Mining Administrative Gold:Collaborating Cross-Campus to

Find, Organize, and Share Resources

Mining Administrative GoldPanel of Presenters

John McBride– Texas State University Human Resources Director

Suzanne White

– Organization Development &Training Consultant Patricia Prado

– Executive Assistant: VP for Finance and Support Services Mark Leamons

– Texas State HR Information Systems Specialist

What are we going to show you today?

A Simple but Extremely Powerful

Concept You Can Use to

Increase the

Effectiveness and Efficiency

of your

Administrative Support Staff

We Suggest….Capture your “Aha’s!”

Jot down your questions for Q&A

Note the acronyms and other information

Considered Conditions Impacting Customer Service

Implemented new Financial & HR System

Decentralized support staff used resources inconsistently, ineffectively, inefficiently

Some staff reluctant to use new resources

No centralized, targeted training

Resources not apparent or easily accessible

Back office resource providers frustrated with front office users

First Thoughts...

Find a way to develop and implement a comprehensive training program

Use North Carolina State’s model: A 4-day program that addressed critical business processes, such as– HR– Accounting– Budgeting– IT Security– Police & Parking

Had SomeOverwhelming Constraints

Limited budgetNo professional trainers on staffExtremely lean staff with heavy

workloads

A Possible Solution…

Appeal to the President’s Cabinet to fund a training program

If funded, retain a consultant to develop and implement the program

Gained Support & Assistance

Gained President’s Cabinet supportRetained Consultant Suzanne White

to develop and implement an Administrative Support Staff Program

Clarified Expectations

4-day comprehensive training program on University’s Business Processes/Services

Research & Use NCSU’s model: QuickStart: University Business Practices Program

Divide Project into Four Phases

Project’s Four Phases

Phase 1Lay Groundwork

Phase 2 Collect & Analyze Data

Phase 3 Design Program

Phase 4 Produce and Evaluate Program

Phase 1: Laid Groundwork for Program

Drafted the Project’s… – Vision

– Mission

– Goals

– Desired Outcomes

Vision Informed, Resourceful

Texas State University Support Staff

MissionProvide support staff information about

the business processes, electronic applications, and other tools

available on campus

Project’s Primary Goal

Identify the most cost-effective means to identify, organize, and share Support Staff Resources

Desired Outcomes….

University’s Support Staff willHave access to information and

processes they need to do exemplary work

Know when and how to use resources effectively and efficiently

Establish better working relationships with other staff, campus-wide

Increase customer satisfaction

Compared Texas State University to North Carolina State University

Texas State NCSU

Funding

Sources

1. Legislative General Revenue Appropriations

2. Tuition & Fees

3. Endowments

1. State Appropriations

2. Tuition and Fees

3. Endowments (56%)

$1.3 BILLION!!! in 2009

Training/OD

Departments

*No Training Department

*Decentralized: Individual departments provide

Training & Development

*Sophisticated T&D Dept.

*Cost-Recovery System

*5 fulltime T&D consultants

Systems

in Place

Professional Dev’t Office provides help with

registration and logistics

1. Program Development

2. Registration/Attendance

3. Certification Programs

Interviewed Key PlayersDirector of Institutional Effectiveness

– What tools were available for surveying administrative assistants?

AVP for Instructional Technologies Support and AVP for Academic Affairs – What resources were available for

presenters?The Six Executive Assistants

– What were their insights?

Executive Assistant’s Advice…

1-day in length, 3 times a yearEach Division would provide an overview

of its departments and operationsVarious departments would produce the

program– HR- Set agenda/Coordinate presenters– Professional Development- Handle Logistics– Student Affairs- Moderate/Facilitate Events

Texas State’s Constraints

Skeletal Staffing– Unlikely to get Managerial/Supervisory support– Unlikely to get Department Reps to present– Staff unlikely to attend a 4-day program– Cost prohibitive to hire temps

$10/hour x 8 hours = $80 x 4days = $320/temp/admin

$320 x 25 admins attending each 4 day program = $8000

End of Phase 1

Presented rationale why NCSU’s 4-Day program may not be feasible

Drafted Vision, Mission, Goals, Desired Outcomes for Program

Phase 2:

Collect & Analyze Data:

What do the admins want?

Surveyed All Support Staff

Drafted a survey & EA’s edited itInstitutional Effectiveness Office

formated, administered, collected dataAnalyzed and summarized data

Support Staff Provided Feedback

70% of the support staff

responded to the survey!

Why such a response high rate?1.EA’s emailed their Division’s Admins

2.Support Staff wanted provisions

Support Staff Reported Need for a Website with Links to Resources

48% reported they search online for the resources they need, but, as one person suggested,

“From a new employee standpoint, a single link on the front page of the university

website that told you where to find information would be great.” 

Others suggested…

“One website that lists all the items an AA might require, listed alphabetically or by category and then (linked) to the particular department or office which owns the process.”

and

“Is there a possibility of an A-Z index being added to the Texas State homepage for easy access for locating specific items or information?”

