Innovative assistance that focuses on the need at hand paves the way for efficient, healthy organizations. For example, Chattahoochee Technical College administrators found themselves with different pay systems for employees located on seven different campuses when the college merged with two others in 2009.
Through a reliable process involving interviews, questionnaires, and salary surveys, Vinson Institute specialists created employee position snapshots from which job descriptions could be written and compensation figures developed for a new single system. Similar assistance was provided to four newly merged regional development commissions.
The Institute also helped governments achieve efficiencies in financial management in 2009. As part of an 18-month study of the City of Macon, faculty members continued to provide leaders with a comprehensive financial review that evaluated procedures related to budgeting, accounting, purchasing, payments, collections, and grants. They also suggested reforms for increasing efficiency, preventing fraud, and improving accountability. In addition to gaining insight into its processes, the city will benefit from a new Web-based centralized work order system being developed by the Institute.
Faculty worked with state accounting officials to improve their reporting for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Because bond rating agencies consider the timely submission of reports in their interest rate calculations, these reforms helped the state save money. In addition, budgetary concerns prompted city officials to seek Institute faculty expertise on numerous occasions in order to address their specific questions, learn about resources, and discuss options.
In an expansion of services, Vinson Institute human resource management faculty applied their expertise in conducting executive searches for governments to help two rural hospital authorities (Morgan Memorial Hospital and Warm Springs Medical Center) select leaders who could best help them navigate the complex health care industry. Their assistance included writing and placing vacancy announcements, screening resumes, designing interview questions, conducting background searches, facilitating interviews, and helping close the searches.
