Dear Colleagues:
Prior to the start of the current academic year, we shared a communication about ways the university is balancing its Fiscal Year 2018 budget, including several cost-saving strategies. One such program is the Comprehensive Office Print Initiative, or COPI for short. The purpose of this initiative is to assess office copier/printer practices across all Kent State campuses and identify potential efficiencies by modifying current equipment and printing practices.
In the spirit of collaboration, Kent State partnered with the Inter-University Council (IUC) Purchasing Group to lead a sourcing strategy for copiers, printers and associated services. Partnering with other IUC universities provided more affordable pricing than any single university could achieve on its own. Our review team selected ComDoc/Xerox as the new printer/copier vendor, with an initial contract of five years.
Undertaking such a comprehensive review and assessment of our copiers will mean a change for many departments, but it also will result in several benefits. The university expects to see a reduction of overall university printing costs, with an estimated savings of $400,000 annually. This project will provide departments with newer and more efficient printing technologies, and enhance service delivery and response times. An environmental benefit also results since ComDoc/Xerox uses a superior ink technology that will conserve raw materials, generate 90 percent less waste and reduce energy consumption by as much as 50 percent.
Underway is a pilot program that includes the Executive Offices, ºÚÁÏÍø at Tuscarawas and the College of Podiatric Medicine. The program will expand to the rest of the university early in the spring semester. More information, including guidelines for the program and FAQ, is available at www.kent.edu/copi.
We ask for your support and partnership as we undertake this project and ask that you begin using ComDoc/Xerox for all future printer and multifunctional device needs. Please send your questions about this initiative to COPI@kent.edu.
Sincerely,
Todd Diacon, Executive Vice President and Provost
Mark Polatajko, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration