Financial Planning and Budgeting
Guidelines for Operational Reviews

Charge

As an outgrowth of conversations at IPC in the Fall of 1995 and Spring of 1996 which identified and prioritized ten major items for attention during the next few years, operational/process reviews will be conducted across the college to redirect resources to the central priorities of the institution. These reviews will assess the current range, quality and cost of services being provided to the College community and recommend changes in how such services are delivered in order to reduce costs while maintaining acceptable levels of service and quality to support the mission of the College.

While the principal thrust of these operational reviews will be to reduce the cost of operations in the respective areas under review, in many instances improved quality and/or service may also result from them. However, an acceptable result of such a review may be the reduction of service or quality within a specific activity, but only on a planned or programmed basis. In other words, one conclusion of the review of a specific activity might be that the College does not require the current level of service, and as a result, service may be reduced in conjunction with costs.

It should be noted that the following document represents guidelines for the conduct of these reviews and each must be tailored to fit the specific area and circumstances within this general framework. The group appointed to assist the responsible Dean or Vice President will be advisory in nature and the final recommendation will be made by the Dean or VP, upon consideration of the various inputs. The final decision in all such reviews will rest with the President and President's Staff.

Action
Select area(s) to be reviewed and define scope

  • Identify elements associated with area under review and impact of potential changes

  • Identify expectations for ranges of quality and service level

  • Baseline and alternatives

  • Estimate cost reduction potential: highs and lows

  • Review list of potentially affected staff with HR

Feasibility Assessment - decision to proceed or not

Develop preliminary communications plan

  • Affected individuals, peers, supervisors, faculty, staff, and community as appropriate

Establish core advisory review team and appoint leader

  • Senior member(s) of area under review (1 or 2 persons)

  • HR staff member

  • Budget Office or Financial Services staff member

  • Faculty liaison (advise CFG)

  • Student participation (as appropriate)

        (Financial analyst - resource for numbers support)

Identify community members to assist review group

  • Provide inputs regarding quality, service levels, and other impacts on the community (one or more faculty, administration, support staff, service staff, students - will vary with review)

Provide team with clear charge and time horizon

Team to review, analyze, and develop options

  • Alternatives with service level and quality options and cost ranges; retention, reduction, elimination, expansion, and outsourcing

  • Develop recommendation which addresses service level, quality, and cost

Review the team report with appropriate Dean/VP

Develop proposed course of action (based on foregoing)

Review with appropriate committee (FPPC, ACC, etc)

  • Modify proposal as necessary following the review

Present proposal to President's Staff for decision

Update advisory review team

Develop complete implementation plan

  • Implementation responsibility and timetable

  • Employee relations plan

  • Communications plan

  • Transition plan

Feedback to community and advisory review team

President's Staff approves implementation plan

Focus on remaining employees (new goals, process definition, etc.)
A A A