CHAPTER 4: Organization and Resources

Administrative Services

The Boulder campus is supported in its academic mission by a number of administrative services, ranging from accounting to human resources and from buying and contracting to the bursar’s office. These functions are described in the various unit self-studies available to the NCA evaluation team in the Resource Room and and on the web at University of Colorado Unit Self-Studies. For purposes of this report, the discussion will focus on two functions that have significant impacts on the efficiency of administrative functions of the Boulder campus: the Administrative Streamlining Project (ASP) and the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG).

Administrative Streamlining Project (ASP)

Since 1995, CU-Boulder has participated in the Administrative Streamlining Project (ASP), a systemwide initiative designed to transform key business processes at all four campuses. Launched by CU President John C. Buechner, the $35 million ASP program was intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the financial and human resources transaction processes for the university, as well as to provide a more robust framework for management and decision making. The goals of ASP are consistent with the cross-cutting aim of the university to infuse greater technological sophistication in all areas—from the classroom to research laboratories to ways of conducting business.

With the implementation of PeopleSoft software modules on the Boulder campus, ASP is replacing a 21-year-old financial information system and installing the campus’s first integrated human resources system. The new systems are intended to increase the information available to managers, streamline administrative processes, and implement supporting technology. As part of the project, the campus’s individual purchasing, accounts payable, payroll, and benefits functions are being consolidated into two central areas: benefits/payroll and procurement.

After almost two years of centralized effort, implementation of ASP began in earnest in July 1999 when the first phase of the procurement module went online. In the first several months of implementation, the Boulder campus encountered significant problems. The first financial reports required a full week to print more than 270,000 pages across the four campuses and provided less than accurate management information. Departments had difficulty discerning how much of their budgets was spent, bills were slow in being paid, and reconciling financial records required an inordinate amount of time.

Part of these problems could be attributed to an implementation process that combined new software tools with major changes in organizational structure. Consolidation and relocation of procurement service centers contributed to a very heavy turnover in staffing, just as the software for the general ledger, procurement, and accounts payable came online. Although project leaders had expected a drop in productivity and efficiency at the outset, the combination of reorganizations, staff turnover, and process changes exacerbated a difficult situation.

By October, campus users were reporting increased familiarity with the software and some improvements in the software and processes. In the second financial close, the volume of reports dropped to 70,000 pages with cleaner data and formats. A new web-based report writer for the system is expected to be online by spring 2000. ASP team leaders, procurement and accounts payable staff, and project managers were meeting with financial liaisons with each major division to identify and resolve the most critical issues. Staff members were increasing their familiarity with the software systems and taking advantage of on-site help offices and open forums on the campuses.

Although some staff report improvements in the situation, serious concerns remain. Some fear the project is attempting to launch too many modules at once, resulting in decreased timeliness and accuracy of information. Some users question the implementation of new modules across all four campuses of the university at the same time, rather than phasing in the systems. Other users feel that individual campus needs were not well reflected in the ASP planning process. Also, concerns have been raised about the lack of objective assessment tools to help project managers and the campus evaluate the effectiveness of the ASP system. Evaluation currently consists of anecdotal evidence, some of which may contain outdated information.

Implementation of the human resources phase covering benefits and payroll was postponed until April 2000 to allow more time for problem-solving in the general ledger, accounts payable, and procurement areas, as well as more testing and training for the human resources modules. In October 1999, campuses were running parallel tests on payroll systems, with few problems detected. The extension of the launch date should allow training in a production environment that mimics actual processes. Early experiences with the ASP implementation have underscored the importance of strong technological skills by staff in day-to-day performance of duties.

In the coming months, the ASP organization is encouraged to continue outreach to campus end-users, particularly in the procurement and accounts payable areas as well as human resources. Results of payroll testing should be shared with the campus communities, in order to respond to questions about the launching of the payroll system.

Office of Contracts and Grants

The Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) is one of the most active and well-regarded units on the Boulder campus. The office provides support to faculty and other university personnel in obtaining and administering research and educational funds from non-university sources. OCG also offers advice in writing proposals, seeking funding sources, and transmitting proposals electronically. The office also is responsible for protecting university interests through the review of proposals to non-university sources, contract and grant award review and negotiation, administration of funds, policy and procedure initiation and implementation, and liaison with auditors.

Assisting OCG is the Sponsored Projects Accounting office (SPA), which provides business services such as fiscal reporting, preparing invoices for the sponsoring agencies, and administering the Personnel Effort Reporting System (PERS). SPA is separate from OCG, but the two functions work closely together.

The Office of Contracts and Grants plays an important role in the success of CU-Boulder’s research enterprise. Concerns have been raised, however, about the level of staffing available in OCG as the campus continues to reach new levels of research activity. The office processed more than 1,600 proposals in 1998 and approximately the same number of awards. Although the office has experienced about a 100 percent increase in workload since 1979, its staff has grown only slightly in the last 20 years. For more information, see www.colorado.edu/ocg.

Campus Enhances Building Accessibility

CU-Boulder recognizes the value of integrating students with disabilities into programs and facilities throughout the campus and seeks to exceed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All new facilities are designed to be fully accessible. Many existing facilities have undergone ADA renovations, utilizing $11.2 million in state funding and significant campus cash funds since 1993.