Reflecting on Progress A Report

Office of the Senior Vice President  for Health Sciences  Frank B. Cerra, Sr. Vice President October 19, 2000

Academic Health Center Administrative Achievements
 

AHC Office of Administrative Information Systems

• Developing a strategic administrative information systems plan to clarify needs, reduce duplication, and leverage critical resources that are in high demand.

 
• Establishing an ISO desktop support service, technology purchasing function, and help-line for over 900 computer users in the AHC.  Reducing the annual support cost of a desktop computer from $900 to $750 in the last year.

 
• Establishing two enterprise-level server rooms, one in Minneapolis, one in St. Paul to house AHC and College of Veterinary Medicine server hardware.   Consolidating and eliminating multiple file servers in AHC colleges and migrated files and data onto AHC central servers.

 
• Developing hardware and software standards for all AHC administrative offices to reduce operating and support costs and to improve the ability to share information between units.  Three-year conversion plan under implementation.

 
• Developing common administrative systems for AHC schools and departments to provide more timely and accurate information and more comparable data across units.  Tied to central systems and data warehouses to avoid duplicate data entry and to use common data.  First systems developed:  budget, performance reporting, and human resource tracking systems.  Launching major initiative to create electronic administrative reports and reduce paper reports.

 
• Consolidating stand-alone electronic calendaring systems in the AHC to a single, shared system resulting in the largest scheduling /calendaring system at the University with over 1000 users.

 
• Establishing a software development service for AHC colleges and departments that will provide systems design and programming expertise.  AIS development costs are $40/hour compared with private consultant costs of $100/hour.

 
• Assuming management of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s information systems, eliminating a duplicate director-level position for CVM.  Providing  "second tier" technical support for CVM.  Managing implementation of new Veterinary Teaching Hospital system.

 
• Providing primary information systems support to the Senior Vice President’s Office, Medical School Dean’s Office and 20 departments in the Medical School.

 
• Managing and coordinating the technical and security connections between the AHC, UMPhysicians, and Fairview Health Services for 1,500 users.

 
• Assisting the entire AHC community with the implementation of PeopleSoft human resources, payroll, and student systems.

 
• Coordinating AHC administrative systems Y2K transition.

AHC Communications Office

• Developing a strategic communications plan for the AHC.  Over 100 faculty, staff, and students were involved in developing the plan in 1997.  The plan is being updated this year.

 
• Strengthening the AHC’s public and media relations:

• Substantially increasing local, state, and national media coverage of the AHC.
• Publishing an AHC experts guide for reporters.
• Developing media/public relations strategies for major AHC stories, including publication of important research studies; opening of new centers and institutes; appointments of senior administrators, faculty, and staff; and the launching of new educational, service, and outreach programs.
• Coordinating all media relations contacts for the Academic Health Center.  Working closely with Fairview, University of Minnesota Physicians, and University News Service for coordinated media placement.
• Publishing US West Health Information Guide featuring UM Physicians, Fairview University Medical Center, and AHC resources.  Included in all US West Twin Cities directories.
• Producing insert for Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine featuring AHC schools and colleges
• Expanding the AHC’s community relations programs:

 
• Developing and coordinating the Mini Medical School program, graduating 1800 community members.
• Organizing road shows for AHC representatives to meet with local health care, business, and community leaders, elected officials, and media outlets.  Over the past three years, we have held road shows in 29 Minnesota communities.
• Creating and staffing the AHC exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair.
• Coordinating a legislative health fair at the State Capitol; developing a mini-Medical School for legislators.
• Coordinating hundreds of high school student tours of the AHC
• Staffing AHC and industry sponsored conferences.
• Developing and staffing AHC exhibits at community conferences such as the Women’s Expo and the Health and Wellness Expo.

 
• Revamping and improving the quality of AHC publications, including:

 
• Brochure about the AHC and its schools  -- 25,000 circulation.
• News Capsules, a biweekly newsletter to faculty, staff, and students -- 10,000 circulation.
• AHC Community News, a monthly internal newspaper -- 5000 circulation.
• Dear Colleague, a newsletter from Frank Cerra to AHC faculty, staff and students -- 10,000 circulation.
• Pictures of Health, a quarterly magazine to external opinion leaders ? 25,000 circulation.
• Surveying readers to determine effectiveness of various types of communication and various publications.

