STRATEGIC THEME 4
Structure and strengthen internal processes to optimize productivity and efficiency .
Rationale
Universities are complex organizations because of the intricacy and uniqueness of their undertakings . To be effective , their operations are often organized around academic disciplines — disciplines that , for the most part , must respond to their external accreditation requirements . Academic disciplines themselves evolve over time in their pursuit of excellence and new discoveries , often with an implication for reorganization . Also , institutions operate within government regulated environments that compel them to maintain certain standards and offer certain services . In addition , institutions grow in scope and scale over time adding to their bureaucratic nature . In response to these multiple and sometimes conflicting demands , institutions establish internal structures and processes to accomplish their complex goals . Even with the best intentions , processes sometimes become obsolete and structures sometimes become cumbersome — a hindrance to organizational efficiency and effectiveness .
Realizing the need to maintain internal stability while at the same time be responsive to the changing internal and external dynamics , the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan required CDU to focus attention on institutional structures and processes . In particular , the university accrediting body , WSCUC , called on the University to adopt a One-University model so as to bring together the seemingly fractionated university operations . Over the past five years , CDU has made impressive progress on a number of fronts . First and foremost , the University reorganized to ensure that Academic Affairs is at the heart of institutional activities . Academic units operate as a unified entity under a Provost leadership , and administrative units work together in support of academic operations . Research operations are closely aligned with their academic homes and modest investment has been made in Information Technology as it has been in other aspects of the University .
While the University recognizes the progress thus far , much ground needs to be covered in the next five years . In essence , the campus-wide technology infrastructure ( ERP ) is urgently in need of upgrade , and an academic computing unit needs to be established . There is a need for further investment , system assessment , and quality assurance in all aspects . In addition , the University can benefit from greater use of data in decision-making . An unintended consequence of COVID-19 is the realization that CDU can operate successfully virtually to some extent . The next five years call for management improvements based on lessons learned from telework and telecommuting .
STRATEGIC GOAL 4 : CDU will optimize internal processes and ensure continuous quality assurance of operations .
Strategic Objective 1 : Continue to improve on the One- University concept throughout the campus .
Strategic Objective 2 : Expand and improve data-informed and data-based decision-making processes and practices .
Strategic Objective 3 : Acquire Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP ) and technology infrastructure required to improve CDU operations .
Strategic Objective 4 : Review and reform human and organizational resources infrastructure and operations .
Strategic Objective 5 : Incentivize and provide annual report unit level effectiveness and quality assurance improvement and outcomes .
CDU 2021-2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | PG . 14