Regents expand scope of Efficiency and Effectiveness Initiative

The Nevada Board of Regents has approved an expansion of its Efficiency and Effectiveness Initiative to include a deeper review of overhead and administrative costs, consolidating select institutional operations, as well as increasing graduation rates and improving research and workforce development.

Regents Jason Geddes and Kevin Page will lead the initiative and work with Chancellor Dan Klaich and the NSHE presidents to review major issues and internal policies.

“Nevada is at a critical junction where we can choose to do business as usual, or we can adapt to the challenge at hand,” said Geddes who also serves as vice chairman of the Board. “The expanded scope of the Efficiency and Effectiveness Initiative will allow us to identify operational areas that can be streamlined as well as provide a clearer picture on how we can make our students better prepared for the new economy.”

A new directive within the initiative is the deeper review of System-wide business operations to include internal reviews of purchasing, sourcing, payroll and human resource responsibilities.

“Although we have had an ongoing process for identifying and promoting efficiencies and best practices, it’s time we took our efforts to the next level,” said Page. “We want to make sure we are implementing the best practices not only in the classroom, but in all of our day-to-day operations.”

To date, Chancellor Klaich has launched the Fresh Look at Community Colleges task force to examine community college operations and mission strategies, and the Library Task Force to review purchasing and best-management practices. Both task forces are underway and will be presenting their findings to the Board in early 2011.

“This is not a one-lap effort. Nor is it a marathon. It will be a continual process that will include the development of metrics that will be transparently reported to the public,” said Klaich.