The following is a message from President Nathan Hatch:

At the start of the fall semester, I established four campus-wide committees to foster inclusive discussion around particular aspects of Wake Forest University. I am grateful to the members of these committees who devoted countless hours in pursuit of a better Wake Forest. Through these committees, dozens of faculty, staff and students contributed to the following results: Continue reading »

The Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI) working group has received valuable feedback and questions since sharing the initial outcomes of the SRI on April 25. We would like to remind you of additional opportunities to discuss the impact of these SRI changes:

Now:  A summary of the presentation and the PowerPoint slides are available on Inside WFU. Additional feedback and questions may be sent to SRI@wfu.edu.

May 6, 4-5 p.m., Pugh Auditorium: Faculty Senate Meeting (open to faculty, staff)
May 30, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Benson 401:  Staff Advisory Council Meeting (open to faculty, staff)

Changes to parking, tuition concession and technology purchases and refresh schedules have generated numerous questions. The following addresses those most frequently asked: Continue reading »

At the invitation of the Faculty Senate, Hof Milam, senior vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer, will be giving his annual address to the University on Thursday, May 2, at 4 p.m. in Pugh Auditorium, Benson University Center.

Milam will speak on the Wake Forest budget for the next year and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The Senate invites all students, staff and faculty to attend.

Dear Wake Forest Faculty and Staff,

As the academic year draws to a close, so does year one of the Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI). We are immensely grateful for the efforts of both the SRI Working Group and the Steering Committee to conceive, research, and analyze dozens of potential cost saving and revenue enhancing opportunities. The process has been thoughtful and collaborative, drawing on the expertise and perspective of faculty and staff from across the University. (Indeed, thanks to the many of you who continue to provide specific suggestions for us to consider.) To date, approved SRI initiatives account for $6.1 million in recurring annual operating funds that will help fund student financial aid, faculty and staff compensation, and other University strategic priorities.

CONTINUED DIALOGUE

Earlier today, we discussed outcomes of our SRI work to date with the audience assembled for Campus Connections. Slides from today’s presentation are available as a PDF. Face-to-face exchanges like this morning’s will be vital to understanding—and collectively advancing—the intent and the benefits of changes made under the SRI umbrella. The following are opportunities to learn more about our SRI work:

• May Faculty Senate Meeting: Monday: Monday, May 6th, 4-5pm, Pugh Auditorium
• May Staff Advisory Council Meeting: Thursday, May 30th, 9:30-10:30am, Benson 401 (Open to everyone) Continue reading »

Please join Provost Rogan Kersh and senior vice president for Finance and Administration Hof Milam for Campus Connections, an opportunity for non-faculty staff to learn about, discuss and provide input about issues at Wake Forest. The event will be Thursday, April 25, from 8:45-10 a.m. in Benson 401, and it will feature a light breakfast.

This month’s Campus Connections will feature Kersh and Milam discussing the Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI).

SRI information and a list of committee members »
January update on the SRI »

This message is sent on behalf of Provost Rogan Kersh and Senior Vice President Hof Milam:

We write to update you about one aspect of our ongoing Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI). This group of faculty and staff continues to work hard to identify spending practices and policies that enable us to repurpose funds for the announced SRI efforts: support merit compensation, student financial aid, and strategic initiatives. One item under consideration involves computers that are made available to staff. (Faculty and student computers are evaluated via a parallel process by our IT Executive Committee, or ITEC.)

Historically, all eligible staff have received laptop computers as part of the College’s “student laptop program.” With recent advances in technology, laptops are more reliable than they were just a few years ago. By increasing memory and switching to solid-state drives to boost performance, we expect laptops to serve us well for four years.

Laptops are easy targets for theft and they are neither as reliable nor as powerful as desktop workstations. Staff who do not have a regular need to work away from their desk would be better served by desktop computers.

Indeed, we can purchase higher-performing desktops at considerably lower cost than laptops, providing better equipment for job performance and saving university funds. Comparative analysis shows that such a higher-performing desktop can be expected to last for five years.

Thus we will be extending our rotation period for desktop and laptop computers. The standard will be to provide staff members with a desktop computer. Only staff whose roles require laptops will be provided these instead of desktops. For staff who have only occasional needs for a laptop, departments may choose to purchase or rent loaner laptops for that purpose.

