Offers steps for adapting the change process to institutional culture: align leadership style with organizational culture, don't overuse change missionaries, protect change agents, define the problem, maintain focus when the project drifts, identify and remove barriers before implementing action plans, assign responsibilities to individuals,…

Uses the example of Vermont's Middlebury College to explore the challenges and possibilities of achieving consensus about institutional change. Discusses why, unlike in this example, consensus usually fails, and presents four demands of an effective consensus process. Includes a list of "test" questions on successful collaboration. (EV)

Outdated and cumbersome administrative processes and technology at the University of Missouri prompted use of business process reengineering (BPR) techniques to bring about change. BPR helped quantify staff resources and costs associated with major administrative processes, know where those processes were occurring, and understand opportunities…

Examines administrative processes in higher education institutions, focusing on the different core processes within an institution and the creation of structures to make them more efficient and productive. Proposes a framework of four process-related activities benchmarking, identifying best practices, redesign, and organization alignment to…

To be useful for management decision making, the college or university's cost accounting system must capture and measure improvements. Activity-based costing (ABC), which determines more accurately the full costs of services and products, tracks improvements and should proceed alongside reengineering of institutional accounting. Guidelines are…

In the process of restructuring its debt and taking on additional debt, Franklin Pierce College (New Hampshire) accepted the consequences of a downgrade in its investment-grade rating. This resulted in a successful bond sale, with bonds carrying an insured single-A rating. Events leading up to the restructuring and credit issues considered by the…

It is suggested that college administrators not let satisfaction with current operations develop into complacency. This includes setting ambitious objectives and providing the climate, resources, and incentives for people to meet high expectations, and requires a periodic critical examination of all operations. (MSE)

Internal reform in higher education management will require containment of excessive administrative growth, streamlining procedures, shifting focus from individuals to the organization, encouraging leadership, restructuring governing boards, eliminating duplicated effort, clarifying priorities, revamping the reward system, and creating…

An approach to outsourcing following college or university reorganization, termed re-sourcing, involves developing an unlimited partnership with an external service provider that creates value for the enterprise. A re-sourcing relationship evolves from a search for a partner who understands the institution's unique mission and is committed to…

A study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers surveyed member institutions (n=235) about the use and effectiveness of responsibility center management (RCM) on campus. Results indicate private colleges are more likely to use RCM. Major areas of concern include organizational structure, financial information for…

The University of Central Oklahoma integrated planning and budget processes, shifting the focus from the budget itself to goal-oriented, team management. Roles of faculty senate and deans in this process continue to evolve. Barriers to change within and outside the institution had to be overcome. (MSE)

A conceptual framework for understanding both the growth in college administrative staffs and the shift in faculty functions that have caused institutional operating costs to rise steadily is presented. Strategies for changing the trend are discussed. (MSE)

The development of a university-wide office automation plan, beginning with a short-range pilot project and a five-year plan for the entire organization with the potential for modular implementation, is described. (MSE)

The Willow Creek Community Church, an entrepreneurial, market-driven Presbyterian church founded in 1975, provided the model for a group of business leaders and campus business officers to consider how change can be effected in higher education institutions. The group concurred on founding principles for three utopian universities. (MSE)

Most colleges and universities need to reduce expenditures and downsize. Such a project is difficult and emotionally charged. Many immediate remedies can ba applied to reduce and better control expenditures, but a more thorough analysis of the institution's organizational structure, operating procedures, automated systems, strategic planning, and…