Accenture presents opportunities for revenue and efficiencies at BGSU

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Bowling Green State University (BGSU) received the final Opportunity Assessment Report from Accenture outlining short and long-term opportunities to increase revenue and efficiencies at the University.

The University contracted with Accenture, a management consulting firm, in October to assist in moving to a more sustainable financial model in light of an anticipated budget shortfall of $3 million to $10 million in the next two to three years.

“The BGSU community has made a meaningful effort to reduce costs and streamline operations in recent years,” said Mary Ellen Mazey, president of BGSU. “Most recently the campus-wide Efficiency Task Force identified a number of opportunities for operational efficiencies, many of which are being implemented.”

“But, with changes in state funding, enrollment and retention, it was time to hear a new, outside, objective viewpoint, not only to identify efficiencies, but also opportunities to increase our revenue without increasing tuition,” Mazey said.

The full report is available online, along with a link to provide feedback, suggestions, and to have questions answered.

The recommendations centered on six key areas:

• Organization, Employees and Benefits: Opportunities include ways to correct differences in management overhead, benefits, process efficiencies and general education offerings compared to peer institutions.
• Student and Student Services: Suggestions to create a start-to-finish student experience that effectively and efficiently serves and attracts both traditional and non-traditional students.
• Core Administration: Ways to improve the efficiency of the core administrative functions such as finance, human resources, purchasing and information technology, through standardized technology processes and policies.
• Research and Advancement: Opportunities to effectively employ human and data resources to attract external funding and donations to the University.
• Auxiliary Operations and Facilities: Suggestions on improving the effectiveness and quality of operational and auxiliary services to the University to support the educational mission.
• Education Platform: Ways to support high impact programs and leverage online education to service a broad mix of students.

Mazey said working groups of administrators, faculty, staff and students from across campus would be formed to address the recommendations. It is expected that the groups will be organized and begin meeting in late January 2014.