compliance with applicable state, governmental, and University policies to strengthen the control environment.
  3. IA will provide accurate, factual, and timely reporting to administration that is clearly written and concise.
  4. IA will make advisory recommendations for improvement when applicable.
  5. Athletic Finance Control (AFC) will provide support to the Athletic Department and to the ASU Indian Club to ensure that sufficient and comprehensive data, records and reports are available for timely completion of audits by the external audit firm.
  6. Finance and Administration (F&A) will continue to develop electronic communication tools to enhance the quality and speed of information sharing with the university community.
  7. F&A will participate in any way requested in preparation for the Centennial Celebration.
  8. Facilities Management (FM) will continue staff development efforts to create an organization that is effective and efficient and recognized as a leader in facilities management that provides opportunities for advancement.
  9. Human Resources (HR) will stay apprised of classification/compensation systems nationwide and position this office to make sound recommendations to the President and others concerning ASU salary administration.
  10. HR will stay apprised of benefit offerings nationwide and will continue to explore feasibility of expanding current offerings to include the addition of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), etc.
  11. Information Technology Services (ITS) will develop a Web communications strategy in concert with the University Advancement division.
  12. ITS will develop connectivity relationships with regional K-12 schools to provide advanced voice, video, and data services/content to all locations throughout the Delta region.
  13. As a University System, ASU will join or create a regional educational digital library consortium to both reduce costs and increase resources available to faculty, students, and staff of the ASU System.
  14. Business Services always strives for visibility of excellence, and will continue to develop and offer new services that will improve the reputation of the University.

 

 

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Strategic Direction #2:  Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities – teaching, research, and service.

 

  1. The Quality and Efficiency Support Team (QUEST) will provide consultation to areas upon request to enhance operational efficiency and adherence to University Operating Policy and Procedures.
  2. FM will maintain the teaching and learning environments at a high level to minimize distractions to education.
  3. F&A will continue to provide education and training opportunities for staff skill enhancement.
  4. F&A will continue to support the renewed research efforts of the University.
  5. FM will provide accurate facility and infrastructure data via electronic means.
  6. HR will expand the training and development campus initiatives to include a Center for the improvement of teaching.
  7. ITS will create an “Information Commons” as a multi-media support location for faculty.
  8. ITS will create a Shared Learning Objects Repository that will serve as a multi-institution resource for faculty to re-use electronic learning objects in teaching and research.
  9. ITS will develop a more significant in-house expertise in technology skills that are required to actively promote and support a research-intensive environment.
  10. Business Services will continue to provide the appropriate infrastructure to support student and faculty needs in order to enhance teaching, research, and service.

 

Strategic Direction #3:  Develop a cohesive campus community based on strong shared governance, excellent communication, and mutual respect.

 

  1. F&A will seek input from its various customers prior to implementing policy and procedural changes, and communicate regularly with customers on needs satisfaction.
  2. F&A will continue to practice management principles that lead to sound University administration as follows: Customer Focused; Continuous Improvement, Effective Communication, Effective Leadership, and Empowerment and Accountability.
  3. The Department of Administrative Services will support shared governance committee efforts by participating in the governing bodies of the university.
  4. IA and AFC staff will provide campus-wide training to ensure operating practices are understood and to help ensure compliance with policies, laws, and regulations.
  5. FM will continue to provide a safe, collaborative and pleasant working environment that encourages staff participation in problem solving.
  6. F&A will continue efforts to develop mentors that will share their knowledge and abilities with developing staff members.
  7. HR will strive to become more Web based for customer services.

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  1. Business Services will support and encourage communication, shared governance, and develop good working relations with all departments.
  2. The Budget Office will continue to ensure that all changes in policies and procedures related to budget issues will be documented and maintained for future reference.  Open communication will continue to be of utmost importance to the Budget Office staff.
  3. ITS will develop a holistic model for the delivery of information technology resources and support services defined by user needs.
  4. ITS will establish a hierarchical information technology support structure which is institutionally planned to meet user needs.

 

 

Strategic Direction #4:  Develop a culture of assessment to enhance institutional outcomes.