Support Staff ConfirmedTheir Need to Learn about the

Wide Array of Resources

One person pointed out,

“…each (admin) has to learn different tasks for different situations with different priorities…. Whatever emerges should accommodate all these differences….”

Half or More Respondents Indicated the Same Topics of Interest

Division of Finance and Support Services– Financial Services – accounts payable, travel, purchasing, payroll, moves

and events

– Auxiliary Services – IDs, catering, printing, mail, vending, Bobcat tram

– Budget Office – budget development, budget reports

– Facilities – work requests, construction projects, recycling

– Environmental Health Safety and Risk Management – safety, insurance, Workers Compensation

– Human Resource – Master Data Center, employment, classification/compensation, benefits, leave and time, retirement work/life, dispute resolution, employee assistance program

Division of Information Technology– Reporting/resolving problems with computers, network connections,

phones, classroom technology

– Software training, including SAP (the online Finance & Human Resource related services)

– TRACS: the online teaching, research, and collaboration system

– IT Security

Topics of Interest, Continued

Office of the President– Audits and Analysis – ethics, compliance– Equity and Access – hiring process, EEO Training– University Attorney – compliance, legal matters

Office of the Provost/ Division of Academic Affairs– Registrar – class scheduling, grade rosters, administrative change

forms– Marketing – logos and developing brochures

Division of Student Affairs– Career Services – student employment services, career planning

services.– University Police Department – criminal activity, safety and crime

prevention programs, parking facilities and services and university keys.

University Advancement– (None in top 17)

The Big Question:

How can we address such varied needs effectively with the university’s constraints?

HR Director and ConsultantRenegotiated/Redefined

Project’s Deliverables

Recommended New Products

A Support Staff Resource Website:All resources at a single location

and

A Support Staff Resource Fair:Staff & Dept. Reps Networking Opportunities

Began Developing Resource Website: Each Executive Assistant

Collected Her Division’s Resources

Resource URL Office/Dept Phone # Training Information

Resulted in a7-page, 10 point-font, single-spaced

List of Resources

In the meantime, Consultant

Attended university’s website design class Discussed creating the website with the

University’s WebmasterFollowed his advice: Asked HR Director to

identify staff to develop and maintain the website

HR staff identified to develop the

Support Staff Resources Website

The 3 HR Site Developers

Met with HR Director and Consultant to learn the site’s purpose

Used EA’s list of resources to create site’s main page, arranging the resources by Division

Later, created site’s page arranging the resources A-Z

Developing the Other Initiative:The 1st Support Staff Resource Fair

Needed a Cross-Campus Committee to

Participate in Development

and

Prepare to Oversee

Recurring SSR Fairs

Getting Support for anAdministrative Support Staff Committee to

Oversee Resource Fairs

Consultant wrote rationale for an ASSC HR Director advocated for establishing the

ASSC to his Vice President VP recommended chartering the Committee to

President’s Cabinet EA’s recommended members: 1 or 2 from each

Division including Admins I to Admins IV President’s Cabinet chartered the Committee

The

Administrative Support Staff Committee

chartered to

♦ Organize Resource Sharing Events ♦

♦ Oversee the Website ♦

ASSC Co-Leaders John McBride Floyd Quinn

ASSC MembersBret Adams Lisha Barker Sue Hall Linda Arredondo Dixie Burge Melinda OlivoEthel Banks Cynthia Darling Ana Webb Facilitator – Suzanne White

ASSC Executive Sponsor Bill Nance

The Administrative Support Staff Committee

Organizing the ASSC

Began with a Team Building Meeting and shared mission

Consultant facilitated weekly ASSC meetings with agendas to ensured timely progress producing 1st Fair

Engaged Website Developers with ASSC

Consultant’s Role in Phase 4Orchestrated & Created Systems/Templates for

The 1st SSR Fair

Created Systems– Presenter/Department Rep selection process– Communications systems– Assigning/Tracking ASSC roles/responsibilities– Registration process

Consultant’s Role in Phase 4Orchestrated & Created Systems/Templates for

The 1st SSR Fair

Created Templates, Documents …– Fair Agenda– Presenters’ & Dept. Reps’ Logistics– Exercises & Job Aids for Participants– PowerPoints

Consultant’s Role in Phase 4 After the 1st SSR Fair

Administered, analyzed a Post-Fair Survey with the Institutional Effectiveness Office

Prepared Report from SSR Fair Participant Feedback

Facilitated a Post-Fair ASSC meetingPassed the Torch to ASSC

Consultant’s Keys forAny Organization-Wide Endeavor

Ensure Executive Support

Base Decisions on Data

Identify & Engage Key Players

Empower Players

Patricia PradoExecutive Assistant/ASSC Liaison

Serves as connection between ASSC and all Divisions’ Executive Assistants

Oversees activities of the Administrative Support Staff Committee

Texas State University Administrative Support Staff

Over 500 Administrative AssistantsSix Executive Assistants

– President’s Office– Provost and VP for Academic Affairs– VP for Finance and Support Services– VP for Information Technology– VP for Student Affairs– VP for University Advancement

Purpose of SSR Fairs

Provide Support Staff Opportunities

Network with Department Reps

Attend “Hot Topic” Presentations

Explore the SSR website

Three Fairs Produced to Date

* October 2010 *

* April 2011 *

* November 2011 *

350 Admins Have Participated

Producing an SSR Fair

Initial Planning– When?

