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© 2016 HURON CONSULTING GROUP INC. AND AFFILIATES

EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYJULY 2017

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Table of Contents

I. Context

II. Objectives & Approach

III. Themes

IV. Recommendations

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• On April 4, 2016, Tennessee passed the FOCUS Act that established an emphasis on the governance of our community colleges and TCATs, while granting our four-year state universities additional autonomy.

• On March 23, 2017, the TTU Governing Board held its first meeting.

• The new Governing Board provides TTU with an opportunity for greater autonomy in pursuit of innovation and differentiation. Along with this opportunity comes responsibility and heightened demand for accountability.

• A shift in governance of this level changes the role of the President and necessitates revisions to the University’s executive organization and operational approach to maintain and enhance effectiveness.

• The Governing Board assumes responsibility at a time when the higher education industry is exploring substantial turmoil further necessitating change and urgency of action.

Source: Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Context The new Board of Trustees provides Tech with an opportunity to better realize its potential and

changes the governance model, placing more demands on Tech executives and leaders.

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ContextThe actions we take today determine what we will be tomorrow.

Movement without method

Getting by with modest incremental

steps and talk

Proactive innovative actions

based on future goals

Actions:

Unrecoverable Decline Slow Regression

Strategic Relevance

Urgency Continuum: Degree to which universities act to attain future strategic relevance0 10

Outcomes:

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Organizational Assessment Objective

The President commissioned an organizational assessment to be conducted by an objective external organization to identify possible opportunities to enhance the alignment of roles and

responsibilities at the executive and vice president levels.

The opportunities from the organizational assessment better position TTU for execution of its current priorities as well as

realization of its strategic goals.

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Organizational Assessment Approach

• Interviews were held with over 35 members of leadership, faculty, and staff.

• Data was analyzed including TTU’s current organization charts, budgets, financial reports, and full-time employee data.

• Comparisons were conducted against peer and aspirational universities.

• Themes and observations were summarized and shared.

• Opportunities for organizational re-alignment and role clarification were identified.

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Themes

1. Passion for Tennessee Tech

2. President’s office lacks a professional who can assist the President with coordination and execution of President office responsibilities

3. Communication across the institution is insufficient

4. Strategic direction unclear to many

5. Sense of urgency/accountability is low

6. Cabinet meetings are not seen as being as effective as they could be

7. Units operate in silos

8. Among Tech’s technological peers, the average number of presidential direct reports is 12, while Tech has 13

Based on conversations with members of the President’s Executive Team, the following themes emerged.

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Current Organizational Structure

Assistant to the President for

Strategic ProjectsAthletics Faculty Senate Internal Audit

President

Staff Advisory Committee to the

President

University Assembly University Counsel

Information Technology Services

• Academic & Client Technologies• Administration• Enterprise Application Systems• Information Security• Networking & Operations• Project Management• Systems Support

Planning & Finance• Auxiliaries• Business Office• Capital Projects & Environmental

Health & Safety• Compliance• Cookeville Higher Education

Campus• Facilities & Business Services• Facilities Use• Human Resources• Purchasing & Contracts• University Budgeting & Planning

Research & Economic Development

• Economic Development• Millard Oakley STEM Center• Sponsored Research• Water Resources

University Advancement• Advancement Services• Alumni Engagement & Annual

Giving• University Development• Communications & Marketing

Student Affairs• Access & Diversity• Counseling Center• Dean of Students• Disability Services• Eagle Card System• J.J. Oakley Health Services• Student Development• University Police

Academic Affairs

Academic Support• Joe E. Evins

Appalachian Center for Craft

• Career Services• International

Education• Rural

Development Institute

Accreditation, Assessment &

Faculty Development

• Accreditation• Assessment• Center for

Teaching & Learning Experience

• Faculty Development

• Quality Assurance Funding

• Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

Angelo & Jennette Volpe

• Library & Learning Assistance

Digital & Distance Education

• Extended Programs

• Innovation Institute

• Off-Campus Programs

• TNeCampus

Enrollment Management & Student Success

• Financial Aid• Military &

Veterans Affairs• Recruitment• Registrar• Student Success

Colleges• Agriculture &

Human Ecology• Arts & Science• Business• Education• Engineering• Graduate Studies• Interdisciplinary

Studies• Honors College• Whitson-Hester

School of Nursing

Military ScienceSpecial Programs

• UNIV 1020• Women’s Center

Institutional Research

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Recommendations (Page 1 of 2)Organizational Recommendations

1. Create a Chief of Staff position in the President’s office.

2. Reclassify current Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success to be a Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success reporting directly to the President.

