Purpose
- The Governor’s Task Force on Affordability and Efficiency has challenged state universities to reduce costs while not affecting the quality of education. At Kent State, a shared services initiative is being implemented in four areas of operations, with a projected savings of $150,000 in FY19.
Objectives
- (Measurable outcomes in terms of cost, etc. not applicable to Communications and Change Management Team)
- Ensure integrated and successful communications of the shared services initiative by providing communication and change management oversight and support.
- Communicate the necessity to increase savings and efficiency across-the-board by eliminating duplicate services and centralizing specific operations, without a loss of jobs.
- Help foster a positive and collaborative climate for the organizations participating in the shared services initiative while concurrently outlining the pros and cons of the process.
Deliverables
- Identify target audiences for communications. This will include various “levels” of communications, from the top level of the organization down to those impacted by the changes. Suggested audiences: university leadership, university community, supervisors of impacted employees, impacted employees, others who will be indirectly impacted by the change.
- Identify basic message/theme of communications.
- Work with UCM to develop and implement communications plan for launch and continued messaging.
- Develop and help implement change management and training needs for each initiative.
- Identify a liaison from Comm./Change Mgmt. team for each of the four teams; to help them with communications and change management plans.
Scope
- Communications team will develop communicaions plan for overall shared services initiative and a separate plan for each of the four teams; we will also develop, and with the assistance of HR, help implement change managaement planS for each team. Each team leader will be responsible for helping develop talking points and for coordinating the various training sessions For his/her area.
Project Milestones
- Communications Plan Developed: Draft completed
- Change Management Plan Developed: Draft completed
- Charter plans revised: Summer 2018 (from each team; COMPLETED)
- Appoint Liasion to each team: Summer 2018 (COMPLETED)
- Implement general communications: TBD
- Work with teams on communications/change management issues: Fall 2018 and ongoing