Tech-Talks AQIP:
Comprehensive University
Space Inventory Process
October 14, 2008
4 – 5pm
Academic Quality Improvement
Program
AQIP
AQIP is structured around quality
improvement principles and processes
and involves a structured set of goalsetting, networking, and
accountability activities.
AQIP Cycles of Improvement
• Action
• Accreditation
– One-year cycle
– 3 or 4 Action Projects
– Annual updates
• Strategy
–
–
–
–
Four-year cycle
Systems Portfolio
Systems Appraisal
Strategy Forum
– Seven-year cycle
– Check-up Visit
– Reaffirmation of
Accreditation
AQIP Action Projects
• Action Project Goals
– Focus and highlight Michigan Tech’s efforts in
undertaking specific improvement initiatives
– Provide evidence to the HLC the Michigan Tech is
seriously committed to a regimen of continuous
improvement
• Three Action Projects must be
ongoing at all times
• Information on the projects
must be shared.
AQIP Categories
Helping Students Learn
Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives
Understanding Students’ and Other Stakeholders’ Needs
Valuing People
Leading and Communicating
Supporting Institutional Operations
Measuring Effectiveness
Planning Continuous Improvement
Building Collaborative Relationships
Summary of Action Projects
Title
Michigan Tech
Title
AQIP
Kickoff Date
Completion Date
Status
Improving the
Diversity of the
Faculty
Improving the
Diversity of the
Faculty
June 1, 2006
Sept 29, 2008
Complete
Learning Space
Enhancement
Classroom and
Facilities Upgrade
Plan
June 1, 2006
Oct 22, 2008
Final Report
Comprehensive
University Space
Inventory Process
Comprehensive
University Space
Inventory Process
June 1, 2006
Oct 14, 2008
Final Report
Carbon Neutral
Carbon Counting
June 1, 2007
TBD
Ongoing
Tech Talks
AQIP Action Project: Space
Presenters:
Walt Milligan, CIO
Mike Hendricks, Controller
Chuck Schaefer, Senior Programmer/Analyst
October 14, 2008
Committee Members
Walter Milligan, Office of Information Technology, Chair
David Chard, Educational Technology Services
Kelly Dube, Accounting Services
Richard Elenich, Institutional Analysis
Brenda Helminen, Telecommunications Engineering
Michael Hendricks, Accounting Services
Patricia Muller, Facilities Management
Kathleen Pintar, Office of Student Records and Registration
Schedule
• Project proposed by Mike Hendricks in first round of
action projects.
• First Meeting: January 23, 2007
• Lots of interesting meetings
• Lots of fun
• Some pain
• Lots of collaborative communication
• Lots of great programming by Chuck
• Final Report submitted: May 12, 2008
Big-Picture Issues
• To calculate our federal indirect cost rate, we need to
know a lot about space.
•
•
•
How much is used for research?
What fraction of the time is it used for research?
What are the costs?
• To survive an audit, these numbers cannot be fairy
tales.
Big-Picture Issues
• Need to know a lot about space for other reasons
•
•
•
•
•
Public safety
Classroom and lab scheduling
Strategic planning, resource utilization
Telcom phones (including 911) and networking
Utilities and energy management
Major problems identified by committee
There are at least 12 major space databases or data
repositories on campus.
• The data in the different databases is not consistent.
• In many cases, the data is not consistent with physical
reality.
• It is not always clear which database is authoritative.
When one database is updated, others do not usually
receive the updated data.
• The databases are not user-friendly. Accurate data is
hard to obtain, and data entry from data custodians in
the different areas of campus is awkward,
inconvenient, and often inaccurate.
Major problems identified by committee
Engineering drawings have not always been updated as
buildings are modified. There are two major sets of
drawings (Facilities and Telcom) that are not well
coordinated. There is not a data custodian in Facilities to
maintain the drawings.
Departmental Space Coordinators did not have good tools
or procedures for updating their data in the authoritative
databases.
Outcomes
1. A custom-written, web-based tool was developed that
allows data custodians and Accounting personnel to
access, update, and easily maintain most of the key
space data in one, authoritative database.

System is named ASPIRE. (Accounting for Space,
People, Indexes, Research and Equipment)

Chuck will demonstrate today.
Outcomes
2. Facilities re-assigned one of their engineers so that her
primary responsibility is to upgrade, maintain, and
distribute engineering drawings and other space data.

Pat Muller, AQIP committee member.
Outcomes
3. Procedures have been developed to coordinate and
dynamically update data in different databases for
consistency, and to identify errors and inconsistencies in
data.
The tool is being integrated into key business
processes of the university and has a lot of potential.

