Clarification On Outsourcing

To the University Community:

It is unfortunate that the June 13 Summer Pennsylvanian story on outsourcing at the University was so thoroughly misleading, not to mention inflammatory. Let's set the record straight:

• Outsourcing will be used selectively, and only in those areas where it can demonstrably improve services and reduce costs while at the same time serving the specific needs of the University community.

• We will enter outsourcing arrangements only with organizations with world-class reputations and progressive human resources practices.

• We will monitor and review the effectiveness of all outsourcing arrangements on an ongoing basis to make sure that services are being improved and costs are being reduced.

• While selective outsourcing will continue to be pursued as one restructuring strategy, many of Penn's administrative operations will never be outsourced. They will, however, be scrutinized regularly to make sure they are serving the campus community well and aggressively managing costs.

Part of good, effective management here at the University of Pennsylvania and at other Ivy Leagues universities includes a periodic review of all business operations to make sure the best methods possible are being used. We owe our students, their parents and our faculty nothing less.

John A. Fry, Executive Vice President

Almanac

Volume 42 Number 34
June 18, 1996

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