 
• Strengthening and expanding use of electronic communications:

 
• Updating the format and strengthening the production of  the weekly Health Talk and You program ? televised Saturdays and Mondays on public television and Cable 6.  Implementing an 800 number for viewers. Developing a web site.  Introducing video streaming of the program. Writing and distributing weekly Health Talk and You newspaper columns to 50 Greater Minnesota newspapers.
• Updating and redesigning the AHC web site; establishing an AHC-wide web development committee.
• Expanding use of electronic media for communicating information, including e-mailing to all AHC faculty, staff, and students a weekly events calendar, News Capsules, special announcements from the Senior Vice President.

AHC Human Resources Office

• Reducing the number of human resources staff in AHC HR from 22 FTE to 10.8 FTE in FY 2000-20001 by:

• Partnering with central Office of Human Resources staff to make use of their services and contribute to their programs, rather than duplicate services.
• Sharing responsibilities for human resources processes and decisions with collegiate units in order to move decision-making information and approvals closer to unit decision makers.
• Building a strong core human resources staff within the Senior Vice President’s Office who can tailor human resource services to unit needs and partner with the unit’s staff and leadership.
• Improving human resources competencies for collegiate and administrative unit key human resource contacts by:

• Providing in-depth consultation to management at all organizational levels on potential problems and high risk issues.
• Assisting in selection of, and providing comprehensive University policy training to, new human resources staff in colleges and units.
• Providing frequent information and training sessions to assist AHC units doing human resources work.
• Increasing communication to improve AHC work climate and to promote a respectful service-oriented culture:

• Improving relationships with union leadership and working toward reducing unnecessary labor/management conflict.
• Providing opportunities for discussion, training, and consultation on respectful workplace and diversity issues to improve the work climate for all AHC employees.
• Providing feedback, training, and consultation on customer service approaches and issues.
• Improving performance management processes and practices and the communication necessary to build positive work relationships.
• Mapping and redesigning seven human resources processes within AHC departments:  recruitment, initial appointment, contract renewal, termination, salary increases, job reclassification, and the administrative aspects of the faculty promotion and tenure process.   Developing AHC-wide policies/procedures on compensation, job evaluations, and reclassifications.

 
• Leading implementation of PeopleSoft human resources and payroll systems in the AHC:

• Providing project leadership and support to all AHC units during PeopleSoft human resources and payroll implementation.  Reviewing and correcting data on over 12,000 paid and unpaid AHC faculty and staff.  Leading data sync efforts for the AHC.
• Developing baseline business process flows to assist units in determining how to structure and organize their work given the implementation of PeopleSoft systems.
• Developing a standard staffing model to optimize the number of individuals entering appointment and personnel data AHC-wide in order to facilitate the development of entry "experts" not "generalists."
• Successfully decentralizing PeopleSoft appointment and personal data entry to AHC collegiate units and/or departments.  Continuing to provide PeopleSoft functional and operational support to all AHC units.
• Entering PeopleSoft appointment and personal data for the Senior Vice President’s Office, AHC shared units, and Medical School Administration.  Serving as a data entry back-up for all AHC units.
• Developing a human resources and payroll reporting system that uses data from the central data warehouse.  Providing standard and ad hoc reports to AHC units.

AHC Facilities Office

• Completing a strategic facilities plan for the AHC in 1998 that identifies facilities needs for five to seven years.  The plan defines programmatic needs, marries it to space requirements, and prioritizes the various projects in the AHC.  AHC facilities staff and faculty/staff committees prepared the plan (rather than engaging outside consultants).  Estimated cost of using outside consultants would have been $500,000 to $750,000.  The plan includes over 100 projects with an estimated cost of at least $250 million.   The plan is updated annually and used as the basis for capital budget planning.

 
• Developing a district facilities plan for the Minneapolis AHC campus based on the 1998 strategic facilities plan.  The district plan is being developed jointly by the AHC Facilities Office, the central planning office, and an outside consultant.  The plan provides the framework, schedule, and locations for facilities projects for the next 20 years.  It proposes replacing one million square feet of obsolete and inefficient structures with 1.3 million square feet of new construction.  The plan will be completed and forwarded to the Regents in December 2000.

