The University System of Georgia: a worthy investment, Sept. 2008

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment
Adding Value through Efficiency
September 2008

Shared Services

Goal six of the Board of Regents Strategic Plan calls for achieving best-in-class efficiencies for administrative support functions in the University System of Georgia. One of the approaches to achieve these best-inclass efficiencies is through the concept of Shared Ser-
vices.

$1.9 Million in In June 2008, the Board

Annual Savings

of Regents approved a shared-services strategy

that will unify and con-

solidate some business functions now being conducted

independently by each of the University System's 35 col-

leges and universities, thereby maximizing efficiency and

effectiveness.

The shared services model will enable the University System to increase the quality and consistency of information, increase functionality and service to customers, facilitate the management and control of risk, especially where one person is performing a critical function, and reduce costs through economies of scale. If something is unique to an institution's identity and/or culture, it stays at the institution. Other items may be a candidate for either standardization or consolidation.

The first phase of the shared-services strategy focuses on the areas of human resources and payroll. Payroll operations across the institutions will be consolidated through a partnership with Automated Data Processing Inc (ADP), a national provider of transaction processing and information-based business solutions for payroll.

A team of chief business officers from eight institutions oversees the project's implementation. The implementation team also includes campus experts in human resources, payroll and benefits.

The project will cost $5 million to implement, but is expected to save the University System $1.9 million annually. The new system is expected to go live on July 1, 2009. Meanwhile, plans are also under way to consolidate the financial data systems of University System institutions.

Energy Efficiency & Conservation

Goal six of the Regent's Strategic Plan is to increase efficiency, working as a system. One of the objectives of Goal Six is that the University System will meet

best-in-class facilities energy usage levels, which is sup-

ported by the Sustainable Energy Management Initiative

led by Dr. Michael Adams, president of the University of

Georgia.

At Clayton State University: This

In an August presen-

past summer Facilities Manage-

tation to the Board of Regents, Sandra Neuse, assistant vice chancellor of compliance and operations,

ment opted not to run the 300-ton centrifugal chiller, cooling tower, or pumps for the 178,000 square foot James M. Baker University

updated the board on Center due to a more viable option:

the progress made

they adjusted temperature settings

thus far on sustainable energy management throughout the System.

through the campus' Energy Management System. This saved both electricity and water. . Additionally,

There are three specific activities identified that guide the achievement of this goal challenge from a System level:

they have replaced all aerators on plumbing fixtures with low flow aerators, which has reduced water consumption.

1. Collect & Analyze Baseline Usage Data

2. Identify Targets

3. Provide Tools and Resources

Collecting and analyzing baseline usage data entails collecting institution-level usage data for all sources of building energy including electricity and natural gas, and then analyzing energy use intensity and energy cost per square foot.

The targets for efficiencies were taken directly from the State Energy Leadership Initiative, which orders a reduction in energy usage by 15 percent over 2007 levels by year 2020 on a per square foot basis through energy efficiency or through a combination with renewable energy.

The Princeton Review named the Georgia Institute of Technology as one of the 11 colleges that received their Green Rating of 99 (the highest score).

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Adding Value through Efficiency

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To achieve the targets set by the State Energy Leadership Initiative, the University System has distributed $2.5 million to 16 institutions to encourage energy efficiency projects in FY09 with an average payback period less than four years.

tions to reduce water consumption by 10 to 15 percent last

October, UWG has complied by 39 percent for the month

of November and has maintained an average monthly re-

duction of 23 percent in

In

water consumption.

The University System Office and institutions are using energy efficiency as a means of not only meeting the challenge of Goal Six of the Board's Strategic Plan, but of reducing costs to the institution and therefore the state of Georgia.
In spring 2008, the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (PAD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recognized Georgia Southwestern State University as the first university in the state accepted in the upper levels (silver, to be exact) of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia.
Using Technology to Save Resources
The University System of Georgia (USG) Nursing Education Task Force just completed a nursing faculty orientation conference in a way that showed great concern for state resources. The training was done via Eluminate, an eLearning software and collaboration solution, and was broadcast to 40 locations to reach 150 faculty in the USG, Technical College System of Georgia and private institutions. The training was originally scheduled to be done in person in Savannah, but was changed over the course of three weeks to be done on line to save travel costs and to make sure that as many as possible could participate. Wimba Inc., an education technology company, owns Wimba Pront, an instant messaging platform designed for education, is now powered by wind energy. This gives institutions a green alternative to having in-person meetings. For example, Wimba reports that the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension used Wimba to teach 35 sessions online which saved 2,328 gallons of gas and reduced carbon emissions by 5.7 tons in one semester.
Water Conservation
The University of West Georgia (UWG) has exceeded the state's mandate for reduction of water consumption despite record enrollment numbers and dry weather. Since Gov. Sonny Perdue gave the executive order for state institu-

response to the

exceptional drought in

In response to the gov-

north Georgia, the

ernor's mandate, UWG

University of Georgia insti- implemented additional

tuted conservation measures and conservation initiatives

a public awareness campaign, that include postponing

resulting in a reduction of water landscaping projects,

use by over 100 million gal- extensive training of

lons in FY2008 and a cost

UWG staff in water con-

savings of more than

servation, a change in

$250,000.

dish-washing and food

disposal in food services

and discontinuing wash-

ing state fleet vehicles. UWG crews also increased surveys

of university water fountains, faucets and other plumbing

for leaks and repaired the equipment as needed.

West Georgia Helps City of Carrollton Meet Water Needs
In addition to the successful conservation efforts on campus, West Georgia's conservation efforts are being realized off campus. The university has partnered with the city of Carrollton and using one of several artesian wells operating on campus, a water usage agreement allows the city to take 15,000 gallons of water daily, an amount that totals 300,000 gallons a month. Dan Lewis, coordinator of Business and Finance development, said it is a service gladly given to university neighbors.
"This is a way West Georgia helps its community," said Lewis, who posts a UWG Energy Report each month on the university web site. "The wells are a tremendous resource and thanks to those professors in our geosciences department that helped to locate these resources, we are able to utilize them on and off campus."
To view the UWG Energy Reports posted each month by Lewis, visit the Campus Planning and Facilities site at http://www.westga.edu/cpf/.

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment September 2008