FAQs

As of January 2026, we will have identified clear implementation plans and made key decisions for implementing them that will move the university toward greater resiliency.

As of January 2026, we will have identified clear implementation plans and made key decisions for implementing them that will move the university toward greater resiliency. Through these decisions, the university will have removed its structural deficit and be able to build a budget with no temporary savings by FY 2028.

• Subject matter experts across the community will be engaged as appropriate to ensure we have the right voices in the room as we discuss changes. 
• Community members are welcome to submit their ideas for cost savings and realignment through an online form on this website.
• For logistical questions, please email operationalexcellence@loyola.edu.
• The President will be addressing the community and providing an update on the initiative through his State of the University address on November 12.

Transparency and communication are essential components of the success of this initiative. We will post updates at key milestones on the Operational Excellence website for the community to follow our progress.

• The President will announce the formation of work streams during his State of the University address on November 12.
• These work streams will provide their recommendations by early January 2026.
• The President will host another Town Hall in early spring semester to give an update to the community on recommendations that will be adopted and implemented.
• Depending on the recommendation, the implementation may occur immediately or may be a multi-year process.

Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president, and Kristy Michel, vice president for administration and finance will oversee this process. The President’s Cabinet will be closely involved in reviewing initial findings and determining key experts who should be involved in the subsequent work streams.

The Operational Excellence initiative is an essential component of how we implement our strategic plan, Together We Rise, which calls for the institution to engage in operational and digital transformation and highlights operational excellence as one of our guiding commitments. This work will help us realize our desire to foster a culture of change and operational excellence across the University. By identifying opportunities for growth, as well as key enhancements to the way we operate, we will become a more resource-efficient, operationally mature, and financially resilient institution that has the necessary resources to execute our strategic initiatives.

The Cabinet will review specific findings and recommendations from the Provost and CFO and identify specific subject matter experts who should be involved in reviewing these. The Cabinet will approve the membership for each work stream and ultimately review the materials submitted by those work streams. The President will make the final decisions on all recommendations.

The Provost and CFO have gathered internal data related to staffing patterns, spend patterns, contracts, etc. The findings and recommendations they put forward to the Cabinet and subsequent work groups will be based on internal data compared with higher education best practices. 

We are not entering this process with the pre-determined goal of using workforce reduction as a means of achieving operational excellence. The focus is on identifying strategic recommendations that will allow the University to be a more efficient, effective, and mission-oriented institution.  If recommendations arise that impact positions, we will carefully evaluate the recommendation and align our decisions with our values of cura personalis and cura apostolica.

• For logistical questions, please email operationalexcellence@loyola.edu.
• For specific recommendations related to cost savings and realignment, please submit your ideas through an online form on this website