Information from March 3, 1999

Information from March 12, 1999

Information from March 26, 1999

Information from April 12, 1999

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The last two weeks were spent finishing up meetings with members of the campus community to gather input on the bookstore and retail food operations. In addition, the consultant team started wrapping up its information gathering on existing operations and began synthesizing the information into the report. The final report is due to the campus on April 26, 1999.

The Student Affairs Research, Information and Systems (SARIS) survey was completed on March 30, 1999 and 437 undergraduate students responded. The faculty, staff and graduate student survey ran from 11:00 AM, March 29 through 8:00 AM, Monday April 5. 486 faculty and staff and 126 graduate students provided feedback. Survey results will incorporated into the final report from the consultants. Thanks to all who participated.

The Advisory Committee met on March 26, April 2 and 8 and will hold 3 more meetings on April 14, 23 and May 6. The meeting on May 6 will be with the Chancellor and the Chancellor's Executive Advisory Committee (CEAC) to have a general discussion on the report. Click here to see a list of committee members and the committee's charge.

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Meetings continued this week with a cross section of the campus community to gather input on the bookstore and retail food operations. Focus group meetings were held with various union officials, faculty, students and staff. In addition, the consultant team met with the staff of the bookstore and retail food operations to gather data on existing operations. Conversation continued with the student businesses and a short presentation was made to the Student Senate on the project.

Because of the need to have sufficient time to gather and analyze all data and information and to be as comprehensive as possible in this effort, the deadline for the campus to make its recommendation to the Trustees has been extended to June 1, 1999. Accordingly, the final consultant report will be delivered on April 26.

We are soliciting feedback and information from campus users as part of our review of the retail food and bookstore operations on the campus. Student Affairs Research, Information and Systems (SARIS) is undertaking a survey of undergraduate students as part of this effort. In addition, the Office of Information Technologies (OIT) has arranged for faculty, staff and graduate students to provide input through a web-based survey. The surveys can be completed easily and quickly and will provide very valuable information about these two operations.

The faculty, staff and grad student survey may be accessed on the web beginning Monday, March 29 and will be available through Friday, April 2.

For those who do not have computer access either at work or at home, the following alternatives are available:

• Two computers in room 802 of the Campus Center will be available from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily. Assistance will be available to access the survey site.
• A computer will be available in the Customer Service area (next to the trouble desk) in the Physical Plant for the duration of the survey. Assistance will be available to access the survey site.
• A computer will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Human Resources, near the information desk on the third floor of Whitmore, for the duration of the survey. Assistance will be available to access the survey site.
• Employees can ask to access the site from a co-worker's or supervisor's computer.
• Public computers are available in the reference area of the W.E. B. Du Bois Library.
• Public computers are available in the Jones Library.
• If you have an OIT UMAccess account you may access the web in any OIT PC lab.

Deans, directors and department heads have been encouraged to facilitate the use of departmental computer resources as well as those mentioned above to attain maximum participation in this effort

The Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting on March 26, 1999. Its membership reflects a cross section of the campus constituencies and includes Jodi Bailey, SGA; Charlotte Coates, AFSCME; Tom Coish, SEIU; Eleanor Court, Student Trustee; Thad Dabrowski, USA/MTA; Elizabeth Dale, Auxiliary Services; David Hammer, GSS; Heinrich Huber, GEO; Juan Jarrett, Human Resources; Frank Lattuca, Department Head, HRTA; Margaret Malone, staff; Brian O'Connor, Committee Chair, faculty; Brenda Santos, student; Jenny Spencer, MSP; and Ric Townes, Campus Activities.

The committee will have the opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the issues, opportunities and challenges concerning the campus bookstore and retail food operations. The committee will assist the campus by insuring that appropriate concerns and issues are identified and considered by the consultants in their review.

The committee will advise the administration on the advantages and disadvantages of various methods of service delivery through a discussion with senior campus administration (CEAC) upon completion of the consultant's written report and before the Chancellor's report to the President and Trustees.

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PROGRESS REPORT

Initial meetings were held this week to describe the process that will be followed in completing the review of the bookstore and retail food services. The primary objective of the meetings was to begin gathering the information and data necessary to meet the goals of the study. Three open campus forums were held to introduce the consultant team, describe the project, look at a variety of service options, respond to questions and hear concerns. In all, approximately 75 people attended the open forums. Also during this period, employees of the bookstore and retail food outlets were introduced to the consultants and had the opportunity to hear about the project and project time-line and have questions answered about the process. In addition, a number of meetings were held with a broad range of campus constituents: staff from SCERA, Campus Activities, Campus Planning, Facilities Planning, and the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, a number of Deans, the Board of Directors of the Faculty Club, the Campus Center/Student Union Commission, Board of Student Businesses, and the Student Government Association leadership. The purpose of these meetings was to brief them on the project and to gather input on issues of concern.

Over the next two weeks, focus group and individual meetings will be held with a number of staff, faculty, students and union officials. Check back in the next week or so for a list of scheduled focus group participants. SARIS, Student Affairs Research Information and Systems, will work with us to develop and administer an undergraduate student survey to be conducted the week of March 29th. Staff from OIT will assist in developing and administering a web-based survey aimed at staff, faculty and graduate students.

An advisory committee is in the process of being established. The committee will have the opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the issues, opportunities and challenges concerning the campus bookstore and retail food operations. The committee will assist the campus by insuring that appropriate concerns, issues, and data are identified and considered by the consultants in their review.

The committee will advise the administration on the advantages and disadvantages of various methods of service delivery through a written report (if desired) and in discussion with senior campus administration (CEAC) upon completion of the consultant's written report and before the Chancellor's report to the President and Trustees.

Membership on the committee includes representation from faculty, staff, students and unions. Once the membership has been confirmed, a list will be posted on this web site.

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 The Amherst campus has been asked by the University trustees to explore the best method of delivering high quality goods and services in its retail food and store operations. The trustee vote asks the Chancellor to undertake a detailed analysis of ways to improve existing operations, review experiences at other institutions and solicit information from knowledgeable sources, potential vendors and service providers on alternative options and approaches of providing such services and to respond to the Trustees with a recommendation by May 1, 1999.

To assist in completing the project in timely fashion and to allow for the greatest amount of input from the campus community, the campus, under the direction of Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Paul Page solicited proposals through a request for bid to seek a consultant to:

• arrange and facilitate opportunities for the campus community to engage in discussion and dialogue concerning the alternatives for providing retail food and university store operations
• analyze the current operations and describe the necessary steps, changes and investments to meet service and financial objectives
• provide a review of the process, challenges and outcomes of experiences at other similar institutions including advantages and disadvantages of a variety of retail food and university bookstore management options
• analyze potential options and provide a likely framework for the alternative delivery of retail food and university bookstore services on this campus
• provide an analysis of its findings including the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of options for delivery of these services

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Campus Bookstore Consulting Corporation, a firm located in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, partnered with Cornyn Fasano Group, a food service consulting firm from Portland, Oregon, and was selected to undertake this project. Both firms have had extensive experience working with universities and colleges whose management structures include both self operated and contracted bookstore and retail food operations. Paul J. Page, vice chancellor for administration and finance, said "We have a lot of confidence in this team's approach in helping us assess the variety of options available to us in operating selected retail operations."

Given the tight time line, the consulting team will begin their work on campus next week. They will begin meeting with a variety of campus student, faculty, and staff groups in focus groups. In addition, three open campus forums will be held to introduce the consultants, provide a brief overview of their plan of action, offer a general overview of a variety of service delivery methods and experiences at other institutions and provide an opportunity for questions.

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