The Role of Institutional Research and Data Collection

in an Organizational Design Process

Speakers:Bill Neal, Assistant to the President

Susan Barton, Professor of Mathematics

Overview• Introduction to BYU-Hawaii• Charge to New President• The Organizational Design Team (ODT)• Guiding Principles• General Methodology• Data Gathering Process• Sample of “Deliverables”• IR Challenges• Conclusion

Introduction to BYU-Hawaii

• An accredited four-year undergraduate institution with 2,400 students from more than 70 countries

• Founded and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Assists individuals in their quest to influence the establishment of peace internationally

Key Indicators 2007

• FTE Student per FTE Faculty: 17.2 • FTE Student per FTE Admin: 35.4• FTE Student per FTE Staff: 26.0• Cost per Student: $16,303 • Church Funded Operations: 81.8%• Tuition Discounts: 41.2%• Placement: 56.5% (U.S. avg.:45%)

Charge to New President • Continue to improve quality of the broad

educational experience for students• Lower the Cost of the student’s education to

the Church (Cost per FTE student)• Serve more students

Organizational Design Team

• Members with diverse backgrounds– Assistant to the President (Institutional Research) – Dean, School of Computing– Director, Student Activities & Leadership– Dean Admissions & Records– Professor of Mathematics– Budget Officer

Design Team’s Assignment• Assess the current organizational structure• Align organization and its core processes for dramatic• improvement in the student’s educational experience• (outside the classroom) • Align the structure and processes to our mission and

board’s charter• Organize toward more cost efficient operations

Premise:Organizations are perfectly designed

to get the results they get.

Get picture from Steve !!

Guiding Principles• Student focused• Focus on activities/tasks not departments • Similar activities consolidated• Fewer directors with more responsibilities • Identify one “owner” for each major process• Presumes right personnel and working processes

(with accountability) • Well-functioning councils (committees)• Focus not on teaching or faculty but on

operations

Initial Data Collection• Current organizational structure and chart• Department activities and responsibilities

– Discussion document from departments• Products and services• Whom they serve• Ideas for improvement

Initial Data Collection• Department activities and responsibilities

(cont.)– Follow up Interviews with campus departments to

clarify:• How department is organized?• What is your department doing that should be done by

another department to be more cost effective?• What is another department doing that your

department should do for more efficiency?• What are some improvements that can be made in

your department and other departments?

Obtaining and Utilizing Feedback

• Several focus groups held with the students, faculty and staff

• University wide meetings held periodically• Email account created and “workspace” for

communication purposes and obtaining feedback• Benchmarks solicited from departments

– Benchmarks or comparisons that departments use to gage success

– Solicited assistance from department leaders in obtaining benchmark metrics from national organizations

• (ODT webpage information goes here. Johnson is working on it???)

• Questions??

Institutional Research Related Data• 20 Comparison Schools of similar size, location or

mission (e.g. Eckerd College, Chaminade, BYU-Provo)– Benchmarking data on organizational structure – Department responsibilities – Department sizes and proportion to campus populations– Staffing details for 25 departments– Student/FTE Staff Ratio– Student/FTE Faculty Ratio– Professional organization survey results and size

recommendations

Put slide here with a snap shot of the comparison schools dept data

• Ceci—can you do this????

• Ceci—can you do this????

• Core Processes• Core Process Detailed Definition• Organizational Chart• Recommended realignment of departments

and management structure• Major Tasks and Key Factors for Success• Leadership Roles and Guidelines• Councils Document• Sizing Recommendations

Sampling of Deliverables

Selection/Preparation

Enabling Processes

Academics

Student Development

“Successful Graduates

Work/Career Preparation

Spiritual/Discipleship

STAGES OF STUDENT PROGRESS

Discipleship Academics Work/Career Preparation

Student Development

Preparation and Selection

1st Year Transition

Retention

Preparation for Graduation and Career

Post Graduation

Reorganized the President’s Council

• Three major divisions: Academics, Student Support and University Support

• VP for Academics, VP for Student Support, VP for University Support (Services), and Assistant to the President

• Major activities/tasks assigned and “ownership” given to President, each VP, and Assistant to the President

Key Indicators 2008 (2007)

• FTE Student per FTE Faculty: 18.1 (17.2)• FTE Student per FTE Admin: 36.6 (35.4)• FTE Student per FTE Staff: 26.9 (26.0)• Cost per Student: $14,959 ($16,303)• Church Funded Operations: 78.9% (81.8%)• Tuition Discounts: 32.5% (41.2%)• Placement: 62.7%

(56.5%)

IR Challenges

• National benchmarking data unavailable• Inconsistent organizational structures and

position titles makes search difficult• Most schools do not include staffing details

either on IPEDS or their web site

Conclusion• (How the project impacted our University)• So Bill and Steve what have you noticed? • I have been down in the trenches and have

not noticed much difference related to the ODT recommendations– what I have noticed did not come from the ODT even though we often get blamed for it. e.g. hiring freeze – that came from SLC, freeze on building—that came from our friendly neighborhood planning commission. Etc.

How Charge was Addressed

• Continue to improve quality of the broad educational experience for students– The role of operations– Organized to improve potential for smooth

operations (with accountability)– Councils to improve communication

How Charge was Addressed• Lower the cost of the student’s education to

the Church (Cost per FTE student)– More efficient operations– Fewer directors with more responsibilities– Fewer employees where possible

• Serve more students– More streamlined operations– “Recruitment to Placement” focus– Councils to improve communication

Premise: Organizations are perfectly designed

to get the results they get.

Key Questions:• What are the desired Results?• What are the gaps between the desired

results and current results?• How should the University be organized?

• BYU-Hawaii’s uniqueness is in developing converted, educated, productive leaders and peacemakers throughout the world; especially in Asia and the Pacific.