Over the past few years, the University has streamlined a number of core administrative processes, introduced technology to improve access to information, and has made major shifts in the ways it performs administrative support functions on a departmental and campus-wide basis. While the intent has been to reduce workload overall and minimize the number of steps inherent in support processes, the cumulative effect of these changes has created a need to examine the guidance available to academic departments on items such as document retention, authorization for approvals, and related business processes and policies.

Based on discussions with members of the Academic Business Administrator computing subcommittee and others in academic and administrative departments, we believe this matter deserves the attention of a special team to design the essential elements of a web-based department guidelines system. Such a system would provide UCSD departments with guidelines on office-of-record matters, document retention, appropriate authorizations, and related policy information that would assist department staff in their daily administrative activities.

We ask that the team develop a detailed description of this web-based department guidelines system. In developing the system, the team should creatively exploit the power of hypertext and the web environment by incorporating information-access strategies not available in other computing environments or in a paper-based environment.

Based on the team's recommended scheme, the campus would then identify a person (or persons) who would develop the HTML based web site. In order to keep the work of this team manageable, the team would initially focus on only two functional areas: Purchasing and Payroll. Once the system is operational, tested, and evaluated, other functional areas would be added.

It should be noted that this system will not replace current activities associated with placing the Policy and Procedures Manual on the web. Nevertheless, the team may wish to explore possible linkages to appropriate PPM sections and other existing materials to minimize the duplication of effort in writing and maintaining multiple sets of documents.

The focus of this team is not on policy development, but rather on developing an intuitive web-based guidelines system that is useful for departmental staff. However, it is worth noting that many university records management policies have not kept pace with changes in administrative processes, nor with the introduction of new technology. It may prove useful for the team to call upon campus resources such as the campus archivists at SIO and the Geisel Library, Gary Robinson of Internal Audit, and others for information and guidance in this area.

The web-based guidelines system will be optimized for the department staff person who needs information on document and records retention and authorization requirements for specific administrative processes. It should also address the needs of department managers who need information on appropriate methods of control, delegation of authority, record retention, and policy. The system should be easy enough to use so that new UCSD employees will be able to quickly access information they need and have their questions answered.

The web-based system will also serve to minimize or eliminate inconsistent interpretations of document retention and authorization requirements of various functional offices, and provide assurance to departments that they are adhering to necessary audit requirements. The team will review document and authorization requirements from central administrative offices, and will also consider "best practices" among academic departments. It may be useful to identify several model departmental processes that demonstrate a variety of appropriate methods of control, delegations of authority, etc.

We ask that the team begin meeting in October and develop their recommendations by February 1, 1997. Karen Andrews has graciously agreed to chair the team, and Don Larson and I will be the team's sponsors. Susan Johnston, from EH&S, has agreed to be the facilitator on the team.

I want to thank each of you for serving on this very important team. The results of this team's work has the potential of providing a tremendous service to UCSD's departments.

Steven W. Relyea
Vice Chancellor
Business Affairs