Administrative Functions

• Convince state and federal governments to cut back on required paperwork
• Establish more efficient and standardized administrative functions and procedures
• Redesign purchasing to expedite orders and improve timeliness of information for accounting
• Set up an online and an automated phone system for requests for records, catalogs, and other mailed items
• Develop or purchase, and implement, telephone registration system
• Improve control over central supplies
• Merge redundant functions and positions
• Develop a time-keeping system so funding requirements can be recorded and tracked
• End classified administrators’ exemption for the standard evaluation and layoff process
• Eliminate unnecessary second-tier positions within administrative functions
• Consolidate centers and support functions to improve efficiency and reduce costs
• Privatize selected support functions (e.g., food services, maintenance, parking, security, etc.)
• Develop a better record-keeping system for classes
• Eliminate or reduce administrative bureaucracy
• Check on faculty who request leave as full-time and verify they are not part-time
• Consolidate duplicative functions such as computing, testing disabled students, etc.
• Establish a charge-back system for use of printing, mail, photocopying, data processing, etc.
• Find simplified ways to process department charge-backs
• Reduce the amount of time and people involved in administrators’ performance evaluations
• Train managers in productivity improvement techniques
• Reevaluate shift assignments to improve effectiveness of support functions
• Stop employee theft
• Track use of vendors to improve bidding position
• Use universal ID numbers as student, employee, and vendor ID numbers
• Adopt a total quality management (TQM) orientation to the workplace
• Establish controls and support processes or systems to pursue cost recoveries on grants
• Streamline work processes, paper flow, and infrastructure
• Train managers in finance, interest-based bargaining, grant-writing, etc.
• Re-examine matriculation costs
• Offer four-day work weeks for some administrative or support positions and reduce salaries accordingly
• Shift classified staff to nine-month work schedule, excluding only those needed for summer school
• Investigate financial aid recipients to identify those not pursing studies
• Collaborate with other area institutions to perform selective administrative functions (e.g., data processing, purchasing, etc.)
• Establish controls and support processes or systems to pursue cost recoveries on grants
• Streamline work processes, paper flow, and infrastructure
• Train managers in finance, interest-based bargaining, grant-writing, etc.
• Re-examine matriculation costs
• Offer four-day work weeks for some administrative or support positions and reduce salaries accordingly
• Shift classified staff to nine-month work schedule, excluding only those needed for summer school
• Investigate financial aid recipients to identify those not pursing studies
• Collaborate with other area institutions to perform selective administrative functions (e.g., data processing, purchasing, etc.)
• Renegotiate phone rates
• Keep old equipment if it still functions
• Compare insurance coverage with different carriers
• Do a cost-benefit analysis of the risk associated with self-insured

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.
- Jonas Salk, M.D.