The proposal to out-source the functions of the university print shop and post office is still up for debate.
At the University Senate meeting on Thursday, March 13 university comptroller, Michael Breath answered questions about where the out-source process stands and what it would involve.
Breath said that the original plan was to look into restructuring the mail system by using an outside contractor. Many outside contractors who handle mail also handle copying, which is what he said brought on the idea of a joint proposal.
The Senate was most anxious to know how the print shop would be changed by out-sourcing its functions to an outside contractor.
Currently the print shop and post office are run and managed by the university; however the trend on campuses across the country is to transfer this management to firms specializing in copying and mailing.
Firms such as Xerox or Icon Office Solutions actively pitch integrated copying and mailing management proposals all the time to universities, according to Breath.
The accounting office has not determined if any cost savings will be gained from out-sourcing, but the “main goal is to increase service level,” said Breath.
He stressed that the accounting office is in the information gathering stage of the process. Glenn Hymel, psychology professor, asked Breath about a proposal submitted by Icon several months ago to out-source the print shop.
“I wouldn’t call it a proposal, I would call it a document…it was by no means a viable and working solution. We basically threw it back at them,” Breath responded. “It was by no means complete.”
The proposal was a very basic description of what Icon can do for the university and how much money could possibly be saved this their company.
Many faculty and students are happy with the way the print shop operates, including Ron Foust, associate professor of English, who said he believes that the committee should separate the two issues.
“It is my opinion,” said Foust, “that our print shop does a great job (quick, accurate, responsive) for both faculty and students here.”
Henry Folse, professor of philosophy, said that so far all of the people involved with the proposal to out-source the print shop have come from the business end of the university and not from the academic end.
Folse said that he is concerned about how much input the faculty will have in the decision-making process, since both the faculty and the students depend on the print shop’s services.
“This is going to materially affect the education that we can offer our students in an immeasurable way; there’s no doubt about it,” he said.
Breath conceded that after all of the research is done, the decision may be to not out-source, and maintain current management of the print shop and post office.
“I think what we are doing is evaluating if there is a better way to do this, (mail and photocopying).”
