University-wide Business Administration 2009 Retreat

At the Division's annual retreat in June 2009, representatives of the business and finance functions of the University's three campuses met to review the University's strategic plans and consider how our important part of the University's operation could best support those plans.  Because a clear theme of those strategic plans is for the creation and implementation of truly creative and innovative programs and processes, we engaged Bill Wilmot, a expert on innovation in the work place, to guide us to transform good ideas (inventions) into great innovations (value-adding improvements in processes, procedures, and programs). 

While the tools and approaches Bill taught us have applicability for any process improvement, the group concluded the retreat by focusing on four ideas, which are applicable across the University and if done well, would make value adding improvements for Pacific.  Those four innovative ideas are:

• Rising Star Recognition.  A simple, but elegant way to promptly recognize and appreciate the work or efforts that reflects well on the University and advances its mission.
• Policies and Procedures Compilation. An approach to bring order and access to an ocean of policies and procedures.
• Meeting Efficiency.  A way to optimize the use of time of the participants and the quality of the meeting's results through the development of "best practices" approach and a training process.
• Tiger Application.  An application that will allow Pacific students (and others who engage in our processes), through the use of their iPhone or other PDA, easy access to our business systems, information for which they are entitled, and quickly complete various business transactions with the University.

Next Steps

We agreed that these ideas should be the focus of the group's ongoing effort to refine them into implementable, value-adding innovations .  To that end, the Leadership Team of the Division identified  four teams, drawing from the retreat participants, with each team taking the idea from where it was at the conclusion of our retreat to a higher level of refinement. 

At the follow-up retreat session, we will review the innovation ideas, select the top two innovation ideas to support, and discuss the Division's FY11 budget requests. 

• 1st Session: Oct. 15, 2009 , 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Stockton Campus, Library Community Room has been cancelled
• 2nd Session: Nov. 19, 2009, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m, Stockton Campus, Library Community Room.  Video conferencing will be available for staff members from the San Francisco and Sacramento campuses.

Retreat Presentations

• General Retreat Presentation , Division of Business and Finance, University of the Pacific
• An Update about the California Economy , Jonathan Brown, President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
• Innovating for Value , Bill Wilmot, Consultant, Collaborative Institute
• Budget & Risk Management Goals & Accomplishments , Marcus Perrot, Assisant Vice President for Budget & Risk Management, University of the Pacific
• Business Assessment & Technology Services Goals & Accomplishments , Sondra Roeuny, Director of Business Assessment & Technology Services, University of the Pacific
• Controller's Office Goals & Accomplishments , Deborah Denney, Assistant Vice President and Controller, University of the Pacific
• Human Resources Goals & Accomplishments , Jane Lewis, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, University of the Pacific
• Internal Audit Goals & Accomplishments *, Winnie Rivinius, Director of Internal Audit, University of the Pacific
• Support Services Goals & Accomplishments , Scott Heaton, Director of Support Services, University of the Pacific
• Treasury Management Goals & Accomplishments , Larry Brehm, Associate Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, University of the Pacific

*Not available online

Retreat Handouts and Notes

• Value Proposition  (the Elevator Pitch)
• Uncovering What Your Customers Want 
• Rising Star Recognition Value Proposition Notes 
• Policies and Procedure Compilation Value Proposition Notes 
• Meeting Efficiency Value Proposition Notes 
• Tiger Application Value Proposition Notes 
• Team Assignment

For additional information or questions about the retreat, documents, or the retreat follow up sessions, contact  Sondra Roeuny.