What is Service Excellence Transformation?

The Service Excellence Transformation (SET) program was formed in Spring 2020 as part of the U of A For Tomorrow initiative. It has three objectives:

  1. Create administrative structures that focus the maximum amount of the university’s resources and energies on its core mission of excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement;
  2. Restructure so we can achieve financial sustainability; and
  3. Reimagine how we do our work so we can continue to provide high-quality services with fewer staff members. 

To meet financial targets, the university will need to drastically reduce its administrative workforce. With the magnitude of the reductions required, an unsustainable workload for remaining staff will result unless the university reorganizes functions and improves process efficiency to continue to provide the necessary services. SET is designed to meet cost savings targets necessary to operate within a reduced operating budget.

Administrative restructuring supports the UAT vision by:

  • Enabling academic staff to focus on the frontline delivery of our mission, rather than unit-level administration;
  • Resetting our administrative structures to be more consistent and student-focused;
  • Simplifying workflows, automating processes, reducing bureaucracy, and finding efficiencies;
  • Creating a more strategic, nimble, collaborative, and accountable leadership forum allowing us to respond to strategic opportunities; and
  • Supporting institutional objectives for equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

As part of SET, three key initiatives are being reviewed for cost efficiencies:

For more details, please read the SET Interim Report, released November 25, 2020, or the SET Transition Plan, released December 10, 2020.

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