Winners, Cost Savings Suggestion Program, CSSP, Reed, Lawless
December 7, 2020
The Oakland University Employee Recognition Committee (ERC) is both pleased and proud to announce two winners of the inaugural Cost Savings Suggestion Program.
This initiative was created early in 2020 partly in response to the considerable financial challenges the university is facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also and equally importantly as a means to ensure that all employees have an opportunity to contribute to the strength and vitality of ongoing university operations.
A total of 14 entries were received by this year’s October 9 deadline, and the diversity and quality of the ideas submitted presented ERC suggestion review subcommittee members with a considerable challenge in identifying the winners. Ultimately, the two top choices were selected based on their overall feasibility, goal to reduce university expenditures, care to protect university staffing levels and potential to create more efficient and effective work environments.
The winners are:
Chris Reed, Director of Oakland Center – He submitted an idea to create a centralized office supply store and thereby reduce overall university purchasing costs
Laurie Lawless, Office Assistant in the School of Business Administration – Her idea is to conduct a review of preferred vender costs and compare them with potentially lower costs offered by other providers.
Both Chris and Laurie have won an array of prizes including gift certificates and OU spirit items.
The ERC will continue to accept ideas as part of the Cost Savings Suggestion Program with plans to announce additional winners in 2021. For more information about the program, visit the university’s Employee Recognition page.