TEAM Overview

TEAM Origins

TEAM grew out of the understanding that in order to remain sustainable, Tufts needed to utilize its limited resources more effectively. Across the country, higher education faced unprecedented financial challenges, and Tufts was no exception. For instance:

• At the outset of TEAM in 2012, expense growth had exceeded revenue growth most years since 2008.
• The largest percentage of our revenue came from tuition.
• The demand for financial aid was growing and continues to grow.
• Providing educational opportunities to talented students, regardless of their financial background, is core to Tufts’ mission.
• Our endowment per student was low compared to that of our peers.

As a result of TEAM, we project an annual savings of $15.1 million by FY18. After reinvesting $11.3 of these savings into foundational organizations and services, the annual net savings of TEAM will total $3.8 million.

Objectives

Tufts chose to take a deliberate, thoughtful approach to reversing the trend of expenses exceeding revenues. Rather than imposing across-the-board cuts, TEAM identified the ways Tufts could contain costs and minimize red tape. Money saved within schools remained part of those schools’ budgets, where it can support the kind of innovative, strategic projects that typify Tufts’ tradition of excellence.

TEAM objectives included:

• Removing administrative inefficiencies and containing costs.
• Reducing the time Tufts staff and faculty spend on basic administrative tasks.
• Providing a consistently high standard of service across all three campuses.
• Enabling faculty and staff to focus on their core jobs and think strategically about the direction of their teams and departments.

Leadership

The TEAM Executive Committee of President Anthony P. Monaco, Provost David Harris, Executive Vice President Patricia Campbell and Vice President for Finance Thomas McGurty, made the major decisions regarding TEAM.

TEAM Progress Reports

April 2015
November 2014
August 2014
May 2014
February 2014