Trustees: Restructuring Report

OHIO STATE RESTRUCTURES OFFICES, CREATES NEW DEPARTMENT 

     COLUMBUS -- Four of 12 academic support units at The 
Ohio State University that were targeted last year for a 
first wave of restructuring have implemented substantial 
changes, Richard Sisson, senior vice president for academic 
affairs and provost, reported to the Board of Trustees 
Friday (11/3).

     The remaining eight units are in various stages of 
completion.  Some are still implementing recommendations or 
have issues that must be resolved before final changes can 
be made.

     The changes that have been implemented will save Ohio 
State about $4.5 million to $5.5 million in savings and 
redirected resources.

     In his report, Sisson recommended that the university 
now bring in consultants who are "familiar with the 
business side of academic institutions."  The consultants 
would evaluate the recommendations for restructuring and 
make sure savings and improvements to service are valid.  
They also would help facilitate the restructuring of the 
other eight units and recommend a second wave of reviews of 
support functions.

     "I feel we are at a critical juncture," Sisson said.  
For the eight units to move forward, "direct involvement 
from the president's office will be necessary."

     The four areas that have made the most progress are the 
Copy Centers, Space and Facilities Planning, Office of 
Academic Affairs support units and Physical Facilities.

     The university is saving $700,000 annually by 
centralizing and consolidating copy centers in five 
colleges, moving to a cost-per-copy program, and merging 
reprographic and printing services.

     The Office of Space and Facilities Planning saved 
$100,000 by consolidating four offices into three.  The unit 
also updated the Physical Master Plan.

     The number of people in Office of Academic Affairs 
support units who report to the provost has been reduced by 
half.  In addition, Ohio State's colleges have been grouped 
into three clusters.  Discontinuing the Office of 
International Affairs and Logan Elm Press, and eliminating 
four senior staff positions saved $750,000.

     Measurable improvements have been made by the Office of 
Physical Facilities, including better service by moving 
custodial employees to daytime shifts and requiring 
employees to attend Continuous Quality Improvement training 
sessions.

     The eight areas that have taken initial steps to 
restructure are: Information Systems, the UNITS telephone 
service, Stores and Receiving, Purchasing and Accounts 
Payable, the Graduate School, the Ohio State University 
Research Foundation, Student Health Services and University 
Communications.

     Among the steps already under way:

     -- Information Systems has reduced administrative costs 
$400,000 to $500,000.  The savings will be redistributed to 
customer services.
     -- UNITS has renegotiated long distance expenses to 
save an estimated $2 million.
     -- An estimated $700,000 will be saved each year when 
Stores and Receiving finalizes new contracts with suppliers.

Department of Women's Studies part of College of Humanities

     Trustees created a Department of Women's Studies in the 
College of Humanities.  The move upgrades the Center for 
Women's Studies, making it a unit that can grant tenure. 
Being a tenure-granting unit will be an important incentive 
as the college hires additional women's studies faculty over 
the next few years.

     Although Ohio State University is restructuring and 
downsizing in some areas, the change to departmental status 
for the Center for Women's Studies is an investment in the 
university's future, trustees decided.

     Under the direction of Sally Kitch, Women's Studies 
provides courses for hundreds of undergraduates each year.  
Also, the program is interdisciplinary, involving course 
work from fields as different as English and sociology.  In 
addition to the center's faculty, more than 40 faculty from 
eight colleges teach courses relating to women's studies.

                             #

Contact:  Richard Sisson, (614) 292-5881, or Sally Kitch, 
(614) 292-1021.
Written by Gemma McLuckie.


[Submitted by: Carolyn Glover (cglover@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 03 Nov 1995 14:38:30 -0500]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.