Awards

1994 Quality & Productivity Awards

Royal Bank of Canada, Xerox Canada Ltd., and CAUBO

The Royal Bank of Canada, Xerox Canada Ltd., and the Canadian Association of University Business Officers are pleased to announce the following winners from the 44 applications received for the 1994 competition:

With the extension of the criteria in 1992 to measure Quality, this year's winners reflect a focus on improved service to their customers, most often students. There is also a use of technology in improving the effectiveness of communications. The three cash award winners also shared a common interest in using technology to improve the effectiveness of communication.

With increasing financial restraints and the uncertainty of provincial government funding resulting from the pending cutbacks in EPF, there is a strong need to explore ways to become more effective and efficient. One of the desired benefits of the CAUBO Quality and Productivity Awards Program is to identify and share the best practices of Canadian universities. Not only are many of the ideas rated high on the portability criteria, there are savings identified of about $1/2 million for each of the 15 entries which show an annual net savings. These amounts are considerably higher than in prior years, and in fact, result in accumulated savings, or revenue generating ideas, since the program started in 1987 of about $50 million. In order to encourage portability of these ideas, plans are to facilitate access to the details of these projects through posting over the next couple of months on a CAUBO World-Wide-Web facility.

The input of the two well-known corporate sponsors is gratefully acknowledged, not only for their generous contribution of the full funding of the costs of the program, but also their invaluable assistance with the selection process. Help from a former President of CAUBO (1983-84), namely Don Wells, currently President of The University of Regina, in chairing the selection committee over the past five years, should also be noted with sincere thanks. The program is expected to continue for the foreseeable future with the added benefit for the 1995 competition of including KPMG (Peat Marwick Thorne) as one of the corporate sponsors.

K. Clements
Executive Director, CAUBO
25 May 1995

DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY (First Prize)

In producing a series of three publications and in offering them in print and computer diskette form, the Office of Instructional Development and Technology (OIDT) at Dalhousie University has made important information on teaching and learning available to educators at Dalhousie and other institutions. Recording Teaching Accomplishment, University Teaching and Learning, and Learning Through Writing reflect an impressive collaborative effort by OIDT personnel. Dalhousie faculty, staff, administrators, and graduate students; and contributors from other universities.

The popularity of the print version of the publications at other institutions led to the development of diskette versions of the texts which purchasing institutions can modify and copy in quantity to meet their specific needs. To date, 70 diskette versions and hundreds of print copies have been purchased by colleges and universities in all 10 provinces in Canada, in 40 states in the USA, and in 16 other countries. These publications have had a positive impact on teaching and learning at Dalhousie; the purchasing institutions have similarly benefited from the quality of the Dalhousie content, as well as the adaptability and affordability of the diskette versions. The OIDT has generated over $25,000 in revenues through this original plan.

Alan Wright, Executive Director of the OIDT, emphasizes the "team effort" leading to the success of these publications. Staff members Carol O'Neil and Eileen Herteis played leading roles in writing and editing, and Administrative Secretary Janice MacInnis handled the critical management tasks of word processing and formatting, quality control, distribution and sales.

UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN (SECOND PRIZE)

Beginning in 1992, the recruitment activity by many employers changed. Due to uncertainty, many employers could not predict how many positions they would have for new graduates. As a result many employers recruited well after graduation. This was a problem for University of Saskatchewan graduates since the majority were from outside of Saskatoon and did not have easy access to the University Student Recruitment Centre and posted opportunities. In response to this problem, Doug Rain, Director of the Centre, developed a Graduate Resume Program (GRP). Graduates registered with the program and submitted copies of their resume which are then submitted to employers on the graduates behalf. This served both employers and students well as more employers did not take time to post their opportunity, but instead asked for whatever resumes the Centre had on file.

The GRP worked very well until 1994 when employers began recruiting more for skills and less for particular degrees and majors. Rain realized the GRP would have to change dramatically to meet these new employer needs. He developed logistics of a skills based version of the GRP which was then turned over to Ken Glover, Programmer/Analyst in the Centre. Glover programmed a new database system that registers graduates based not only on their academic credentials, but also by their skills and previous experience. This system allows the Career Services Officers at the Centre to better match graduates to opportunities. The key aspect to the program is the fact that it is automated. Employers submit specific qualifications required or desired such as degrees, majors, skills, abilities, and experience. The Career Services Officers enter the criteria into the automated resume system and search for graduates that meet the criteria. The employer receives information from the database about each graduate's registered skill set as well as a copy of their resume. The benefit is the speed and efficiency of the system as all this information, with the exception of the resume in hard copy, can be provided to the employer while still on the phone or within minutes over a fax.

