Rutgers charts course for improving service to students Archived article from May 10, 2004 By Richard Gorman   Responding to student concerns, including issues raised in a series of presidential retreats, university officials have developed a new set of strategies to promote a more student-oriented culture and enhance services on the university’s three campuses. Students, faculty and staff have identified nearly 150 ways to improve the level and scope of services provided primarily to students, but also to other members of the academic community. The recommendations affect a dozen service providers, including housing, parking, dining, financial aid and others. Of the 147 initiatives, 88 have been completed or are in progress. “I appreciate the energy and thought that have gone into this effort to improve university services, keeping our students’ needs at the forefront of everything we do,” said President Richard L. McCormick. “Our staff and faculty already do a great deal to help students enjoy full and intellectually rich experiences of living and learning at Rutgers. The changes we are making will only improve upon that foundation.” After learning of service problems from student leaders last year, McCormick convened retreats on each campus so officials could meet with students and learn firsthand what problems were most prevalent, then develop recommendations to correct them. The New Brunswick/Piscataway campus conducted two student services retreats, one in December, the other in March. The Camden and Newark campuses conducted their retreats in late February. Improvements began almost immediately. While some initiatives are universitywide, others are campus-specific. In March, the university announced that it would create an office of the ombudsperson as an antidote to red tape. In April, Philip Furmanski, executive vice president for academic affairs, and Karen Kavanagh, executive vice president for administrative affairs, issued a memorandum calling on all university administrative offices to remain open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., including lunch, as possible. The new office hours are a goal now but will become policy in the future. Student leaders had cited limited hours of operation for administrative offices as a difficulty at the retreats. A second initiative asked all administrators, staff and faculty to try to respond to inquiries within 24 hours. In recent months, each campus has developed a series of service improvements ranging in scope from the relatively simple — designing and printing nametags for service workers – to the vastly more complex — bundling student services in satellite offices at various campus locations. The satellite offices will provide a central hub for dining, housing, transportation and other necessary services. On the Camden campus, 16 of 23 initiatives have been completed. They include: increasing the number of security patrols and escorts providing faster shuttle routes and additional shuttle shelters expanding maintenance staff to improve restroom cleanliness. In Newark, seven of 17 campus initiatives have been completed. The measures include: lighting dark areas of campus to improve safety installing signs identifying shuttlebus stops and schedules at several campus locations adjusting custodial work schedules to better maintain public areas in late afternoon and evening. In New Brunswick/Piscataway, 65 of 107 initiatives have been completed, such as: developing an emergency response team composed of students and staff to work with the Rutgers University Police Department creating a student advisory group in the treasurer’s office to provide counsel and feedback on accounting, billing and cashiering issues expanding operating hours of the Rutgers University Computing Services’ (RUCS) help desk to include nights and weekends. “The initiatives are terrific. I’m really impressed by the level of thought that went into them,” Kavanagh said. “Obviously, our students will benefit from these improvements, but our faculty and staff will as well.” Kavanagh acknowledged that implementing some of these measures could tax staff resources, especially in small departments with few employees. Some departments are still feeling the effects of staff cuts prompted by a $61 million decrease in state funds over the past three years. “We know people are doing great work,” Kavanagh said. “In some areas, complying with the initiatives will require additional support from the university and collaboration across departments.” Kavanagh said to function more effectively, the university will encourage the use of “best practices” and reward quality performance and cooperation among service departments. Personnel in human resources are available to help departments create a flexible workday or a compressed workweek for the staff. (See related stories on Rutgers’ new flextime and staff-recognition programs.) University Human Resources is developing a training program for all frontline staff explaining the responsibilities of each office and providing information for referrals. Cross-training staff about how other departments operate allows more information to be disseminated by fewer workers; small offices, for example, can cooperate by covering each other’s phones. The Division of Parking and Transportation Services is one example of a service provider with ambitious plans to make life easier for the 45,000 students it moves throughout the sprawling New Brunswick/Piscataway campus daily. The division already has developed nametags, an organizational chart and a survey inviting student feedback. In addition, it is working with the human resources department to provide service training; future sessions will include workshops to familiarize employees with the operations of other departments. Over the summer, it will prepare bus route maps for the fleet and bus shelter information packets. “Our goal is to reach a higher level of satisfaction than we have in the past,” said Kim Williams, assistant director of operations planning and quality assurance. “Learning new skills is one example of staff development. Training the parking staff to provide information on other university service departments is another.” Recognizing that service improvements must be integrated into a more comprehensive examination of the entire undergraduate experience at Rutgers, McCormick and Furmanski launched the Initiative on Undergraduate Learning and Life in February. This major, universitywide undertaking encompasses three factors: incorporating academic values into all aspects of student life; improving services to foster a service-oriented, user-friendly campus culture; and assessing all undergraduate education programs. Furmanski appointed a 35-member task force to address the third factor, the academic assessment of undergraduate programs. “Undergraduate education is one of the core missions of the university,” Furmanski said. “It touches on almost everything else we do.” Led by Barry Qualls, dean of humanities in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus, the task force consists of students, faculty, staff and college deans representing all the liberal arts colleges and most schools. After reviewing undergraduate education issues, the task force will form subcommittees to evaluate the structure of programs, curriculum, advising, honors programs, admissions, recruitment and more, and make specific recommendations for their improvement. The task force also will take up undergraduate education issues brought out at the student services retreats, including training teaching assistants and evaluation of teaching. Draft reports should be ready for the entire committee to review in September. The final report will be submitted to Furmanski by the end of September. “One of the great things about this initiative is that Dr. Furmanski and President McCormick are determined that undergraduate education will not be a one-report wonder, and then we’ll think about it again in 10 years,” Qualls said. “In this administration, undergraduate education will always be a top priority.” Rutgers launches two employee programs to enhance the work experience Rutgers is introducing two incentive programs, one to give employees greater flexibility in scheduling work hours, the second to recognize staff for intra/interdepartmental collaboration and service to the university. Sandra Russell, associate vice president of human resources, said that the programs are designed to enhance the work experience at the university and help departments provide the best services possible. “Success results from using all available resources, developing a positive work environment and helping employees to become knowledgeable, skilled, creative and motivated,” Russell said. Flextime The university’s flextime program, introduced April 6th for immediate use, allows employees increased flexibility while enabling departments to provide better service through extended hours. As an added benefit, employees can schedule their workday to avoid rush-hour traffic associated with peak commuting times. This will become of greater concern when the state’s Route 18 widening project begins early next year. Two forms of flextime are available at the discretion of departments: a flexible workday and a compressed workweek. The first option allows employees to work a fixed set of core hours that can vary with each individual. Arrangements can be made for a pre-determined start time to begin the workday. Employees who choose a compressed workweek may work four days and take the fifth day off. Employees who normally work a 35-hour week can schedule four 8.75-hour days. Employees on a standard 37.5-hour workweek can schedule four 9.38-hour workdays. Staff recognition awards The President’s Recognition Program, to be implemented over the summer, encompasses two awards. The Rutgers University Bridge Award will recognize work teams or departments that exhibit an exceptional spirit of collaboration and the sharing of information and resources. The university will present up to five Bridge Awards annually. The Excellence in Service award will be presented to staff members who provide an exceptional level of service to students, colleagues, alumni or the community. The university will present up to 10 Excellence in Service awards each year. “We believe these two programs enhance the value of being Rutgers employees,” Russell said. “They recognize individual contributions to our efforts to improve cross-functional communication and mutual collaboration.”

For questions or comments about this site, contact Greg Trevor Last Updated: May 30, 2006 © 2012 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved.