University Business - May 2010 - (Page 16)

BEHIND the NEWS State Purchasing Guides Limit Savings SOMETIMES IT TAKES A FORMAL STUDY TO confirm what most in higher ed already knew. With stretched budgets and the constant directive to do more with less, administrators are doing all they can to rein in excessive spending on goods and services. But many public institutions find themselves hindered in their efforts. That’s the conclusion of a new report by The American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the National Association of Educational Procurement. As “Public College and University Procurement: A Survey of the State Regulatory Environment, Institutional Procurement Practices and Efforts Toward Cost Containment” notes, existing state standards and requirements don’t always fit with the realities of the current economy or business models offered by vendors that could save money. For example, states may restrict competitive bid negotiation or participation in cooperative purchasing consortiums or reverse auctions. “The mandated use of state contracts and requirements to accept the lowest bids for contracts (thus ruling out consideration of nonmonetary factors such as product/service quality and servicing) were reported as barriers to more effective procurement spending,” the report states. “Some state policies limit institutions’ ability to ... tailor their purchasing needs.” Help may be on the way. As some states are recognizing, administrators may be able to negotiate better procurement contracts and save money. Services from E&I Cooperative Purchasing, SciQuest, and others can often provide better pricing through direct contact with manufacturers and suppliers. The survey also indicates that the growing trend toward e-procurement saves time and money. But, there is room for improvement in helping institutions better assess, control, and leverage expenditures. The entire report is available as a PDF download at http://bit.ly/dmiMRm. —T.G. SOCIAL MEDIA U Launching a Campaign Virtually THIS FALL, AS BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY N.Y. BEGAN PLANNING an April launch of the public phase of its “Bold. Brilliant. Binghamton.” gift campaign—a launch postponed a few times because of the economy—advancement officials settled on something different from the standard launch dinner. Something bold. The two-hour event, held from 8 to 10 p.m. on April 22, took place almost entirely virtually. All alumni were invited to the event, which featured a Q&A with the president and well-known alumni, videos about academic programs (with an after-viewing chat option), Binghamton-themed games, 360degree tours, voting on best one-minute videos submitted by the campus community, alumni photos, and—for those interested in just hanging out—chat rooms with current students and faculty. Participants could also, of course, open their wallets. The last campaign launch, a traditional one for a campaign that ended in 2003, involved a few hundred people, shares Rebecca Benner, senior director for advancement services and campaign operations. This time around, she said a few weeks before the event, “Our happy target is 1,000.” In budgeting, the university considered both raw and per-person costs, Benner adds. With the per-person cost at about $150 (depending on final number of attendees) and savings on venue, food, giveaways, and printing and postage for communication, the virtual launch is less expensive than a traditional launch. Binghamton hired event planning/consulting firm Herson Group (www.herson group.com), to assist. “We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” says firm president/principle Matt Herson. A challenge with in-person campaign events, he says, are that “most of the major donors are in New York, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco. It’s always a problem to get major donors to come back to campus.” Also, a virtual launch can reach a much larger audience. Going virtual also means virtually limitless possibilities for an event. Brainstormed event ideas got tested against the event objectives, Benner says. Those included thanking the initial top donors, engaging a broad spectrum of people with the message about the university’s core values and mission, and instilling pride in the university. Regardless of the amount raised, officials can be proud of themselves for trying something new. Herson said before the event, “This is taking guts. Binghamton is going to be the first one to do this. I think they’re being smart about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. But it’s a risk.” —Melissa Ezarik SOUND BITE ‘I t’s an option we don’t expect to use much at all. —Brian Hammons, Missouri State University Board of Governors chair, on the newly provided power to temporarily reassign faculty without their consent ‘ 16 | May 2010 universitybusiness.com http://www.hersongroup.com http://www.hersongroup.com http://bit.ly/dmiMRm http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - May 2010

University Business - May 2010
Contents
Editor’s Note
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Behind the News
Viewpoint
Human Resources
Money Matters
Models of Efficiency
Fast, Friendly Fix-its
Go With the Flow: Campus Traffic and Parking Solutions
What’s New
Community Colleges
End Note

University Business - May 2010