Innovation and Opportunities Assessment Report Now Available

Syracuse University today issued the summary findings from the Innovation and Opportunities Assessment process that began last fall.

Last year, the University retained Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm, to conduct the Innovation and Opportunities Assessment and offer an evaluation of potential areas for improvement.

An Innovation and Opportunities Assessment Steering Committee, with representatives from the faculty, deans and administrative departments, led the work. The assessment included a University-wide forum, interviews, focus groups and an employee-wide survey intended to capture a wide range of views on potential areas for improvement. In addition, the fact base incorporated data from all areas of University operations, which was analyzed and compared against peer institutions to help further identify potential improvement opportunities.

The report finds that the University is building on its many strengths. However, like many other institutions of higher education, Syracuse faces significant challenges, including effectively allocating resources, controlling rising costs and modernizing systems and processes. The report further finds that the majority of Syracuse faculty and staff believe the University must change significantly to remain successful in the future.

The Innovation and Opportunities Assessment preceded Chancellor Syverud taking office in January, but he has reviewed its content and believes it will help inform the University’s plans going forward, including the development of a University-wide academic strategic plan.

In the coming days, Chancellor Syverud will be appointing a team comprised of representatives from University constituencies to develop action steps, identify opportunities and create plans for implementation, as noted in the report.

The complete report may be found here.