The automated system allows much better service to both employers and graduates. The critical components in the system's development was the teamwork involved at the Student Recruitment Centre. The collaboration of Rain (Director), Glover (Programmer/Analyst), Brent Wellman and Maryann Ross (Career Services Officers), Stuart Fehr (Technology Resources Coordinator), Ayten Forrest (Outreach Coordinator), Tamarha Foster (Clerk/Steno II), and Heidi Thams and Marianne Schmid (Research Assistants) made the development of the program a success.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK (THIRD PRIZE)

In the spring of 1994 an interactive CD-ROM was proposed to speak more directly and effectively to the grade twelve students that the University would be recruting. The Department of Audio Visual Services was asked to develop a concept and to produce the CD-ROM.

"UNBNU" (UNB - and You) is designed to appeal equally to both female and male students. It consists of three parts - each designed to communicate varying degrees of effective and cognitive material:

1. An introductory movie, Mikey and Allison's Excellent Future, displays an intriguing face of the University of New Brunswick and sets a tone of familiarity and humor.

2. AV Services produced a computer game, The Charter Quest, to introduce potential students to both the physical layout and the broad scope of activities that constitute UNB's two campuses. The game and reward format was chosen to maximize student interest and to encourage participation.

3. The Book of Knowledge employs the Internet software tool, Mosaic, to give easy access to all the possible facts and figures that a potential audience might wish to know. This hypertezt format allows the inclusion of more than 800 pages of facts and figures, linking the user from one area to another, both quickly and easily. The book of Knowledge includes:

The complete text of the University Calendar;
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Handbooks;
general information on each faculty, student activities, phonebook information, residence information, etc.

The Book of Knowledge also provides a link to UNB's Home Page on the World Wide Web (www.unb.ca) for users connected to the Internet.

UNBNU is an initiative that will increase both the quantity and quality of the University of New Brunswick's contact time with potential students. It also provides new multimedia resources that will enrich both the University's conventional and Distance Education teaching. UNBNU reflects a commitment to innovation and relevant change. Prospective students of the University of New Brunswick can now "virtually" explore their "Excellent Future" with UNB. As one of our student recruiters says, "UNB. Just ask us."

MARITIME UNIVERSITIES SYSTEM INTEGRATION CONSORTIUM (ATLANTIC REGIONAL AWARD)

(ACADIA UNIVERSITY, MOUNT ALLISON UNIVERSITY, MOUNT SAINT VINCENT UNIVERSITY, ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY, AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF CAPE BRETON)

COOPERATION ACQUISITION & IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPUTERIZED INTEGRATED SOFTWARE - A PROACTIVE APPROACH

A group of five universities including Acadia University, Mount Allison University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Thomas University, and University College of Cape Breton have formed a Consortium (Maritime Universities Systems Integration Consortium - MUSIC) to conduct the search, acquisition, and implementation of computerized financial and student system integrated software on a co-operative basis. The initiative for MUSIC began with a joint effort in the search process for requisite financial management software and has grown to include the planning and development of systems implementation for finance and student systems, as well as other specifically identified applications including human resources, physical plant, inventory, and budget management.

A primary objective of the Consortium has been to have fully integrated information systems that can evolve with technological advancements. Members of MUSIC believe that such information systems are essential for management purposes, for responding to the increasing demands for accountability and for sharing information both internally and externally consistent with current technology.

As a group, MUSIC members have realized many benefits from a cooperative approach. The most obvious benefit has been the advantage accruing from group buying power. This includes savings from the initial system purchase, shared training, and consulting services provided by the software vendor, and also the purchase and maintenance of hardware. The savings which are harder to quantify, but which are just as apparent, are those which are resulting from the sharing of expertise and "best practices", including the development of software modifications/customizations.

Benefits which will continue to accrue to MUSIC members with the new systems being implemented include:

• work processes being re-engineered to increase productivity
• information being provided that is more timely and accurate
• elimination of many independent databases through integration, thus reducing duplication of effort and ensuring consistent data is maintained and reported
• staff utilization becoming more effective and productive
• improvement of front-line service to students

The existing members of the Consortium hope that the accomplishments which have been realized so far, will be just the beginning of a larger regional initiative.