 

  1. F&A will continue Peer reviews for input into organizational effectiveness.  F&A will continue to improve benchmarking opportunities with peer institutions.
  2. IA will gather data for established benchmark criteria to determine the variation in activity from baseline information.  A comparison of information will be performed and reported.
  3. IA will perform risk assessment analysis to identify areas of greatest concern to the University to allow IA review to be prioritized.
  4. F&A will use assessment tools to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided to the university community and the data will be used to implement continuous improvement activities, e.g., an institutional administrative information architecture accessible to and usable by the University’s planners and decision makers.
  5. ITS will explore the feasibility of developing a data warehouse for institutional data storage and use for planning, decision making, and advisement.
  6. ITS will establish an institutional framework for information technology leadership and planning.
  7. Business Services continuously reviews and assesses all services for enhancements of operations.

 

Strategic Direction #5:  Increase enrollment, retention rate, and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students.

 

  1. Personal development of staff through pursuit of University degrees will be included in the Goals and Objectives of the Administrative Services staff.
  2. The Administrative Services (AS) and Budget Planning and Development office staffs will participate in University mentoring programs.
  3. F&A will continue to encourage and facilitate opportunities for staff that wish to attend classes.

 

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  1. FM will develop at least one graduate assistantship within FM and continue educational outreach activities to other facility operation staffs.
  2. HR will enhance the effectiveness of the part time student worker program, and ensure that the opportunities present themselves in an equitable manner.
  3. ITS will develop a virtual marketing plan to better market the University to potential and current students.  This will be accomplished in concert with the Web Communications Team, University Communications, and the Enrollment Management Committee.
  4. Business Services will work diligently with all departments and students to support and encourage retention, graduation, and enrollment growth.

 

Strategic Direction #6:  Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum.

 

  1. F&A will continue to provide employment opportunities for females and minorities, particularly in those categories for which the University has specific goals.  F&A will continue to be sensitive to the cultural differences of all employees and continue to finds ways to recruit more people from underrepresented groups.  Each Unit manager will include diversity in her/his annual goals and will be reviewed annually on those goals.
  2. The AS staff will demonstrate sensitivity to affirmative action and equal opportunity hiring by increasing knowledge of diversity related issues through attending trainings and diversifying staff whenever new hiring opportunities occur where possible.
  3. HR will participate in diversity initiatives other than Craighead County, e.g., West Memphis, Blytheville, Earle, and Osceola.
  4. HR will stress that committees have student and minority representation.
  5. HR will promote that diversity enhancement should be a part of the evaluation of administrators.
  6. Diversity will be an ongoing goal for Business Services.

 

 

Strategic Direction #7:  Increase resources to the university.

 

  1. The AS area will continuously seek opportunities where University departments may increase revenues or decrease expenses and will communicate suggestions to University administration and management when appropriate.
  2. FM will continue to sponsor on-campus educational opportunities for the public that, at a minimum, cover the cost for training ASU staff.
  3. FM will continue to implement cost avoidance activities relative to facility operations in order to keep operations cost as low as possible, e.g., utility savings annually.
  4. HR will continue to research additional tax sheltered services, such as IRS section 125 and section 132 services.

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  1. The Budget Office will provide advice and expertise where necessary to assist in developing programs geared toward entrepreneurship.
  2. ITS will collaborate with faculty to seek corporate relationships and/or consortia involvement to take advantage of available technology.
  3. Grants and Contracts office will prepare a long form indirect cost calculation that will enhance the revenue capability through maximum recovery of indirect cost.
  4. Finding new revenue resources and cost containment is an on-going goal for Business Services.

 

Strategic Direction #8:  Strategically manage resources among divisions and colleges based on institutional priorities.

 

  1. The F&A units will manage staff and budgeted funds effectively and efficiently.
  2. The IA and AFC areas will ensure that University organizational units are functioning efficiently and effectively with adequate internal controls.
  3. The Budget Office will develop alternate budget methodologies that will assist ASU-J in restructuring its resource allocation process.  The project will assure that existing and future resources are appropriately invested to meet the University’s mission and goals.  The process will establish principles and criteria for reallocation in the event of reduced revenues.  A draft document should be completed by November, 2004 for discussion during the 2005-2006 University Planning Council meeting.
  4. Business Services will assist departments in maximizing purchasing power within their budgets, e.g., MailMasters postal savings.

 

 

Filename:  F&A Goals for Strategic Plan Aug-04

Date Prepared:  August 30, 2004