Phase 2 of Multi-University Initiative Collaboration Underway
As part of Phase 2 of the Multi-University Collaboration Initiative, the CSU has made notable strides in advancing the Initiative. Key focus areas—Procurement, Information Security, and Benefits Administration—are advancing steadily with paths forward.
Procurement Path Forward: Accelerating CSUBUY
The Procurement workstream continues to make significant progress, with CSUBUY now live at seven universities and the Chancellor’s Office as of November 2024. To more quickly address the CSU’s needs, the team has accelerated the project plan to onboard all remaining universities onto CSUBUY by the end of 2025. The procurement team is also advancing its process and organization reviews, strategic sourcing efforts, and artificial intelligence integration. Please expect additional communications in the coming months as the team advances these three efforts.
Information Security Path Forward: Cyber Fusion Center
The CSU is moving forward with the Cyber Fusion Center (CFC), a centralized information security hub aimed at strengthening cybersecurity across the system for all universities. The CFC aims to establish a unified, standardized cybersecurity baseline throughout the CSU, including 24/7 monitoring, real-time threat intelligence sharing, incident response support, and compliance assistance. The CFC offers a flexible security option that enables the CSU to share information security expertise systemwide, addressing the challenge of quickly sourcing qualified experts while enabling universities to leverage shared tools and expertise.
Benefits Administration Path Forward: Collaboration Team
The CSU will develop a shared Benefits Administration Collaboration Team to provide services for our 23 universities and the Chancellor’s Office. This team aims to increase accuracy, provide an improved and more consistent employee experience, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance service quality. The implementation of the Collaboration Team will scale through five phases, beginning in 2025 with targeted completion in FY 2029-30. Universities will be brought into the Collaboration Team according to CHRS implementation schedules. Initially, the Collaboration Team will support universities with back-office data management efforts. Over time, the team will expand its services and increase the number of universities served.
For additional information, please do not hesitate to email the Multi-University Collaboration Initiative team at
[email protected]. To provide anonymous feedback, use this
Pulse Survey. Thank you for your support and interest; we will follow up with more updates on this webpage in the coming months.
September 2024
Since the completion of Phase 1 in April 2024, the CSU has made substantial progress in Phase 2 of the Multi-University Collaboration Initiative. We have established the necessary governance structures for each of the three focus areas—Benefits Administration, Information Security, and Procurement—and are now ready to begin the detailed work. Specifically, the benefits administration opportunity seeks to coordinate shared benefits administration activities to reduce risk of error, increase consistency in the employee experience, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance service quality. To date, a working group comprised of representative staff and subject matter advisors have been established to guide the development of the Collaboration Model.
The information security opportunity aims to improve the security posture across all universities through a coordinated approach, addressing future information security challenges more effectively. The CSU will implement a systemwide Cyber Fusion Center to enhance coordination and resource utilization across the system. The workstream has developed a charter and the overall governance of the Cyber Fusion Center and continues to make progress around its design.
The procurement opportunity seeks to optimize procurement operations and systemwide spending. By accelerating the implementation of CSUBUY, reviewing procurement processes and organization models, expanding strategic sourcing, and exploring AI integration opportunities, the CSU will drive efficiency and cost savings. The procurement workstream has established a governance structure with pillar leads to kick-off procurement activities within each of the four areas.
Phase 1 of Multi-University Initiative Collaboration Complete
April 2024
After a five-month assessment, the CSU completed Phase 1 of the Multi-University Initiative Collaboration. Phase 1 included Current State and Opportunity Identification, Future State Visioning and Analysis, and the development of a business case for the six identified opportunities. At the end of Phase 1, six opportunities were narrowed down into three focus areas selected for initial design and implementation as part of Phase 2: Benefits Administration, Information Security, and Procurement. However, it is important to note that future state design and implementation will continue in other focus areas (i.e., Payroll, Public Works Procurement, and Payment Processing) as the Multi-University Collaboration Initiative continues.