Mike Hendricks will discuss today.
Outcomes
Aspire Demonstration
Chuck Schaefer, Senior Programmer/Analyst
Enterprise Application Services
Office of Information Technology
Future Benefits
Integrated Solutions
Mike Hendricks, Controller
Accounting Services
Integrated Solutions
Goal: Update the HR Campus Directory through ASPIRE
Comment: Currently, we are updating the ASPIRE system as
room occupant changes occur. The HR Campus Directory is
only updated once a year. The two systems should have the
same information. Perhaps a separate issue, but we need to
integrate ASPIRE with the proposed campus notification
system.
Departments involved: HR + EAS
Integrated Solutions
Goal: Complete the Metrics section of ASPIRE.
Comment: The University Space Committee is looking at space
allotment based on the needs for the space. Although we have
completed the first draft of the research $/nasf and student
credit hours/nasf, we have not met to confirm that this is exactly
what the University Space Committee needs.
We also need to address the assignment of room conditions in
this section. Although we have completed our first survey of
the Research room conditions per the NSF survey, we need to
assign room conditions for learning centers. See also AQIP
Learning Centers.
Departments involved: University Space Committee + RSP +
Provost + EAS
Integrated Solutions
Goal: Complete the new section of ASPIRE called
RISK/VALUE
Comment: We need to create the central University repository
of historical cost of building and contents as well as valuations
used for insurance coverage, and other surveys. This central
repository would be the source used for all future requests and
we would eliminate using other legacy data bases.
Departments involved: Facilities + Risk Management + EAS +
Accounting Services
Integrated Solutions
Goal: Develop a long term plan for ASPIRE
Example: ASPIRE used for Facilities’ maintenance programs?
Comments: The space and equipment inventory process is an
information learning process for everyone. The more that we
(in central administration) work with the survey results, the
more relationships we see between the different data elements.
The more we see, the more “genius checks” we can build into
the system.
Departments involved: EAS + Accounting Services + Surveyed
departments
Integrated Solutions
Linking the Image Now scanned documents to ASPIRE
Comments: The first application to link will be photographs of
our equipment inventory. We already have 600 equipment
photographs. Other scanned document types will be added as
we proceed with both systems.
Departments involved: EAS + Accounting Services +
ImageNow
Integrated Solutions
On-line training sessions
Comments: We substituted large group training sessions for all
space coordinators with one-on-one training sessions with
individual academic departments. The results have been very
satisfactory. We would now like to prepare on-line training that
could be used as a resource for the academic departments, but
the actual training for the administrative and auxiliary
departments.
Departments involved: EAS + Accounting Services +
Institutional Analysis + Telcom
Administrative Response
Space:
the final
frontier!
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 1: Fully implement ASPIRE
– Survey departments to gain information about current
occupants and use for all space
– Provide information about where to send changes in
room use
– Require that transactions regarding space use are
reviewed by the University Space Committee
– Presentation to Deans: University Space Committee
August 28th 2008
– Presentation to Deans & Chairs: Fall 2008 TBA
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 2: Establish a Space Database
Committee that meets quarterly to
communicate upgrades and track progress
– No need for a separate Space Database Committee; invite
representatives of support areas (AIS, Accounting, Facilities,
Telcom, Institutional Analysis) to quarterly meetings jointly
with the existing University Space Committee
– All Deans, Jim Heikkinen, Mike Hendricks are on University
Space Committee (plus Registrar, Provost, CFO)
– Room upgrades and changes in use should be transmitted
when they occur to the University Space Committee (Chair D.
Greenlee)
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 3: The Space Database
Committee should consider pursuing the list
of actions recommended in the final Action
Project report.
• Facilities Issues, ongoing:
– CAD drawings are being updated
– Verification of assignable square ft.
– Common areas need to be numbered
– Resolve inconsistencies in building numbering
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 3: The Space Database
Committee should consider pursuing the list
of actions recommended in the final Action
Project report.
• Facilities Issues, ongoing:
– Room condition/quality
– Room instrumentation for classrooms/labs (e.g.
projection equipment, fume hoods, etc.)
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 3: The Space Database
Committee should consider pursuing the list
of actions recommended in the final Action
Project report.
• Integration and Safety Issues (UMC/SA):
– Phone directory and space assignment need to
agree
– ASPIRE and the emergency notification system
need to be integrated
Administrative Response
• Recommendation 3: The Space Database
Committee should consider pursuing the list of
actions recommended in the final Action Project
report.
• Research and Sponsored programs, HR issues
– Connect effort reporting and space use
– Examine data on relationship between research
revenue and space use
– Clarify occupant lists (e.g. graduate students, research
advisors etc. in labs)
Administrative Response
• New Features?
– Risk/value assessment
• Initial construction cost, upgrades, insurance value of
contents
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–
–
–
–
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Integrate with KITS Techfinder
room scheduling
use for facilities maintenance
Use for Public Safety’s key tracking
Use by OSHS to tag for 4 levels of hazardous waste
Reconcile with SLARDEF, Banner’s space/room module
Administrative Response
• Final comments
– Good system depends on consistent updating
– Departments/Facilities need to notify the Space
committee re upgrades and reassignments
– Show time-based changes in use (e.g. former
occupants, semester to summer, or day to evening
changes in use)
– Consider a unique numerical identifier for each room
– Applause that the team has consolidated 12 space
databases to a single one!!!!
QUESTIONS
and
OPEN DISCUSSION
Next Tech-Talks AQIP: Learning
Space Enhancement
October 22, 2008
4 – 5 pm
Alumni Lounge B