2013-14 Operating & Capital Budget Plan - Cornell University ...

Implementing AdministrativeEfficienciesImplementing Administrative EfficienciesAn essential component of the financial plan and balancing the budget has been the on-goingpursuit of efficiency improvements within major administrative support functions. Theobjective is the realization of significant on-going cost reductions while ensuring that thesesupport activities work effectively with fewer resources. Fiscal year 2013 brought a majorchange in the administration of the program: efficiency savings would be left in the unitswhere they occurred rather than being pulled to the center to reduce the general purposedeficit. Each initiative sponsor is now charged with providing documentation to support goalattainment. Funds captured from these support activities through fiscal year 2013 total $59.3million out of a goal of $83.3 million.Figure 3. Administrative Streamlining Program Initiative Impact on Budget(dollars in millions)28During fiscal year 2013, the Human Resources initiativecompleted implementation of WorkDay and expandedthe utilization of the On-boarding Center. Spans &Layers also concluded efforts and is actively monitoringthe new organizational structures to measureeffectiveness. University Communications achievedits goal of centralization and enactment of a paperlessinitiative in 2013. Facilities Services continues effortsto achieve greater energy conservation on campus.Procurement, Information Technology, and Student& Academic Services all remain actively engaged inon-going implementation endeavors which will furtheradd to the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness attainedto date.The Administrative Streamlining Program (ASP)office, under the direction of the Division of Budget& Planning, serves as the lead in implementation effortsby coordinating and tracking the execution ofeach initiative’s plans. The ASP office is working inconjunction with each initiative team to create adashboard of accountability metrics that monitorcost reductions and operating efficiencies in order toattain full savings expectations while assuring appropriateoperating standards for service quality. Effortsto reach the target by the end of fiscal year 2015 willcontinue. Notable among the continued efforts includerealization of savings in procurement, energyconservation, and information technology.