Miami University

This Makes Cents

In October 2008, Miami launched a campaign to solicit cost-saving and process-improvement ideas from members of the Miami community. As of January 2009, faculty, staff, and students as well as parents and alumni have submitted more than 400 ideas—with examples ranging from modified dining practices to changes in personnel policies. Most submissions fall into one of several broad categories, with the majority directed toward energy and paper conservation. Common suggestions include turning down the heat, turning off lights and computers when not in use, and reducing paper usage with an eye toward a paperless environment.

Submissions are directed to one of 15 areas (see "Area for Improvement" field on the suggestion form), with staff from those areas designated to review and respond to each and every suggestion. Cathy Pierce, senior director of Housing, Dining, and Guest Services sees this initiative as merely an extension of efforts already being made in her department: "We are taking grassroots approach within the department to give everyone an opportunity to give us their ideas."

For a summary of suggestions to date as well as the University's response, see Submitted Suggestions.

Cost-Saving News

November 26, 2008
"Sense" saves $$ for rec sports, marketing communications

November 20 , 2008
Stoddard Hall wins Unplugged competition
Various suggestions make "cents"

November 4, 2008
Miami community says, "This makes cents"

Tips for Home

In addition to cost-saving measures at work, following the recommendations below can help you save costs off campus while protecting the environment. After one year, you can save hundreds of pounds of CO2; if these recommendations were practiced by everyone in the U.S. for one year, the impact would equal millions of cars taken off the road.

• Switch Five Lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
  A 25-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) provides the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb. CFLs use a third of the energy and last 10 times longer. Switching five bulbs could save about $400 over the CFLs' lifetime.
  Savings after one year: You save 500 pounds of CO2; U.S. saves equivalent of 4,751,350 cars taken off the road
  
  
• Modify the Temperature on Your Thermostat
  There's no reason to keep the house perfectly heated or cooled when you're not there to appreciate it. Modifying the temperature just four degrees with a programmable thermostat will save energy—and about $130 a year.
  Savings after one year: You save 1,300 pounds of CO2; U.S. saves equivalent of 12,353,510 cars taken off the road
  
  
• Use Power Strips
  Is your TV turned off? Think again. A percentage of your home's electricity goes to devices that are not in use but are plugged in. To kill the current and lower your bill, plug them into a power strip, and after you've turned the equipment off, flip the power strip switch.
  Savings after one year: You save 1,608 pounds of CO2; U.S. saves equivalent of 15,280,342 cars taken off the road
  
  

Submitted Suggestions

Energy

By far, the largest number of suggestions relate to saving energy. Sixty-seven suggestions have been submitted in this area, with ideas ranging from turning off computers overnight in labs across campus to installing motion sensing lighting in building interiors to air-drying clothes as often as possible.

Paper

The second largest number of suggestions to the site, 41, relate to reducing or eliminating paper, for example, eliminating flyers, brochures, table tents, and other printed materials. A big step in this direction is Miami's e-Report, sent electronically on weekdays to all faculty and staff, and myMiami announcements, directed to students. A printed Miami Report newspaper was eliminated in May 2008.

Personnel

The majority of suggestions in this category involve a buyout for employees close to retirement or modifications to the 40-hour work week. Allowing employees to work four 10-hour days (instead of five 8-hour days) and allowing employees to reduce their work week to 32 or 36 hours were popular options. Reducing the number of days that classes meet (from five to four) was also suggested.

Transportation

Suggestions relating to transportation range from reducing metro routes to replacing buses with smaller vehicles during hours of lower ridership to considering alternative fuels. A spring 2008 campus transportation study showed that 70 percent of trips to, from, and around campus by students, faculty, and staff, is taken in a vehicle. The study was conducted as an initiative of the Presidential Task Force on Environmental Sustainability.

Energy

By far, the largest number of suggestions relate to saving energy. Sixty-seven suggestions have been submitted in this area, with ideas ranging from turning off computers overnight in labs across campus to installing motion sensing lighting in building interiors to air-drying clothes as often as possible.

University Response

• New construction at Miami takes advantage of motion sensor technology. The School of Engineering complex features motion sensor lighting in all public spaces including classrooms, offices and corridors. According to Jack Williams, senior project architect and manager, further sensors in classrooms reduce ventilation if no one is there.
• Approximately 7,000 desk lamps in residence halls were replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs in March 2008.
• Rec sports has initiated a "lights off" policy as well as a daytime light level reduction. Tom Fister, director of recreational physical facilities, estimates this will save about $7,900 annually.
• Rec sports also is retro fitting and re-lamping light fixtures to use fluorescent lights or "pulse start" metal halide lamps. The conversion will save an estimated $20,000 annually on the recreational sports center's electric usage bill.

What You Can Do

• Turn off lights in restrooms, break rooms, and offices when not occupied.
• Purchase dimmers, motion sensors, or occupancy sensors to automatically turn on or off lighting as needed and prevent energy waste.
• Turn off office equipment (copiers, fax machines, printers, etc.) when not used at night and on the weekends. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of office equipment is left on at night and on weekends.
• To conserve energy and reduce internal heat gain, turn off computer monitors, printers and copiers during non-business hours.
• Turn off computer monitors when not in use for more than 10 minutes. When counted together, computer monitors use more energy than any other piece of office equipment.
• To save energy during periods of inactivity, ensure that the built-in power management system for your office equipment is active. (Setting power management for Windows XP)
• Using a laptop computer instead of a desk-top system can save 80-90 percent in electrical cost.
• Unplug power adapters or battery chargers when equipment is fully charged or disconnected from the charger.
• Using a power strip that can be switched off when electronics and appliances are not in use.
• Look for the Energy Star label when purchasing products. For more energy tips, see http://www.energystar.gov.

