BEST PRACTICES, ANYONE?

GOT A NEW IDEA? HAS IT INCREASED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY?
SAVED YOUR CAMPUS MONEY? IMPROVED CAMPUS SERVICES?
PLEASE SHARE IT WITH OTHERS AND GET RECOGNITION FOR YOUR EFFORTS!

In an effort to promote and recognize new approaches to problems facing college and university business operations, RBC Capital Markets has joined with CACUBO to announce the CACUBO RBC Capital Markets Best Practices Award Program to recognize colleges and universities who have successfully developed a best practice to respond to a particular problem. The RBC Capital Markets Best Practices Award Program is intended to showcase the best of college and university business officers' efforts in creating better, more efficient, and customer friendly business practices. Through this new program CACUBO wishes to share good ideas and new approaches within its membership institutions.

The 2009 competition will select ONE finalist to showcase their "best practice" at the CACUBO Annual Meeting on October 4-7, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The participant/institution with the overall "best practice" will receive an honorarium of $1,000. Two runner-ups will receive $500 each.

Colleges and Universities business officers wishing to compete in the RBC Capital Markets Best Practices Award Program may submit a proposal by February 1, 2009. Interested parties should visit http://www.cacubo.org for submission guidelines. Questions? Please submit them to bestpractices@cacubo.org.

Guidelines for Submission

In order to be considered for the 2009 CACUBO RBC Capital Markets Best Practices Award, each participant must submit a proposal providing detail of a best practice. One finalist, based upon the proposal submitted, will be selected to present their "best practice" at the CACUBO Annual Meeting (October 4-7, 2009) in Cincinnati, Ohio. The participant/institution with the overall "best practice" will receive an honorarium of $1,000. Two runner-ups will receive $500 each.

Proposal Format
Each proposal must be submitted via electronic mail as an attached Word document to CACUBO at its Best Practices address, bestpractices@cacubo.org. Submission details are noted below.

Title Page
Each proposal must have a title page in bold 14 font (left justified). The author of the proposal should be listed directly under the title in bold 12 font. Beneath the author, with single spacing, list the institution or organization affiliation of the author. If there is more than one author, double-space, and follow the directions as listed with a single author.

Include the name, mailing address, telephone numbers, and email address of the primary author on the title page.

Abstract
The abstract, or executive summary, should not exceed one page. This abstract is the first page of the proposal. It should be single-spaced and 12 font.

Introduction of the Organization
Following the abstract, please introduce and describe the institution or organization that was benefited by the "best practice." This description may be as brief or as detailed as you like, but do this with double-spaced paragraph form in 12 font. Please do not simply list the information.

Statement (Restatement) of the Problem/Initiative
Continuing in double-spaced paragraph form (12 font), state (restate) the challenge that required correction or improvement.

Design
Using double-spaced paragraph form (12 font), describe the methodology used to develop the best practice initiative. There may be any number of tasks that were needed to develop your best practice. This information would be helpful if another institution would wish to pursue the same endeavor. Did the initiative require additional personnel, capital equipment purchases, or electronic systems solutions? What were the cost and/or budget ramifications? Please include any faculty, student, or administrative involvement required or solicited during the planning stage.

Implementation
Using double-spaced paragraph form (12 font), describe the implementation process. Information that concerns the timeline, pitfalls, and issues is helpful to those interested in duplicating your best practice.

Benefits
Discuss the benefits enjoyed by implementing the best practice. Cost savings, efficiencies, personnel performance improvements, student satisfaction or other benefits that occurred as a result of the best practice implementation.

Retrospect
Using double-spaced paragraph form (12 font), discuss anything that might have been done differently. (If applicable).

Proposal Evaluation
Submissions will be evaluated by CACUBO member evaluators based on the following weighted criteria:

Submission guidelines. Did the writer follow required instruction? Grammar? Point value 0 - 10. Weighted 5%.

Does the proposal address a problem common to higher education business practices? Will the solution benefit other institutions, or is it specific to the individual institution? Point value 0 - 10 Weighted 15%.

Can the proposal be measured? Will/did the best practice reduce cost for the institution through actual cash savings, reduced employee turn-over, efficiencies, or in other areas? Point value 0 -10 Weighted 30%.

Was the best practice a single solution, or will it provide future institutional benefits? Point value 0 - 10 Weighted 25%.

If the best practice can be replicated at another institution, can/should similar results be expected? Point value Weighted 25%.

Proposal Delivery and Deadline
The deadline for submission is February 1, 2009. Each proposal must be submitted via electronic mail as an attached Word document to CACUBO at its website Best Practices address, bestpractices@cacubo.org. A "Best Practices Award Committee" link will be identified on CACUBO's home page.

Questions?
Questions regarding the program should be submitted to bestpractices@cacubo.org or by contacting: Christine A. Jackson
Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
302 Canfield Administration Building
Lincoln, NE 68588-0425
Tel: 402-472-4455
FAX: 402-472-3834
Email: cjackson3@unl.edu