Every year Ohio Wesleyan spends between three and six percent of its total expenditures on the “efficiency and expertise” of outsourced services, according to university administrators.
Roughly five percent was spent on outsourcing during the 2007-08 academic year, totaling over $4.9 million, according to the University’s 2007 Form 990.
But even with millions of outsourcing expenses each year, administrators insist the University’s spending on independent contractors is not only necessary but also fiscally conservative.
Administrators admit the University lacks some of the resources needed to accomplish certain inevitable tasks like marketing, telecommunications maintenance, professional advising, landscaping and hiring services.
“Outsourcing allows internal staff to focus efforts on core competencies and not to be distracted by tasks that could be accomplished more efficiently by an external resource,” said President Rock Jones.
In some cases, said Jones, federal law or accrediting organizations require the University to externally audit its financial statements and systems and even have certain programs evaluated and assessed by external consultants and advisors.
David Robbins, University provost since 2005, said the University’s current marketing strategy, including the new website, admissions materials, stationary, color palettes and even descriptions of University programs was developed by Ologie, a Columbus-based branding agency. Their one-time services cost the University over $200,000 during the 2006-07 academic year.
Robbins also said the University has historically used Adecco USA Inc., a workforce solutions company, for assistance in hiring temporary hourly employees for Buildings and Grounds and clerical positions. For three years, from academic year 2005-06 to academic year 2007-08, the University spent an average of $425,000 a year on Adecco’s hiring services.
More recently, said Robbins, Arts & Sciences Group LLC was hired to survey students admitted to Ohio Wesleyan to gauge their main reasons for enrolling at OWU. They offered suggestions to reach the type of students OWU is trying to attract and be more competitive in the marketplace it cost the University nearly $200,000.
Source:http://media.www.owutranscript.com/media/storage/paper1413/news/2010/04/22/News/Administration.Says.Outsourced.Expenditures.Show.Fiscal.Restraint-3910521.shtml
