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.