All eligible staff members whose primary laptop is three or more years old will receive a replacement computer. Our Information Systems (IS) team will soon contact department heads with a list of those staff and with details on criteria for qualifying for laptops. IS will forward laptop requests to the appropriate Vice-President or the Provost for approval.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work together through this new process.

Please join Provost Rogan Kersh and senior vice president for Finance and Administration Hof Milam for Campus Connections, an opportunity for non-faculty staff to learn about, discuss and provide input about issues at Wake Forest. The event will be Thursday, Feb. 21, from 8:45-10 a.m. in Benson 401, and it will feature a light breakfast.

This month’s Campus Connections will feature Kersh, who will discuss Generation Y (ages 11 to 29), contrasting them with the Gen X, Baby Boomer and Greatest Generation groups, as well as exploring their readiness to be leaders.

Two of Wake Forest University’s senior administrators, Rogan Kersh and Hof Milam, will speak on the University’s Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI) at the Jan. 22 meeting of the Staff Advisory Council. Kersh serves as the University’s provost, Milam as senior vice president of finance and administration.

The meeting will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. at the Worrell Professional Center in the Law Auditorium (Room 1312). It is open to Wake Forest staff.

At about 10:15 a.m., Kersh and Milam will report on the SRI, on which they have provided occasional updates by email to faculty and staff. The most recent message was distributed Jan. 7. They are leading the steering committee for the initiative, which was established by President Nathan O. Hatch last year. Hatch announced at the time that the SRI will focus on assessing opportunities to capture funds through greater efficiency, collaboration and practical solutions.

Dear Colleagues,

In keeping with a broader Wake Forest security initiative, the Deacon OneCard office, a division of Residence Life and Housing, has been charged with oversight responsibility for physical security technology, including the selection, purchase, installation, maintenance and operation of card readers, cameras, and alarm devices.

Offices with upcoming physical security technology projects or needs should contact James Byrd in the Deacon OneCard office.  James will also be contacting appropriate offices directly to discuss steps that would better integrate those offices’ existing physical security technology with more extensive technology systems on campus.

Deacon OneCard will be advised by a team that includes Donna McGalliard, dean of Residence Life and Housing; Nancy Crouch, deputy chief information officer, Information Systems; Joel Garmon, director of information security, Legal; Regina Lawson, police chief; and Dina Marty, counsel, Legal.  James Byrd will serve as team leader.

We are confident that this central oversight approach will improve the functionality and compatibility of the Reynolda campus physical security technology and best safeguard the people, assets, and information at Wake Forest.  Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Rogan Kersh
Provost

Hof Milam
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

This message is sent on behalf of Provost Rogan Kersh and Senior Vice President Hof Milam:

Dear Members of the Wake Forest Community,

We write to update you on the recent progress of the Strategic Resource Initiative (SRI).

Over the past three months, the SRI Steering Committee has examined several opportunities to increase revenue or decrease spending. Perhaps the most significant benefit of the SRI process to date has been establishing solid baseline measurements against which we can benchmark future opportunities.

Since our last update in October, we have explored several ideas. We have identified potential cost savings by improving how we manage temporary staff, how we manage employee benefits, and through additional partnering opportunities to realize economies of scale. Additionally, we are optimistic about our ability to increase revenue from non-core real estate assets. Once actual savings are secured, we will be able to apply this money towards student financial aid, faculty and staff compensation, and other strategic priorities.

We are grateful for the dozens of suggestions that have been submitted to the SRI email address, SRI@wfu.edu, and encourage you to keep the ideas coming. Specifically, we are looking for ideas that address University-wide cost drivers, such as opportunities to refine business practices and procedures, or consolidate purchasing and contracts.

We are also grateful for the efforts of both the SRI Working Group and the Steering Committee. We expect both groups to accomplish a significant amount of work in 2013. Before the end of the academic year, you can expect a more detailed accounting of the SRI findings.

We look forward to speaking with you at the January meetings of the Faculty Senate and Staff Advisory Council. You can anticipate additional periodic progress updates by email.