The online Suggestion Box was implemented in November 2010 for employees to share with President Werner their ideas for saving money or otherwise improving efficiency or operations at the university.
Following is a representative list of suggestions submitted by employees. While all suggestions are reviewed and addressed by the president, inclusion in this list does not indicate that a suggestion is being implemented.
Academic and Student Support
- Consolidate colleges.
- Eliminate programs such as Act 101, Supplemental Instruction (SI), Noncredit Workshops, Freshman Year Experience, and most other Academic Support.
- Start an adult evening program to help non-traditional students finish their degrees.
- Eliminate printed textbooks and library archives in favor of digital online resources.
Administrative
- Charge for long-term parking.
- Tighten up policies on registration for students with a financial hold.
- Eliminate tuition waivers for faculty, staff, and their dependents.
- Eliminate hard-line (“landline”) office phones.
- Reduce Faculty Professional Development Council grants.
- Reduce faculty conference travel.
- Empty office garbage cans less frequently.
- All cell phones costs should be paid for by the employee, with the exception of the president.
- Use WiFi for mobile calling instead of cell phone plans.
- Cut non-essential landline phones
- Lease out for retail some of the amenity spaces in the residence halls (other open areas, too).
- Implement paperless pay for students.
Athletics
- What is the relationship between the Athletic Program and the university’s mission?
- Has the Athletic Program been reviewed to determine its centrality to the university’s mission?
- Would cutting athletic scholarships have a positive impact on the deficit the university is anticipating?
Computer and Telecommuting
- Reduce "multiple computers" for faculty. Purchase one computer that meets the faculty member’s needs.
- Use videoconferencing, especially to reduce travel to the Dixon Center.
Energy Efficiency
- Change when computers are automatically updated to 5:00 a.m., and ask all faculty and staff to shut down their computers before they leave (save approximately twelve hours of electricity).
- Turn the heat down in the buildings by 1°.
- Install energy-saving light bulbs.
- Put light timers in rooms (some rooms already have this).
- Limit hallway lighting in Sutton over the weekends.
- Participate in the Campus Conservation Nationals
- Turn off lights in Zink Hall parking lot.
Printing
- Stop printing IUP phonebooks. The website should be used instead.
- Stop printing Undergraduate Catalogs.
- Stop printing intra-university annual reports (e.g., for the Administration and Finance Division).
- Produce campus publications electronically instead of using paper and mailing them.
Travel
- Provide EZPass for state vehicles (save money in tolls, and avoid hassle of reimbursing everyone’s travel vouchers).
