Campus leaders, including Chancellor Linda Katehi, will talk about implementation plans for the campus's shared service center initiative at a town hall meeting for staff members of the affected units and interested others on Oct. 11.

The meeting is scheduled from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the UC Davis Conference Center at the campus's south entry. Staff members are asked to register online (search for "SSC").

Administration officials say the shared service center initiative will consolidate many financial, human resources and information technology functions from six campus divisions: Administrative and Resource Management, the Offices of the Chancellor and Provost, Information and Educational Technology, the Office of Research, Student Affairs and University Relations.

The goal is to offer greater efficiency and depth of expertise in financial, human resources and information technology functions. The university will accomplish this by enhancing technology infrastructure, re-engineering business processes and redesigning job functions, said Karen Hull, associate vice chancellor for Human Resources.

The town hall will cover existing staffing levels and projected staffing under the new model, as well as strategies designed to mitigate staff impact, including the recruitment strategy for the shared service center, a planned voluntary separation program and timelines for the reorganization.

"What staff want to know is: How does this play out in terms of the number of staff positions?" Hull said, and she plans to provide that information at the meeting. John Meyer, vice chancellor for Administrative and Resource Management, and Lisa Terry, shared service center project director, also will attend.

When fully operational in 2013, the shared service center is expected to save the campus an estimated $7 million to $10 million annually. The savings will be invested in academic programs, student services and high-priority administrative initiatives.

Additional savings are projected as the service center continues to streamline and simplify business processes.

A governance committee, being established now, will provide broad oversight for the initiative. Hull said the committee will include the vice chancellor or vice provost and one staff member from each of the six divisions.

The committee will help set timelines for the project and ensure they are met, provide guidance on how departments will help fund the service center and aid communications with the divisions.

Hull will chair the committee. Terry, the project director from Administrative and Resource Management, and Kelly Ratliff, associate vice chancellor for budget and institutional analysis, will provide staff support.

Three project teams — one each for human resources, information technology and finance administration — will fine-tune the implementation of the shared service center by developing work processes and position descriptions. They will include subject matter experts from the affected divisions and central administrative units.

Hull said people who want to serve on the project teams should inform their supervisors.

Earlier coverage

"UC Davis moves forward on shared services plan" (Aug. 20, 2010)

"Forum provides update on the planning process" (July 2, 2010)

"Organizational Excellence: Shared service center pilot due by winter quarter" (June 11, 2010)