The University of Maryland Administrative Modernization Program (AMP) advances the university’s organizational foundation to match its excellence as a premiere research and land grant institution. AMP works with the campus community and industry experts to update, strengthen and unify administrative processes and systems—such as budgeting, procurement, travel and student services—to strengthen how the university operates. Executed by the Office of the Provost with the support of the Office of the President, AMP advances UMD’s strategic mission and improves the level of service for students, faculty and staff.
The improved operational infrastructure developed through AMP tools and initiatives will produce effective, efficient and measurable processes for every member of the campus community. AMP shapes change through shared best practices, enhanced technologies and by developing communication pathways that will allow programs to:
- leverage budgets
- share data
- discover new opportunities for collaboration
- streamline operations
- eliminate duplicative effort
Strategy for Success
Tools and initiatives geared to supporting the daily activities of faculty, staff and students include:
- Budget Model: A more transparent, systemic budget model will help provide the insight and tools essential for funding important initiatives, while carefully measuring spending against budget. This philosophy underpins all AMP initiatives and enables the university to achieve its mission-critical goals.
- Procurement Modernization: Procurement efforts will maximize expenditure of funds endowed to the university by establishing a system that optimizes spend data collection and provides more strategic contracting opportunities.
- Student Success: A pilot program will explore the development of more robust tools for students, faculty and administrators to engage students, from recruitment through matriculation. The program will help the university anticipate and meet the needs of students throughout their lifecycle at UMD, arming them with the tools and opportunities to pursue their academic goals and supporting the holistic college experience.
Built from the Ground Up
Input from the campus community is fundamental to the success of AMP. Program administrators are polling faculty, staff, students and administrators to pinpoint challenges and limitations of current processes. At the same time, AMP is examining the systems used by peer institutions and leaders in business that have aligned their day-to-day activities, strengthened cross-department communication and contributed to a healthy workplace.
Fostering Fearless Administration
AMP aspires to bring more than system changes to the university, but a culture shift as well. Modernizing how administrative work is conducted—as a simplified, collaborative process—breaks down the silos that have hampered departments’ ability to be effective and achieve excellence. The arsenal of tools and techniques that will emerge from AMP’s inclusive process will add speed and simplicity to mundane tasks, empower staff and faculty with time and resources, and encourage the creative problem-solving and professional development that drives innovation and achievement.