An Update on Operational Excellence
As we continue our journey toward operational excellence (OpEx), we want to take a moment to reflect on the progress the University has made and the path ahead. Over the past several months, we have engaged the community in generating ideas to improve DU and help position the university for future success. Working groups helped prioritize ideas that then went to the steering committee in the form of business cases. The steering committee recommended nine excellent opportunities to the chancellor and provost for review and selection based on their likelihood for significant long-term savings and efficiencies. However, these efforts are not just about cost savings鈥攖hey are also about being strategic in how we invest in our mission to create a more agile, effective institution.听
The initiatives selected for initial implementation over the coming months are:听
Procurement Transformation: Instead of each department buying materials or supplies on their own (which can be disorganized and expensive), the university will collect information on purchases and take a more strategic approach to the process. This will help save money that can be reinvested in academic and operational priorities. Over the next five years, the university will establish a team and rules to guide purchasing, analyze what the school is spending money on, and build a system to improve how things are purchased.听 Our implementation of the CrimsonCommerce procure-to-pay platform is the first step of this transformational work.听
Business Process Improvement: The goal of this initiative is to make day-to-day tasks, like paperwork, approvals, and other behind-the-scenes processes, faster and more efficient. To do this, the university will gather feedback from employees to find out what鈥檚 slowing things down or causing frustration. Even though some systems have already gone digital, many of them still don鈥檛 work as well as they could. This project aims to address those issues and better support staff in their work. Over the next 18 to 24 months, the university will use current technology and staff input to make sure everyday operations are efficient and aligned with its long-term goals.听
Courseware Automation: This project aims to make it easier for students to access virtual desktops by automating the process using their class enrollment information. Right now, this process involves a lot of manual work, which takes time and can lead to mistakes. By connecting the systems we already have, this automation will save time for staff, reduce errors, and improve the experience for students. The project will be completed in three steps over six months: first, figuring out what鈥檚 needed; next, building the automation; and finally, testing it to make sure everything works smoothly.听
In addition to these ideas, several of the ideas generated through OpEx discussions were implemented immediately, and we are already seeing benefits from that implementation. For example, we just concluded the鈥痶ransition from desk phones to VoIP, a change that will not only reduce costs but also improve flexibility and communication across our campuses. Another example is our new bookstore partnership and model, which will be in place by July.听
In addition to the above, we are exploring other promising opportunities such as enhancements to our digital signage. We鈥檝e seen great momentum in areas already underway, such as improving communication and transparency through regular town halls and visits by leadership to all-hands meetings at the units and schools/colleges and evaluating our HR and compliance structures. These ideas, many of which came directly from our community, reflect the creativity and commitment that define DU.听
This work would not have been possible without the dedication and insight of our working groups and campus partners, which included faculty and staff from across the University. Thank you to everyone who participated in the brainstorming and selection process thus far.听听
Operational excellence is not a destination鈥攊t is a mindset. It requires us to continually ask how we can do better, serve our students more effectively, and steward our resources wisely. We are confident that, together, we will continue to build a stronger, more resilient university.听
Thank you for your continued support and engagement.听
听