Southeast Regional Conference Discussion Session NOTES - June 2, 2009
Being Responsible and Creative in Financially Challenging Times
Facilitated by J.Reid Christenberry Asst. VP/CIO Georgia Perimeter College and Jeanne Skul,Vice Chancellor IT & Services, University South Carolina Upstate
Notes provided by Lori Sundal, Georgia Tech
Open discussion session
- What are you doing on your campus?
- How do we assess our service portfolio?
- What data do we need to make the business case for critical services?
- What collaborations are needed to make services affordable and sustainable?
- How do we keep staff engaged in finding innovative solutions?
- How do we turn this financially difficult time into an opportunity?
Introductions and areas of interest for discussion:
- Ashley Burt - Auburn
- Rich Loftus - Georgia Tech
- Lori Sundal - Georgia Tech
- Margaret Massey - Norfolk State
- Scott Powers – Oracle
- Mario Alberny – Oracle
- Bill Hogue - USC
- Herman Daniels, Gulf Coast Community College
- Daivd Jebousek - Real networks
- Zain Phipps – George Mason
- Fred Miller – Furman
- Kyle Johnson– Guilford College
- Dawn Davis – Georgia Perimeter
- Nicole Thomson – Pace Univ
- Others arrived after introductions
Areas of interest shared:
- training
- governance
- how vendors can help with ROI
- what others are doing with reduced budgets
- common problems and sharing
- not only save money but making campus more sustainable
- cost savings vs. cost shifting
- business process analysis, not just automation
- more with less, efficiency
- challenge of service delivery
- savings via strategic sourcing
- mentality of cutting travel
- consulting
- paperclips – not innovative
- unusual times create unusual opportunities
- situations precipitate decisions (ex. IT audit removing desktop admin) at Perimeter
Ideas shared:
- Cost shifting of students providing laptops vs. institute providing laptops – revenue neutral approach (Perimeter)
- Virtualization of labs – piloting virtual desktops with applications – help w/ lab replacement, use of older equip like thin client, students get apps from labs on their own laptops, with hopes to save money. (USC)
- Approaching vendors differently than a year ago, they too are willing to talk more and be more flexible than previously. Bill Hogue – financing arrangements, stretch terms over longer period of time, take existing license based on IPEDS from 3 years ago instead of new numbers, partners being responsive, opportunity to reformulate relationship with vendors. Must work collaboratively – both sides for win/win.
- Escalation clauses from vendors can be negotiated. Trade in on software that is not being deployed on something that would be more useful. (Perimeter)
- Consolidate purchases to 2 a year, instead of one offs all year for things like equipment, do it for all of institute if possible.
- Best opportunities with vendors - end of quarter or better end of year.
- Question on Budgets – is anyone doing monthly vs. annual vs. Georgia Tech - Excess personal services is swept every two months for annual strategic purchases. Starting in February, must determine monthly spend plan.
- Accessing service portfolio and making business cases – Georgia State session – look at the web posting if didn’t attend, very illuminating discussion of what they are in the process of doing, can see very granularly- knowing what a service costs. Their Case Study is available via ECAR. Began with service portfolio. Can start w/ headcount and cost per service.
- Invest $ I technology now to save later, how to get leadership to invest now? It’s hard to explain hard dollar savings vs. soft dollar savings. Suggested tie to strategic vision and how that will cost save. Put training costs on coattails of initiative.
- Conference attendance – if you present you get preference in going to conference. Helps people think more innovatively to solve problems – reward for innovation.
