Ohio University Business Service Center Advisory Committee shares update on initiative to streamline processes, improve service
Ohio University’s Business Service Center Initiative, which was created by President Hugh Sherman in November 2021, has been working through the summer to continue efforts that will inform the design of a new shared service model at OHIO.
Over the past several months, the Business Service Center Advisory Committee -- which includes representatives from across the University -- has been working to define areas of focus to streamline processes that will ultimately ease and remove administrative burdens from faculty and staff.
“Our primary goal of this initiative is to improve service and simplify processes,” said Sylvia Mickunas, director of operational improvement and co-chair of the Business Service Center Advisory Committee. “Through a process of stakeholder engagement, we have identified five critical areas that represent the backbone of support activities across the University.”
Through a stakeholder engagement process, the committee has identified five transactional focus areas that will initially transition to the Business Service Center. They include:
- Purchasing
- Travel
- PCard
- Human Resources
- Budget and Analytics
Core working groups, which have been convened by the Advisory Committee, will be identifying OHIO community members to invite to the process improvement/redesign teams for each of the five areas of focus.
With an anticipated launch in in 2023, the Business Service Center will serve as an expert community that will be available to answer questions and find answers.
“You won’t have to worry about your question sitting in someone’s inbox for weeks,” Zaki Kuruppalil, professor of engineering technology and management and co-chair of the Business Service Center Advisory Committee. “With a customer service focus, our faculty and staff can expect prompt communication and more user-friendly and efficient service through technology and process improvement.”
The University recently conducted a national search for an Executive Director to oversee the work of the Business Service Center Initiative. It is anticipated that an incumbent will be named in the coming weeks.
For more information about the Business Service Center Initiative, visit ohio.edu/president/shared-services-initiative.