 
• Developing a project administration process for AHC capital projects to improve delineation of programmatic needs, space requirements, cost estimates, and budget control.  Administering weekly meetings with central Facilities Management owner representatives and AHC planning staff to coordinate resources and direction for all AHC projects.  Working with owners representatives to bring renovation projects in on time and under budget.  AHC Facilities staff are currently coordinating and overseeing 80 projects for AHC units.

 
• Major projects have included:

• Coordinating occupancy of the Basic Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Building.
• Relocating over 500 faculty and staff from the Jackson, Owre, Millard, and Lyons complex to renovated laboratories and office space in other AHC facilities.
• Serving on the design and construction team for renovation of Jackson Hall.
• Serving on the design and construction team for the Molecular and Cellular Biology Building.
• Drafting the preliminary programmatic requirements for the Translational Research facility and the AHC Education and Learning Center.

• Developing and administering space management policy and procedures for the AHC inventory of 5.5 million square feet and for space being returned to the University by Fairview.   Working with central Real Estate and AHC units to analyze programmatic needs for leased off-campus space.

 
• Developing a facility planning service to work with AHC administrators and faculty to define programmatic needs and facility requirements on projects, in particular on smaller renovation and remodeling projects (under $250,000).  Since 1997, the office has worked on over 120 remodeling and renovation projects.

 
• Developing cost/quality benchmarks for projects using past AHC projects and comparable projects from other institutions.

AHC Financial Management Office

• Implementing rigorous financial oversight systems and processes by

 
• Organizing a new annual all-funds budget development and allocation process.
• Introducing a position management program.
• Forming a strategic investment pool for funding new education and research initiatives.
• Linking the annual budget process to long-range financial planning.
• Linking programmatic decisions and needs to the planning and budget process.
• Instituting a financial performance reporting system.

• Designing new and adapting current financial management information systems.

 
• Developing and implementing an aggressive initiative to process most financial transactions electronically.  FormsNirvana has been implemented throughout the AHC.   Since July 1999, AHC staff have processed more than 90% of all financial transactions through FormsNirvana.  The current rate is 97%.  Central unit savings are estimated at $240,000 to $500,000 annually.

 
• Increasing training of AHC financial staff.  All staff have completed the centrally provided transaction processing classes.  All financial managers have completed the class on internal controls provided by the University auditor and controller.  A financial management internship program has been established.  Three AHC staff have completed internships in the office and have taken on increased responsibilities with the AHC.

 
• Developing a standard staffing model that is being applied across the AHC.  For the first time, we are able to systematically determine whether AHC units are under-staffed, over-staffed, or properly staffed with accountants and payroll staff.

 
• Implementing an audit process that periodically audits all units and provides for follow up on the audit results, using the university audit function

CHIP

• Increasing student participation CHIP sponsored events, workshops, seminars, conferences, and retreats.   Over 2500 students attend CHIP sponsored activities annually.

 
• Sponsoring conferences on treatment of HIV and international health, retreats on communications and interdisciplinary education, and seminar series on bioethics, global health, wilderness health, interdisciplinary education, and alternative/complementary care.

 
• Increasing student participation in CHIP student council, strategic planning committee, and program committees.  Over 200 students serve as members.

 
• Revamping monthly electronic newsletter sent to all AHC students; creating a web site to improve communications with AHC students.

 
• Establishing a student self help system for computer support (CompuCHIP), installing computer network and work stations for students to use at CHIP, and piloting a wireless network initiative.

 
• Renovating the CHIP student lounge to provide better study and meeting space.

 
• Expanding hours and installing key card access to provide extended hours for students to use CHIP lounge for study and meeting space.

 
• Hosting get-acquainted, social and stress-buster activities to create a sense of place and community, particularly for transplanted students.

 
• Developing volunteer projects to assist in community-based learning for AHC students, including health education talks and clinical services for the homeless; tours and career panels for high school students; and textbook/medical instrument drives for foreign countries.