Strategic Priorities and Initiatives
Our three strategic priorities—Reform, Sharpen, and Build—will guide us successfully into the future. These priorities are not just guiding principles—they are active commitments that will help us deliver on the University’s mission to foster rigorous inquiry and support groundbreaking research.
Reform:
Reform is about challenging assumptions and refining our processes. We must never grow complacent. The pace of change in higher education and technology is relentless. We are committed to streamlining, reimagining, and—when necessary—retiring outdated systems and ways of working. By simplifying processes and eliminating bottlenecks, we put the people we serve first and find creative approaches to solving problems.
Sharpen:
Sharpen is about clarifying and strengthening our core capabilities. We must prioritize staying at the forefront of best practices in everything we do. By honing our skills and expertise and improving service delivery, we can establish ourselves as the trusted experts for our University of Chicago community.
Build:
Build is about preparing for the future and investing in what comes next. We must look outward to actively seek new opportunities, cultivate new collaborations, learn from our peers, and embrace fresh ideas that keep us at the forefront of innovation. Building for the future is not just about technical expertise—it requires vision, creativity, and collaboration from all of us.
Major Initiatives
HR Next:
As part of our commitment to refining our operations, we launched the HR Next project in September 2025, following a comprehensive HR assessment with Segal. The assessment confirmed Central HR’s reputation for responsiveness, professionalism, and expertise, while also highlighting opportunities to better align service delivery, streamline processes, address challenges of our decentralized structure, and enhance transparency. HR Next aims to reimagine Human Resources at the University of Chicago by building on existing strengths and driving improvements for greater efficiency, consistency, and accessibility across campus. The project is led by Eric Heath, Senior Associate Vice President for Operations, with support from Segal consultants, a senior-level Steering Committee, and a cross-functional Working Group.
AI for Work:
The AI for Work initiative is a cross-functional effort to align and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across Operations, Finance & Administration (F&A), and University Research Administration (URA). Launched in September, the AI for Work taskforce is led by Elise Covic, Associate Vice President of Operations Strategy and Finance, and Kemal Badur, Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, with support from Operations leadership and a steering committee. The taskforce is focused on developing a cohesive AI strategy, establishing effective governance, improving operational efficiency, enhancing decision-making, and reducing costs through targeted pilots and AI-driven process improvements.
In URA, three flagship AI projects have been identified to streamline contract management, automate research project closeouts, and upgrade the AURA system to a cloud-based platform ready for future AI applications. In Human Resources, new Workday AI features—including chatbots, data validation, and generative AI tools—will improve HR processes, data quality, and the overall experience for employees and job candidates. Facilities Services is preparing for a major Maximo upgrade in March 2026, which will enable automated campus asset monitoring while building data hygiene, integration, and automation foundations for future AI rollouts. Finance & Administration is exploring AI to automate supplier onboarding, payment processing, cash management, and audit analytics, resulting in faster service, greater accuracy, and reduced manual workload. Collectively, these AI projects support the University’s strategic vision to modernize administrative functions and prepare UChicago for the future of work.