TIPS Mission May 1996



TIPS MISSION:
=============


TIPS -- Team for Improving Productivity at Stanford -- is a broad-based
organization for achieving administrative productivity gains. TIPS'
primary goal is to advise on and influence the development and
implementation of administrative procedures that support the needs of
the schools, departments, labs, research centers, institutes, student-
support organizations and other academic and administrative units that
TIPS represents.

TIPS provides a voice for user-level input throughout the selection,
development, and implementation of University administrative processes
and systems.

TIPS is a collaborative and complementary partner with the University
Management Group (UMG) in the development and implementation of
policies, processes and systems supporting Stanford business practice.


TIPS ROLES:
-----------

- TIPS Chair (and Co-Chair as alternate) serves as liaison to the
  University Management Group.

- TIPS representatives are responsible for communicating issues and
  concerns addressed by TIPS to the UMG member by whom they were
  appointed as well as to other administrative staff in their units.

- TIPS keeps abreast of administrative systems developments and
  regularly brings local issues, needs, and requests to the
  attention of business process owners and project managers.

- TIPS provides a forum for business process owners and project
  managers who seek advice on system changes under consideration.

- TIPS representatives, or other administrative staff recruited
  by them, participate in system development teams and act as
  testers of new applications.

- TIPS reviews specifications of online applications for
  functionality and handling of exceptions and endorses specific
  applications before they come under the Electronic
  Transactions policy (see Guide Memo 64).  TIPS' endorsement shall
  be based on factors such as functionality, ease of use,
  and the availability of adequate training, documentation, and
  equipment.

- TIPS partners with project teams to develop implementation
  strategies appropriate to the varying needs of different work
  units.

- TIPS recommends and advises on enhancements to existing legacy
  systems during transitions to new administrative systems.

- TIPS sponsors Special Interest Forums on topics of interest to
  administrators, especially issues surrounding the implementation
  of new procedures and systems.

- TIPS provides a forum for discussing issues of productivity and
  work distribution, whether or not those issues include information
  system components.



GUIDELINES FOR SELECTION OF TIPS REPRESENTATIVES, OFFICERS AND LIAISONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

TIPS meetings are open to anyone who would like to attend.

TIPS representatives shall be appointed by the Administrative Deans (or
the functional equivalent) for each unit currently represented on the
University Management Group. Appointees shall represent their
constituents, attend monthly meetings, and report back to their areas.
These representatives will be expected to serve for a minimum of one
year, the normal term being September 1 to August 31. There will be no
term limits.


TIPS Representatives shall be allotted as follows:

Graduate School of Business     2       Student Affairs         2
Earth Sciences                  2       Libraries               2
Education                       2       Hoover                  2
Engineering                     4       Controller's Office     1
Humanities and Sciences         4       Development             1
Law                             2       Facilities              1
Medicine                        4       ITSS                    1
Dean of Research                2       Human Resources         1
Athletics                       2       Provost's Office        1


Those who appoint representatives should:

- consider the above-mentioned TIPS roles and make their selections
  based on the ability of the representatives to fulfill those roles.

- select members who represent different administrative functions (e.g.
  student affairs, budget officers, computing support staff,
  administrative associates, staff affairs, facilities, etc.) and levels
  (e.g. school, department, etc.)

- contribute to the continuity of TIPS by appointing representatives who
  are willing to serve for more than one year.

A TIPS chair and co-chair will be elected from among the representatives
in the Spring each year.  Nominations will be accepted at the April
meeting and elections held at the May meeting. The normal term for TIPS
chair shall be September 1 to August 31. It is the normal expectation
that the co-chair will succeed as chair after a one year term.  The TIPS
Chair will serve as liaison to UMG.

Liaisons from other groups and organizations (e.g. DUNSI, Expert
Partners, Change Support Team, SAS, etc.) are invited to attend TIPS
meetings and act as information channels to and from their respective
groups.  For purposes of continuity, groups are encouraged to assign
TIPS liaisons to serve from September 1 to August 31.



Return to TIPS Archive Page

Return to TIPS Home Page

TIPS Coordinator: Catherine Knipe

Last updated 5/96