President Napolitano announces the latest improvements she’s asked the Efficiency Review Working Group to begin implementing this month:

Dear Colleagues,

UCOP staffers are still contributing ideas to the Efficiency Review at a brisk pace. We’ve received some great ideas in recent weeks that I’m confident will make OP more efficient.

Here are the latest recommendations I’ve asked the Efficiency Working Group to move forward with this month.

1) Print management program improvements: I’m happy to report that the print management program is saving money, making UCOP more efficient and improving our environmental profile. Since the program started in 2012 we’ve reduced print volume by 42 percent, sharply cut the number of inefficient, costly desktop printers and exceeded the financial targets initially set for the program. The next phase of the program will eliminate a further 53 older networked printers and about 225 desktop printers. These steps, which will make our printing operations even more efficient, are partly a result of our upgrade to the Windows 7 computer operating system, which is incompatible with UCOP’s older printers. Thanks largely to this new round of changes, the print management project is on track to save $1.38 million over five years, which is $680,000 more than initially projected.

2) Improved elevator operation: After an anonymous idea submitted to the Efficiency Review website, the software that controls the main elevators in the Franklin building has been modified to ensure the four cars operate more efficiently. We’ve all had the experience of waiting long minutes for an elevator, especially in the lobby, which has the heaviest elevator traffic. These long waits can be frustrating and make us late to meetings. However, thanks to the software change, unused elevators will more frequently return to the lobby, which will shorten wait times there without making people on other floors wait noticeably longer. As a result, we should all be able to move around the building more quickly and efficiently. The new system has been in effect for testing since Aug. 6. Please contact Steve Murray, director of the Building and Administrative Service Center (BASC) with your feedback on the change.

3) Reporting building safety, repair or maintenance issues: It’s important for our efficiency and safety that any building repair and maintenance needs be reported promptly so they can be addressed. With that in mind, I’m pleased that our colleagues in the BASC have taken steps to make it easier to report any concerns directly to the Work Management Center (WMC). To make a report, you can either call 510-987-0600, visit the WMC in 6314 Franklin, email the WMC at buildingservices@ucop.edu, visit the Navigating UCOP website or go to the WMC web page. If you forget how to contact the WMC, look in any conference room, where you’ll find WMC contact information posted on the wall. Finally, in the coming days a button will be placed on the main BASC web page and the iRequest login page to make it even simpler to contact the WMC to report these issues.

4) Reinstating the office supply reuse program: After several suggestions to the Efficiency Review site, we’ve decided to reinstate the office supply reuse program. In its new form, the program will be handled on a floor-by-floor basis and in some cases take advantage of space freed up by the paper-less/less-paper activities that significantly reduced our use of file cabinet space. If we all think twice before throwing away old office supplies and check our floor’s office supply reuse cabinet before making new purchases, OP will save some money and create less waste, which will contribute to our overall efficiency. The program will be rolled out in the coming weeks on a floor-by-floor basis. Check back on Link for further details.

I want to thank all of you for your ongoing enthusiasm for the UCOP Efficiency Review, which I believe is fostering continual improvement in our operations. Please keep the ideas coming, and thanks again for helping to make UCOP a better and more efficient place to work.

Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano
President

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