Over the next several months, ISU officials will study the delivery of programs and administrative processes in search of ways to make the university more efficient.

The Board of Regents and the five regent institutions are all investigating ways to improve their function in the face of budget constraints.

The board commissioned MGT America, Inc., a Florida-based consulting firm, to review each institution and make improvement recommendations.

The MGT America, Inc. Phase I report was a “diagnostic review” used to identify areas for further study.

Seven major categories were used in determining items to be studied: academic programs, outreach programs, academic support programs, student services, general administration, facilities management and potential revenue.

The Board of Regents recently approved the diagnostic review, resulting in Phases II and III of the project.

The follow-up phases are a series of studies that will be conducted to dig deeper into improvement opportunities.

“This is an ongoing process of trying to improve campus operations,” said Warren Madden, ISU vice president for Business and Finance.

The state budget shortfall has a lot to do with the timing of the evaluation, he said.

“The budget problems have increased our interest in ways to optimize our efficiency,” Madden said, citing campus-wide energy conservation as an example.

Initiatives such as energy conservation are common at all regent institutions, said Charles Wright, director of legal affairs, human resources and information systems for the Board of Regents.

“MGT America was very positively impressed with the way in which the work of the board office and the institutions is completed under the regents’ strategic plan,” he said.

Many of the studies will be conducted simultaneously because they will be lead by different groups, Wright said.

According to information presented by MGT to the Board of Regents, Iowa State will have a lead role in several studies. Examples in Phase II include an attempt to streamline the delivery of academic programs and reviewing opportunities to generate more revenue.

For Phase III, Iowa State will study the re-engineering of its administrative processes.

The University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa have similar responsibilities.

Most of the Phase II studies will be completed over the next six months, and the Phase III studies are slated for completion within a year.

“More than the MGT study, the budget proposals from each college to the provost and the president in the next few weeks will have a more immediate impact on students,” said Mark Chidister, assistant to the ISU president for budget planning and analysis.

Wright is optimistic regarding the Iowa Legislature, but mindful that the state budget will not even be considered until March.

“I think the legislature wants to see how [state] income goes,” he said. “But education is a top priority for the governor and for many legislators as well.”