– Move Orientation and New Student Programs, International Services, and Career Services under Enrollment Management to gain enhanced collaboration.

3. Revise aspects of the division of Planning and Finance to enhance effectiveness for better support of reporting and analysis required by the Board and for continued strategic improvement.

– Combine Purchasing & Contracts and Auxiliaries Services.– Add Reporting and Analysis responsibilities to University Budgeting & Planning.– Move Environmental & Health Safety to Facilities and Business Services.– Add Information Technology Services as a direct report unit.

4. Move Communications and Marketing from University Advancement to become a Presidential direct report to enhance focus upon University communications.

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Recommendations (Page 2 of 2)Organizational Recommendations (cont’d)

5. Redefine the Assistant to the President for Strategic Projects position to focus on Government Relations.

6. Review the Provost office organization and realign to better meet current priorities.

7. Designate a project manager and staff member to organize and support strategic planning process during the next year.

Operational Recommendations

1. Establish an approach for leadership development to mentor and develop future TTU leaders.

2. Improve effectiveness of Cabinet meetings.

3. Improve efficiencies and effectiveness of business processes.

4. Develop a format for consistent financial and operational reports to the Board.

Note: It is anticipated that these changes can be implemented in a cost neutral manner via revisions to various incumbent positions and will not add additional administrative cost.

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Revised Organizational Structure

Government Relations Athletics Faculty Senate Internal Audit

President

Staff Advisory Committee to the

President

University Assembly University Counsel

Planning & Finance• Business Office• Business Services• Budgeting, Planning,

Reporting & Analysis• Capital Projects • Compliance• Facilities & Environmental

Safety• Human Resources• Information Technology

Services

Research & Economic Development

• Economic Development• Millard Oakley STEM Center• Sponsored Research• Water Resources

University Advancement• Advancement Services• Alumni Engagement &

Annual Giving• University Development

Enrollment Management & Student

Success• Financial Aid• Registrar• Recruitment• Military & Veteran

Affairs• Student Success• International Student

Services• Career Services• Orientation & New

Student Programs

Academic Affairs

Academic Support• Joe E. Evins

Appalachian Center for Craft

• Rural Development Institute

Accreditation, Assessment &

Faculty Development

• Accreditation• Assessment• Center for

Teaching & Learning Experience

• Faculty Development

• Quality Assurance Funding

• Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

Angelo & Jennette Volpe

• Library & Learning Assistance

Digital & Distance Education

• Extended Programs

• Innovation Institute

• Off-Campus Programs

• TNeCampus

Colleges• Agriculture &

Human Ecology• Arts & Science• Business• Education• Engineering• Graduate Studies• Interdisciplinary

Studies• Honors College• Whitson-Hester

School of Nursing

Military ScienceSpecial Programs

• UNIV 1020• Women’s Center

Institutional Research

Communications & Marketing

Chief of Staff

Student Affairs• Access & Diversity• Counseling Center• Dean of Students• Disability Services• Eagle Card System• J.J. Oakley Health

Services• Student Development• University Police

1

3 2 4

5

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Summary Outcomes

• Substantial improvement in effectiveness of the executive team.

• Enhanced clarity of roles and responsibilities at the executive level.

• Alignment with new role of the President reporting to an independent board.

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Next Steps

• Review recommendations

• Finalize opportunities

• Implement initiatives

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Questions and Discussion

Slide Number 1Table of ContentsContext �The new Board of Trustees provides Tech with an opportunity to better realize its potential and changes the governance model, placing more demands on Tech executives and leaders.Context�The actions we take today determine what we will be tomorrow.Organizational Assessment ObjectiveOrganizational Assessment ApproachThemesCurrent Organizational StructureRecommendations (Page 1 of 2)Recommendations (Page 2 of 2)Revised Organizational StructureSummary OutcomesNext StepsQuestions and Discussion