moving out, moving up, moving on: relocating student administration at anu division of registrar and...

Moving Out, Moving Up, Moving On:Relocating Student Administration at

ANU

Division of Registrar and Student ServicesMark Erickson

Therese Douglass

A Presentation to HOSA

September 2011

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What we are going to talk about…

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Who are we…

• Research intensive institution of approx 17000 students

• 75%/25% split between local and international

• 55%/45% split between undergraduate and graduate

• Single 145 hectare teaching campus next to the Canberra CBD

• Highest proportion of students living in residences on campus in Australia

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Who are we…

• Division of Registrar & Student Services (DRSS) is ANU’s second largest Service Division

• Approx 125 permanent staff (200+ with casuals)

• Encompasses student administration, recruitment, international students and strategy, student support services, alumni, equity, indigenous education support, chaplaincy

• Support the student life cycle and enrich the student experience

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What we look like…

Registrar

Director, International Strategy and Alliances

Deputy Registrar, Student Administration & Systems

Deputy Registrar, Student Recruitment & International

Deputy Registrar, Student Services

Chaplaincy

Office of Policy & Regulation

REGISTRAR & STUDENT SERVICESORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AS OF JANUARY 2011

Graduate Education Unit

Student Business Systems Office

Academic Skills & Learning Centre

Counselling Centre

Tjabal Centre

Disabilities Services Centre

Health Services

Careers Centre

Research Student Development Centre

Statistical Consulting Unit

International Recruitment

Student Mobility

International Student Services

AusAid Office

Web & Publications Office

Alumni Office

Student Equity

National Recruitment

Admissions Office

Fees & Scholarships Office

Exams, Prizes, Timetabling & Graduations Office

Enrolments & Student Records Office

Executive Director (Administration &

Planning)

Business Office

Staff impacted by the move

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Where we were…

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What we had…• We occupied not-for-purpose accommodation of various ages and

in various states of disrepair. The main Division building which housed student administration, international student services and recruitment since 1974 was built in 1965 (as the student union)

• We had a dismal front of house that was the interface between us and students and which was overwhelmed during peak periods

• We had fragmentation of services and inefficiencies in resource allocation because of limited space being available in main building

• We had low staff morale because of poor amenities, vacancies remaining unfilled because of lack of space, and a general feeling of neglect

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What we had… (the not so good)

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What we had…(the pretty bad)

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What we had…(and the down right ugly!)

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Then we were told we would be moving!

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What we wanted

• We wanted to take advantage of what was possibly a once in a (career) lifetime opportunity!

• We wanted a lively and contemporary space centrally located on campus for the delivery of services and transactions to students

• We wanted to consolidate our footprint on campus to create a one-stop shop for the convenience of students

• We wanted a great work environment for staff aimed at improving our morale and productivity

• We wanted to revise some our existing practices around service delivery and transactions to improve student interaction and find efficiencies

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What we wanted…

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What we wanted…

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What we wanted…

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What we were allowed to have…

• A space in a new commercial building on the margins of campus

• Allocated space on two floors that would not fit all of the occupants of the main building, let alone allow consolidation of our outlying services

• We would get a completely new fit-out with a new student enquiry space, air conditioning, new furnishings but delivered under the University’s new space allocation and management model

• Some consolidation of our student reception points, funding to introduce automated queue management, and a chance to look at cross skilling staff.

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What we were allowed to have…

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How were we going to get there?

• A relocation taskforce was created to oversee the project, including Division executive, the architect, Facilities & Services project managers and the building project manager

• A Division project manager was nominated (Therese!)

• A Division IT and equipment coordinator was nominated

• Team coordinators were ‘volunteered’ to help with on-the-ground delivery of instructions and tasks

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How were we going to get there?

• Weekly project meetings were initiated• Early finalisation of areas impacted by the move• A space and storage audit was conducted• Plans were reviewed, revised and reviewed again• Managers were regularly consulted for feedback• Previous student surveys were mined for comments on physical

environs• Development of a liaison plan that included contact with impacted

areas such as facilities, security, mail room etc• Investigation and adoption of queue management technology• Timeline established to target the mid year teaching break for the

physical move

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When we were going to do things

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What we knew…

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What we knew…

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What we knew…

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What we knew…

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What we knew…

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Project progress…

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What we knew we didn’t know…

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What we knew we didn’t know…

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What we knew we didn’t know…

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Project Progress…

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What we didn’t know we didn’t know!

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What we didn’t know we didn’t know!!

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What we didn’t know we didn’t know!!!

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What we didn’t know we didn’t know!!!!

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What we didn’t know we didn’t know!!!!!

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Project Progress…

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How did we prepare?

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How did we prepare…

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How did we prepare…

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How did we prepare…

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How did we prepare…

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How did we prepare…

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How did we go?

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What did we end up with?• After three separate moves (finally) finishing on Wed 24th August…

• We did get a lively and contemporary space for the delivery of services and transactions to students – just off campus

• We didn’t really consolidate – but we lost a few of us along the way…

• We got a great work environment where everything is new and the staff reaction has been fantastic

• We are in the process of installing our queue management system, we are reviewing our customer service practices and the skill sets of staff and we have consolidated our student interfaces

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What did we end up with…

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What did we end up with…

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What did we end up with…

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What did we end up with…

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Where we are we now. . .

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What did is there still to do?

• There are still one hundred and one little fixes, touch ups and installations to happen

• The queue management system is still to be implemented• Customer service process reviews and reconfiguration of resources

still needs to occur• There is still a lot signage and other communication to be completed

to help students find us• The Division restructuring needs to be finalised

We still have to have an official opening!

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What we would do differently!

• We would make sure we had a stronger vision of what we wanted

• We would insist on seeing more of the furniture before agreement and signing off on EVERYTHING

• We would pick a better time in the year to carry out the moves

• We wouldn’t ask people to coordinate a move and continue to do their real job!

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Mark.Erickson@anu.edu.auTherese.Douglass@anu.edu.au

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…

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Some of our old and interesting things…