QI E-News
 November, 2003 QI: Making a Difference for the CSU VOL. 5, NO. 2  
Welcome to the Quality Improvement E-Newsletter, a publication of the Quality Improvement Department of the California State University, Office of the Chancellor.

Our goal is to keep you up to date on systemwide improvement initiatives in the CSU, share the results of innovative projects at our campuses, and provide information on special QI events, training and more. We hope that you'll find the e-newsletter informative and helpful as you look for ways to make your institutions better places to learn.

By clicking on the "QI: Making a Difference for the CSU" link above, you can find up to date information about ongoing QI activities, such as the current Performance Measurement effort, as well as the array of information and tools offered by the CSU QI Programs.

As always, we welcome your feedback and contributions. Comments, suggestions and article submissions can be directed to John Sanders, QI Programs Manager at jsanders@calstate.edu.
In This Issue:

•  Cost Savings Make a "Hit" at CSU San Marcos by Katy Rees

•  Making a Difference  by Willem van der Pol

•  SDSU's "Service Request" Project  by Andrea Peters

•  QI Calendar of Events
Cost Savings Make a"Hit" at San Marcos
by Katy Rees
Quality Improvement Facilitator, CSU San Marcos
How do you solve your budget woes? The Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) division at Cal State San Marcos went to bat with a new program, called the “$100,000 Grand Slam.” This program, inspired by a successful idea from UCSD, challenged the division’s employees to brainstorm ideas for cutting costs, saving money, and reducing waste. The goal: to save $100,000 in our division during 2003/2004, using ideas from managers and staff. Often, the best thoughts of how to save money and cut costs come from front-line employees, and this program allows us the opportunity to be proactive and meet the budget challenge together as a division.
Making a Difference!
by Willem van der Pol
Director Physical Plant, Cal State Fullerton

In the fall of 2001, the Custodial Services unit of Cal State Fullerton started on an amazing journey: a quality improvement process aimed at enhancing the self worth of each individual custodian, as well as improving the overall performance of the unit. Although we haven't reached our final destination, some remarkable improvements have marked the road thus far.
SDSU's "Service Request" Project
by Andrea Peters
Assistant to the Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs

Back in November of 1999, a team from SDSU decided to take on the challenge of streamlining the Work Order process utilizing the CSU's Process Improvement methodology. This cumbersome process consisted of a mix of manual procedures and online forms supplied in different formats on various departmental Web sites. Submitted work requests were manually transferred to back-end applications.
Ideas, comments, questions? Have news or other QI-related information to share? Contact John Sanders at jsanders@calstate.edu. Let us know what information would be helpful to include in QI E-News.