USNH Approves Recommendations to Enhance System-wide Efficiencies
September 11, 2012 – The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Board of Trustees approved a series of recommendations today designed to enhance efficiencies across the System Office and the four institutions. The recommendations are the culmination of nearly a year of work conducted by Board-driven Change Management Task Force, staff and external experts to develop and implement changes to USNH’s organizational structure, including the respective roles and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, Chancellor, System Office, and presidents of the four institutions.
The recommendations were included in a report provided by the Huron Consulting Group, which was selected by USNH through a competitive bid process to conduct the review. A summary of the overarching recommendations is as follows:
“The Board of Trustees should elevate its focus and activity to become more strategic and less managerial in its dealings with the campuses and System Office. The Board should also be more structured and consistent in holding the campus and System leaders accountable for cost-effective, high-quality programs that meet the needs of the citizens of New Hampshire."
The System Office, while continuing its role as the critical provider of certain shared services, should become less involved in the oversight of the campuses and more integral to helping the campuses coordinate their respective administrative functions. Based on our recommended revisions to the organization and governance for USNH, the System Office should have its mission clarified so that it can also better facilitate the Board’s needs as the Board evolves into a more strategic and less operational role. The Chancellor should remain responsible for ensuring regulatory and fiscal compliance for the System while collaborating with the Presidents to ensure institutional missions are being achieved.”
The model maintains the current centralized System Office responsibility for financial control, audit, treasury, bonded debt, and legal and regulatory compliance.” Huron further estimated that “if USNH ceased providing its current portfolio of services, the increased system-wide annual cost could be between $6 million and $9 million.”