MCGILL UNIVERSITY (QUEBEC REGIONAL AWARD)

McGill's Automated and Secure Approval Process (ASAP) is a generic system now being used at McGill University to process forms electronically in a secure environment according to pre-defined approval paths. ASAP provides for collection of data at source, ensuring it is correct, instant transport of the documents to decision makers, on-line retrieval of documents, and enhanced auditing facilities.

Substantial productivity improvements are being realized as the ASAP system is integrated with other systems in use at the University. ASAP allows people to accomplish their tasks quicker and more accurately, with less time devoted to tracking down errors. At any time one can determine the status of the document, that is to say, who is next to approve the document. Data already captured in local PC systems can be transmitted and updated into ASAP without re-entering. Having the data in electronic format in the ASAP system provides us the opportunity for future cost-savings and productivity-savings ventures such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

The system is being used by all areas of the University, both academic and administrative, to assist and expedite decision making previously done on paper forms. It has brought about a new way of doing business to the McGill community. A major part of the design of ASAP forms is a review and re-engineering of the business process, so that in many instances the approval paths defined in ASAP are stream-lined. Decision information is processed faster, more precisely, at less cost, and is more auditable.

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO (ONTARIO REGIONAL AWARD)

The University of Western Ontario is a major institution situated at the centre of the southwestern Ontario heartland; as such, it lies within viable commuting distances for most of the province's population. Western's campus is visited by over 30,000 vehicles each day, each driven by an individual who may or may not be familiar with parking lot or building locations, local signage, or institutional processes which ensure adequate parking arrangements for all. Over the past 20 years, parking activities had become confused and frequently abused, as customers sought to defeat control mechanisms and park more cheaply and conveniently, often at the expenses of their peers, and of the University.

In response, Western developed an automated process for capturing driver and vehicle information at first point of contact, maintaining and instantly updating records for management use, displaying and distributing the records to ensure customer accountability, and facilitating a fair and speedy resolution to parking issues as they arise. The automated management information system is supplemented with a friendly and informative education program, information booth facilities, effective signage, employment of students within the process, and a service improvement orientation.

The management system software, which is the heart of the program, is flexible and suitable to a wide variety of parking applications and environments. At Western, parking revenues have doubled, and annual net profits have risen to over $1 million (from nil in 1990). Customer approval has increased dramatically, and complaints are now few and far between. The resolution of parking related conflict has improved public perception of the University, as well as removed a point of irritation within the community. Many of the solutions developed have been successfully exported to other universities, and to the City of London, as a response to enforcement or development related problems.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA (WESTERN REGIONAL AWARD)

Faced with a 16 percent cut in operating budget following smaller cuts that virtually exhausted all obvious economies, the University of Alberta Library managed to avoid layoffs and enhance service by contracting with ISM (Information Systems Management Corporation) for the "outsourcing" of the routine cataloguing and processing of library materials. This achieved a 40 percent saving of staffing and related costs, improved turn-around time, and freed staff for redeployment to enhance customer services. Of the former, fixed overheads of $3.2 million for processing, one-third has been redirected to public services.

The reasons for outsourcing are compelling.

• The more library customers who choose to outsource, the more the aggregation lowers the unit costs and savings to all through increased productivity. Whereas, individual, internal library processing-lines enjoy few economies of scale.
• Thanks to the INTERNET, cataloguing and processing can be performed more cheaply by out-of-house labour, whereas the University of Alberta formerly dedicated numerous, senior, professional and support staff to these tasks.
• Turn-around time on processed material is reduced to two-weeks following receipt of a volume, versus the current average of six-to-eight weeks for in-house processing.
• Outsourcing forces the library to examine its own quality standards, and drop the fallacious assumption that the work is done properly because "our people" did it.
• The quality of the work can be defined contractually, measured by a disinterested third party, and upheld through contractual incentives and remedies.
• Processing overheads are reduced to utility charges that are both predictable and budgetable. These replace the fixed staffing overheads of salaries and benefits as well as the utility costs for the automated services needed to support in-house cataloguing and processing.
• Outsourcing costs will synchronize with the library's acquisitions budget, and will be subject to cessation when the annual budget for them is exhausted. Whereas fixed staffing overheads continue to rise even as diminished purchasing power has reduced library acquisitions and processing volume.