Why PEAK?
The world of higher education is changing. Demographic shifts, fluctuating enrollment, and rising costs of instruction put pressure on institutions, and left unaddressed will impact teaching, research and outreach capabilities. The University of Minnesota is no exception to these pressures. The way we operate must change and this is critical for our ability to remain competitive and true to our academic mission.
PEAK is about being proactive and helping transform how we work to be ready for the future. Through PEAK, we can create a more consistent employee experience, strengthen our brand, and begin working together in new ways that bring opportunities for our system, our academic and administrative units, and our people.
Our employees are doing a great job to deliver quality services, but our complex organizational structure creates challenges. Through these changes we can better serve faculty and students, and enable our employees with better processes as well as development opportunities.
At its core, the PEAK Initiative serves to create more opportunities for our people. By moving to a central service model for Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Marketing and Communications, we aim to enhance collaboration for our employees, improve the quality of services provided, and maximize our ability to meet the growing needs and demands of the future.
“When asked about the one thing that faculty and staff would like to change to enable them to be more successful at work, the leading response was operational efficiency. PEAK is an opportunity to increase operational efficiency, and to create a supportive environment.” Dr. Rachel Croson, Executive Vice President and Provost
Opportunities for Employees
- Professional growth based on specialization and area of interest
- Work with and get support from experts in their field
- Improved coverage for time out of the office
- An environment that fosters a healthy work and life balance
Opportunities for the University
- An adaptable foundation to support the University as it changes over time
- A consistent and equitable approach to how services are delivered to our staff, students, and community
- Increased collective capacity to support mission-driven work by shifting some of the administrative burden to a central team of specialists
- More data and insights to solve complex problems and create efficiency over time
- Reduce onboarding investment and coverage gaps for technical work at the local level
“Across the University, we rely on staff to provide key services that are essential to day-to-day operations. Depending on specific needs, staffing coverage and levels of expertise, delivery of those services may vary from unit to unit. Rather than “do more with less” we need to shift our focus to increasing specialization; to provide more consistent practices which increases equity in the levels of service being provided, reduces compliance risks, and creates clear paths for career growth.” Dr. Rachel Croson, Executive Vice President and Provost
PEAK Initiative Guiding Principles
Consciously and intentionally includes and advocates for diverse populations.
Seamless connections with other systems and processes.
Flexible to accommodate evolving needs and strategies. Iterative improvements.
Implement approaches that will drive value in support of the University's mission.
Simplify repetitive administrative tasks. Enable focus on high-value strategic and consultative activities through technology enablement.
Foster an experience of one University. Supports harmonization through simple and transparent processes.
Weaving equity and inclusion into our work is paramount to the success of every program, service, and employee engagement, and will inherently result in fostering a diverse workforce. This is especially true as we navigate through the PEAK process. To learn more about the University's goal of fostering a welcoming community that values belonging, equity, diversity and dignity in people and ideas, visit the Office of Human Resources website.
Additional Resources
In collaboration with University partners, the PEAK Initiative is committed to providing equitable access to our campuses, colleges, and units for everyone. Please contact us for accommodation requests.