CNStrives Findings

During 2021 Segal completed a comprehensive assessment of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) which utilized a collaborative and inclusive process that involved engaging nearly 200 leaders, faculty, and staff in interviews and focus groups, including union leadership, a college-wide survey of administrative tasks and activities and a peer review of similar colleges and universities for best practices in deploying administrative resources.

The assessment surfaced the following key findings within CNS:

• Decentralized operating model for most administrative functions, resulting in inconsistent service levels, support, and practices.
• Uneven staffing levels and varied skills and expertise in critical administrative areas.
• Under-resourced and under-developed administrative functions.
• Inefficient and complex business processes (across UMass).
• Duplication of efforts.
• Limited professional and career development opportunities for staff.
• Culture and morale concerns.

Based on these findings, Segal recommended that CNS commission an Administrative Design and an IT Service Team to reimagine the service delivery model for administrative services. An additional recommendation was to adopt a range of strategies to address culture issues and career development needs for staff. CNS commissioned the Administrative Design Team in the spring of 2022, with working group meetings held every 2-3 weeks.

The Administrative Design Team recommended a new business and administrative operating model that groups college-based business and administrative functions into five interrelated operating units. They recommended that the five groups be supported by a specialized unit within the Dean’s office that will be available to all end users to triage issues and facilitate seamless responses to inquiries. The five groups are finance, post award, HR, facilities management, and IT. That recommended model leverages technology across CNS, streamlines workflows, eliminates process redundancy, and creates expanded access to services among faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders.

Based on the critical and highly informative human resources feedback from leaders, faculty, and staff, CNS is moving forward with the Implementation Phase for human resources. Finance, post award, facilities management, and IT implementation will follow. The CNStrives HR Implementation Team, comprised of People, Process, Technology, and Training/Culture and Morale groups will further consider the recommended new administrative model and customize it or recommend the implementation of an entirely different model to meet the HR needs of the College. The people and process groups will begin their work in July 2024. The technology and training/culture and morale groups work will follow.