Paper

The second largest number of suggestions to the site, 41, relate to reducing or eliminating paper, for example, eliminating flyers, brochures, table tents, and other printed materials. A big step in this direction is Miami's e-Report, sent electronically on weekdays to all faculty and staff, and myMiami announcements, directed to students. A printed Miami Report newspaper was eliminated in May 2008.

University Response

• On February 16, 2009, payroll services announced plans to go electronic with direct deposit advices for employees who are paid monthly, beginning with the March 31, 2009, payroll. The information will be displayed on BannerWeb and no longer distributed on paper.
• For the 2008 tax year, W-2 forms became available online, giving employees the option to download and print the forms as needed rather than requiring Payroll Services to print and mail the forms to all employees.
• The printed Miami Directory has been significantly reduced. In 2004-05, the directory was 260 pages and cost $10,093 to print 6,000 copies. In 2005-06, an online directory was implemented and individual listings removed from the print directory. Production costs for 6,000 copies went down to $4,921. Costs have continued to drop slightly according to Arlene Werts, director of marketing communications. This year's cost: $3,675.
• In November, human resources, with academic personnel services and payroll services, announced a BannerWeb enhancement. Employees can now update mailing addresses and campus work addresses and phone numbers through BannerWeb. Previously, changes were submitted through an update form sent to all employees. The electronic capability eliminates the paper forms plus allows employees to make changes throughout the year as needed.
• Academic personnel services initiated a paperless contracts system for part-time faculty. The system was tested last fall and later opened up to all departments. Now, approximately 700 contracts are handled electronically, signed through eSignature.

What You Can Do

• Check your payroll information through BannerWeb, where you can also access your W-2 form for printing.
• Send electronic files, voicemail and e-mail instead of creating paper memos.
• Reduce fax traffic by using computer modems instead of the office fax machine. You can save paper on one or both ends.
• Always use the second side of paper, either by printing on both sides or using the blank side as scrap paper.
• Use scrap paper to take notes instead of using notebooks, company pads, or message pads.
• Use scrap paper instead of stickies.

Personnel

The majority of suggestions in this category involve a buyout for employees close to retirement or modifications to the 40-hour work week. Allowing employees to work four 10-hour days (instead of five 8-hour days) and allowing employees to reduce their work week to 32 or 36 hours were popular options. Reducing the number of days that classes meet (from five to four) was also suggested.

University Response

• The University, through the Miami University Retirement Incentive Program, is offering a payment of $10,000 to classified and unclassified administrative staff who are eligible for retirement and who agree to retire on or before July 1, 2009. Applications will be accepted through February 27, 2009. Participation is limited to 100 employees. (A buyout/purchase of service credits was not found to be a cost-effective option.)
• A work week consisting of four 10-hour days is not feasible for scheduling many employees. The University must maintain regular business hours (8 to 5) Monday through Friday and some areas of the university are open 24/7. Furthermore, the option of four 10-hour days saves the university virtually nothing in operational or personnel costs since the week's total hours remains at 40.
• Reducing the number of days that classes meet is not an option. Class size, classroom resources, faculty schedules, and class availability are just a few of the complex issues affecting class schedules.

What You Can Do

• If you are eligible for the retirement incentive, you should have been notified through campus mail. If you think you might be eligible but have not received a letter, please contact the Department of Human Resources or Academic Personnel Services.
• If you feel your hours can be reduced and have considered how a reduction might affect university benefits offered to you, talk with your supervisor. You may want to discuss options relevant to an 11-month contract or other contract less than 12 months. You can also call the Department of Human Resources at 513-529-3131 for assistance in individual cases.

Transportation

Suggestions relating to transportation range from reducing metro routes to replacing buses with smaller vehicles during hours of lower ridership to considering alternative fuels. A spring 2008 campus transportation study showed that 70 percent of trips to, from, and around campus by students, faculty, and staff, is taken in a vehicle. The study was conducted as an initiative of the Presidential Task Force on Environmental Sustainability.

University Response

• In December 2008, Miami University and AlterNetRides teamed up to provide a transportation alternative for faculty and staff. AlterNetRides matches drivers and riders willing to share a commute to campus. A ride board in Shriver Center offers carpooling options for students.
• Metro ridership is carefully and continuously reviewed, including assessment of the effectiveness of specific routes. Metro provides an alternative to personal vehicles for transportation on and off campus. A parking and transportation advisory committee being formed in University Senate is also reviewing Metro operations.
• Last summer, Miami's motor pool purchased its first hybrid car, a 2008 Honda Civic. The motor pool rents vehicles to the university community for official business.

What You Can Do

• When possible, ride the Metro (at no charge). For more information, including routes and scheduled hours of operation, see Miami Metro.
• Register for the Ride Pool with AlterNetRides. Participation is free and signing up is easy.
• Warm up your vehicle by driving it. No more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days is needed; anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emissions.
• Clear out your car. Extra weight decreases mileage by 1–2 percent for every 100 pounds.
• Check out more "Energy Savers" on driving and car maintenance provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Setting Power Management Options in Windows XP

Note: To reactivate monitor/system once it has turned off, move the mouse or hit any key. If you are unsure about losing your network connection, set only the monitor turn-off time.

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