Phase I of the Student Odyssey Project, an initiative of the chancellor and the three vice chancellors to re-engineer the delivery of administrative services to students on the Boulder campus, has been completed.
"CU-Boulder is striving to be a total learning environment, which means putting students first and being innovative, responsive, efficient, and asking at every juncture, 'what's best for the students?' " said Chancellor Richard Byyny. "It is important that we improve student services to ensure that student energy is focused on academics."
The Student Odyssey project began in January 1998 with the hiring of consultants from Innovation Network to assist the campus in developing a vision and a high-level design for delivering student services. A campus steering committee was assembled in working teams to gather and analyze information about student services delivery.
"I am grateful to staff, students and faculty who have actively participated in the assessment phase. It's their good work that enabled the project to progress to the next stage," said Jean Kim, vice chancellor for student affairs.
Phase I tasks included the definition and prioritization of 40 student-service processes; analysis of their work flow, costs and satisfaction levels; assessment and integration of related campus and CU system initiatives; student focus groups to explore satisfaction issues; and a comprehensive survey of student-services practices at 17 public research universities comparable to CU-Boulder.
"The second phase will begin to develop new procedures in order to become a more student-centered campus," Kim said.
The estimated investment -- if all of the consultants' recommendations were adopted -- totals $5 million over a 5- to 7-year period, with annual benefits of $1.1 million to $1.5 million. Administrators are still determining which of the suggested recommendations will be adopted.
Phase II of the Student Odyssey project will be managed by Jean Delaney, pending approval by the Board of Regents. Delaney also served as manager for Phase I. She is currently the director of the Office of International Education, and her position will be filled on a temporary basis.
Delaney will report to the executive director of the office of budget, planning and analysis, who will take over the project, previously run by the vice chancellor for student affairs.
"Phase II will rely heavily on talented and knowledgeable university faculty and staff to improve and direct new services, as well as seek ideas and suggestions from students themselves," Delaney said.
The project complements the university's Total Learning Environment initiative and campus strategic goals, which include being more responsive to students, using technology to improve teaching-learning-research, and enhancing the university聮s human, capital, financial and organizational infrastructures.
The final report from Phase I of the Student Odyssey project is available for review in the office of the vice chancellor for student affairs in Regent 307, and on the World Wide Web at .