• Dates• Timeframes

– Where?– Assign ASSC Roles/Responsibilities

Producing an SSR Fair

Determine– Workshop Topics– Departments Reps for Networking

Producing an SSR Fair

Arrange for– Location/AV equipment– Refreshments– Supplies– Give-Aways– Door Prizes

Producing an SSR Fair

Communicate with– Executive Assistants– Workshop Presenters– Department Reps– Potential Attendees

Producing an SSR FairPrepare…

– Fair Agenda and Map– Nametags

• ASSC members & Volunteers• Workshop Presenters• Department Reps

– Feedback Forms for• Attendees• Department Reps

Logistics for one SSR@TXSTATE FairNovember 2011: LBJ Ballroom

25 Departments Represented

2 Presentations – TRAVELTracks/

Rental Car Billing– Student Info System

SSR Website: Opportunities to

– Explore the Site– Provide Feedback

Producing an SSR Fair

Follow up Activities– Collect and Summarize Feedback– Use Feedback for Improvements– Begin Planning Next Fair

Mark LeamonsHR Information Systems Specialist

Will tell you about the SSR Website

Worked with 3-member HR technical team to develop the SSR Website

Maintains the SSR website

The SSR Website

WENT LIVE!At the 1st SSR Fair

October 27, 2010

The website provides links to…

Offices, Divisions, Departments– Contact Information– Org Charts

Business Processes Services Electronic Forms Training Opportunities

SSR Fair ParticipantsExplore the Website at the Fairs

Take hands-on tour of siteDiscuss it with developersProvide feedback

Tour the Site

Access the Resources Website

from the

Texas State Homepage

Click on “Expand Navigation”

↑

Click on “Support Staff Resources” under “Faculty and Staff”

↑

Search for Resources on the SSR Website Main Page, arranged by Division

Note the Divisions listed across the page – Click on a Division to see its Resources

President

│Academic Affairs

│Athletics

│Finance and Support Services

│Information Technology

│Student Affairs

│University Advancement

↑

Note the tabs near the top of the page – Click on the “Resources A to Z” tab to access

the alphabetized list of Resources

↑

Search the Support Staff Resources “A to Z” Page

Click on the 1st letter of the resource you seek

on the “A-Z quick link” bar

↑

Or, Scroll Down With Your Mouse↑

↑

↑

↑

Provide Feedbackat

http://ssr.hr.txstate.edu

We Ask Users to….

Click on the “Feedback” tab to access the feedback form

↑

Fill in the Form and Submit Your Ideas

↑

SSR Website Usage to Date

Number of “Main Page” Visits: 18,775

Number of “A-Z Page” Visits: 3,243

Number of Page Views: 22,267

Unique Visitors: 3,282

Total Visits: 13,335

Average Time on Site: 5:07 minutes

% New Visitors: 23.88%

SSR Website Top Traffic Sources by Keywords

Procurement Card: 732 VisitsDean of Students: 670 VisitsLeave Request: 453 VisitsPayment Request: 419 VisitsTravel Tracks: 372 VisitsNew Student Worker: 324 VisitsDepartmental Deposit Form: 201 VisitsI-9: 190 Visits

Back to John McBride….

Staff’s Comments on the SSR Website

“I love the SSR Website… a valuable and time saving resource. Thank you! Thank you!”

“…I have found it quite helpful and it’s a site I frequent. I love the layman’s terms and the less than two click accessibility…. I don’t know why it’s taken so long to come up with this for Support Staff! Thank you bunches!”

“I only recently discovered the resources page and think it’s great…. THANKS! Keep up the good work!”

SSR Fair Participants’ Feedback

Support Staff Say They Like

Associating faces with names and voices Mingling with knowledgeable staffGathering a variety of info in one placeAsking specific reps specific questionsFreedom to come and go as their

individual schedule permits

Cross-Campus Impact

Resources are apparent, understood, and easily accessed

Support staff use resources more consistently, efficiently, effectively

Improved communications between resource providers and users

These improvements have raised

the quality of customer service

Looking to The Future: Continuous Improvement

FormsGuidesManuals

ChecklistsHandbooks

The Beauty ofSupport Staff Resource

Websites and Fairs

Applicable to any size institutionCost effectiveNeeded information is already on-handNo need for additional staffDynamic and easily updated

Mark will demo the website before we have a discussion

Thank You! for attending

Mining Administrative Gold!