2007 Annual report (PDF 8.1 Mb) - University of Melbourne

Melbourne Model remained high with staff,
although concern was regularly expressed
over workloads.
Improving Effectiveness
and Efficiency
In 2007, the role of the Deputy Vice-
Chancellor was recreated as Provost as the
University restructured its management
and administration. The role of the Provost
is discussed further in the Learning and
Teaching section of the Report on page
34. The Senior Vice-Principal remains
responsible for the administration of the
University, and a new role of Head of
University Services was created with
the objective of improving efficiency and
effectiveness of the following support
services across the University – Human
Resources; Information Services; Property
and Campus Services, Marketing,
Research; and Finance – using where
appropriate the processes and methodology
applied for during the re-conceptualisation
of student service provision.
In 2007, the Planning and Budget Committee
determined that the University should move
$15 million in costs from administration to
research activity over a three-year period.
Three projects were established to execute
this activity; the first is designed to make
savings through rationalisation of purchasing
arrangements. A purchasing manager was
appointed and new contracts sought for
major items of expenditure, in particular
telephony and stationery. The second
extends the shared services initiatives
and involves a client-focussed review
of the provision of human resource and
financial management services across the
University. The third project was aimed at
improving the performance and efficiency
of the University’s administrative enterprise
system, Themis.
The programs are the successor to the
shared services initiatives introduced in 2005.
In a year of constant change, the
outcomes of the 2007 Quality of University
Management and Administration survey
saw the first decline in many years in the
perception of quality of service delivery,
although all services offered were rated
as important or very important to the
recipients. Feedback from the QUMA also
informed the administrative reform process.
IT Services
Strategic Priorities
> Implement faculty IT services reform
including aggregation of faculty IT service
units and transition of selected services
to shared and federal delivery model
> Engage consultants to evaluate the
implementation of Themis
> Establish service framework for IT
support services
Achievements
Information technology is the backbone of
the University’s knowledge management
capability, critical to developing closer links
between Research and Research Training,
Learning and Teaching, and Knowledge
Transfer. Key IT issues for the University
Administration in 2007 were improving
the efficiency and effectiveness of the IT
Shared Services project, the completion
of the Academic Administration project,
including the implementation of the new
student system, overall improvements to
the Themis system, the introduction of the
Themis Research Profile and the successful
integration of the VCA into the University as
a faculty.
During 2007 the information technology
shared services initiatives concentrated
on improving IT infrastructure across the
University, which included the rollout of
a common email and calendaring system
(essential for the successful operations
of the Student Centres), upgrade and
renewal of the University’s network, and
consolidation of storage and servers. As
part of the overall strategy, two faculties
consolidated their information technology
support and provision into a single service
group. During 2007, improved coordination
between marketing and recruitment groups
was established through regular meetings
and information exchange, adoption of a
common approach to branding and the
introduction of detailed branding procedures.
Though service agreements have been
established with faculties for some services
(e.g. enrichment services) full rollout of
the service framework was suspended
pending development of the new service
delivery models by the Melbourne Model
Implementation Committee.
As part of the reconfiguring of student
services and support, a Student Portal was
developed, the new Learning Management
System became fully operational, and
the University increased wireless access
to cover the whole campus. Further
information on these initiatives is provided
on page 41 in the Learning and Teaching
section of this report. Implementation of
the new student system purchased from
Technology One continued during the year
under the stewardship of a steering group
and major implementation team. This $22
million project is due for implementation
in 2008. A review of the University’s
information system, Themis, was completed
by IBM during the year. A number of
recommendations have been implemented,
with a subsequent internal consultation
process due for completion by early 2008.
Planning
Consolidate and
adjust planning and
BUdget processes which
support the University’s
strategic direction
Taskforces
Strategic Priority
> Ensure that transitional committees
and taskforces, including MM08
Implementation and RQF Taskforce, are
in place to provide efficient and effective
decision making
Achievements
The Melbourne Model 08 Taskforce
operated effectively during 2007 as the
complicated process of transition to the
Melbourne Model took shape. The MM08
Taskforce acted as the steering committee
for the BCG project reviewing the model
for delivery of student services. On
acceptance of the recommendations of the
BCG Report, the Taskforce was superceded
by the Melbourne Model Implementation
Taskforce (MMIT), and charged with
establishing the process for bringing the
recommendations into effect. Though the
MMIT has now completed much of its work
it will continue to meet for at least part of
2008 to review remaining implementation
issues and monitor progress. Responsibility
for student services is now consolidated
under the Provost.
The activities of the RQF Taskforce are
detailed in the Research section of this
Report on page 25-26.
New Planning Processes
Strategic Priorites
> Implement a simplified Planning
Framework as set out in the Ensuring
Accountability 2007-2008 document
> Complete the faculty business planning and
Growing Esteem transition fund processes
Achievements
The planning and budget process has been
crucial to implementing Growing Esteem,
a strategy which poses significant planning
challenges to the University. The large scale
of change inherent in the introduction of the