The University of Memphis is utilizing the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding period to undertake an institution-wide administrative process improvement project. To advance this effort, the University has engaged an external group to work with us on the improvement of one major administrative process. While we focus on one process, University of Memphis staff will learn methodologies and approaches from the consultants so that we can sustain improvements over time and without external assistance.

This initiative is a core strategy of the Campus Culture and Service Excellence goal of the University’s Strategic Plan, and our success will significantly advance strategic goals and objectives. In addition, the process itself should foster a culture of enhanced institutional flexibility and adaptability, so that the University of Memphis can better anticipate and more rapidly respond to changes in the external environment on an on-going basis, whether those changes are in customers’ needs, competitors’ actions, economic fluctuations, or development opportunities.

This work was initiated by the President’s office and the members of the Executive Council in early December 2009 with the issuance of a request for proposals. Transforming Solutions, Inc. (TSI) was selected in February 2010, and their work on campus began on April 5, 2010.