As the University of Iowa moves forward with the Iowa Board of Regents’ TIER (Transparent Inclusive Efficiency Review) project, the UI TIER leadership team is committed to keeping the campus informed on the latest developments in connection with the initiative.

The team will be sharing updates in Iowa Now on the 1st and 15th of each month through June. Information on the initiative can also be found on the UI TIER website.

Here are the latest developments on the UI’s academic and business cases:

Academic:

• Engagement with Ad Astra consultants continues. The Office of the Provost has been working with the Ad Astra group to refine the data provided.
• Pappas Consulting will make its initial visit to campus on Wednesday, April 8, meeting with representatives from the Office of the Provost, Admissions, Continuing Education, Faculty Senate, UISG, and GPSG.

Finance:

Finance 01: Revise Distributed Finance Delivery Model

• 1,206 surveys were issued to campus users of financial and human resources systems on Feb. 25. Eighty-nine percent of the surveys were completed.
• Chazey Partners conducted “As Is” process workshops on March 2.
• Chazey held “To Be” workshops, customer interviews, provider interviews, and executive interviews on March 27 and 30.
• Chazey will utilize information collected to provide validation of the savings and university project plan.
• Visit onefinance.uiowa.edu for additional updates.

Human Resources:  

Human Resources 01: Revise Distributed HR Delivery Model 

• Senior human resource leaders and unit human resource representatives (excluding UI Health Care) participated in an Activity-Based Analysis survey in March to identify the amount and type of human resources work they performed to support UI faculty, staff, and student employees.
• The information from this survey is being used to help validate the analysis and recommendations initially made by Deloitte Consulting. It will also be used in developing the desired future state leading to unit representatives being dedicated to UI Human Resources work on a full-time basis.
• The Project Leadership and Project Teams participated in a full day workshop with Chazey Partners to review the original business case and establish benchmarks for implementing the realignment of unit human resource representative responsibilities.
• While the university’s Project Team is analyzing the survey data with Chazey Partners, the senior human resource leaders on the Project Leadership Team are consulting with their peers about some of the key issues around the desired future state.
• The Change Management and Communications Advisory Group specific to HR-01 has started meeting on a regular basis to help support effective communications leading to a successful implementation.

Human Resources 10: Establish Clear Policy for Professional and Scientific Staff Search Committee Size and Structure

• A committee of stakeholders, including representatives from University Human Resources, Equal Opportunity and Diversity, General Council, senior human resource leaders, unit human resource representatives, supervisors, and staff has been working to develop and implement new policies and/or procedures regarding the use and size of search committees for professional and scientific staff vacancies. 
• Search committees of limited size will continue to be used for positions at Pay Level 6 and above, with other positions relying primarily upon the supervisor and search administrator to conduct a search, utilizing input from others relevant to the position as appropriate. 
• Pilot projects have been utilized to test the revised procedures, and a communications plan has been developed leading up these changes becoming effective May 1, 2015. (These search process changes will not apply to UI Health Care positions.)

Information Technology:

• Steve Fleagle, associate vice president and chief information officer, has sponsored a TIER OneIT Program Office. This group is chartered to coordinate the efforts of individual IT projects, track progress, collect metrics, and complete other project-management tasks. The Program Office is led by:

• Lance Bolton, senior IT director, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Romy Bolton, IT director, ITS Enterprise Services
• Chris Clark, IT director, ITS Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology

• A OneIT Steering Committee has been formed and met with program office leadership and the CIO. This committee is represented by senior technology leaders from around the campus including college, administrative units, and central ITS. It will oversee all TIER OneIT efforts, providing leadership coordination and direction to the TIER OneIT program office and respective projects. 
• Chazey Partners returned to campus for workshops focused on the campus user experience and end-user support. These workshops were attended by senior technology leaders from across campus and focused on gathering the "as-is" and "to-be" elements of end-user support using leading practice diagnostics and self-assessment workshops.
• More information is available at the OneIT website: oneit.uiowa.edu

Sourcing and Procurement:

Sourcing and Procurement 01: Strategic Source Targeted Spend Categories

• Seven categories of spend have been selected for review for potential savings opportunities: office supplies, PCs/laptops, MRO supplies, computer peripherals, prime food vendor, janitorial supplies, and scientific supplies.
• Huron Consulting is reviewing spend data and contract terms for vendors at all three Regent institutions.
• The week of March 16, Huron held meetings on campus with UI Purchasing and high-end users of MRO supplies, janitorial supplies, and prime food contracts. Huron will prepare a business case on potential opportunities.

• Huron is also reviewing Board of Regent Procurement Policies and the individual purchasing organizations.