[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/caubo.jpg” caption=”Pictured from left, Randy Howland, Leslie Hardsand, Sue Donald, Nancy McKinlay, Robert Tatlock, Sue Moorcroft, Phil Poelmans and Roger Bouchard.”]McMaster Media Production Services won third prize in the national Quality and Productivity Award from the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) for its submission on the Regionalization of Media Production Services.

A total of 36 submissions were made from universities across Canada for the award.

In 1994, the collaborative effort of McMaster's University Bookstore and Media Production Services Print Division won the Canadian Productivity Award for the McMaster Courseware Initiative. At the time, Mohawk College was struggling with a clear sense of direction for their print division and coping with obsolete equipment. Mohawk College asked McMaster to provide their expertise to facilitate the management, revitalize its print operations and initiate a custom courseware program at their institution. As a result of McMaster's success, Mohawk was approached by Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Josephs hospital to consolidate their print and audio visual services and provide management for the combined operations.

The partnership between the four institutions realized efficiencies by reducing management and administrative overhead. Partnering with the hospitals provided an opportunity to move University print volume during traditional peak periods by utilizing surplus capacity and resources at the hospital sites.

In the partnership, each institution maintains its own staff, equipment and inventories relating to the provision of its compliment of services and, in addition, has gained access to a broader range of services offered by McMaster University. Media Production Services operates as an ancillary, cost recovery operation and all surplus revenue is returned annually to each institution.

Expectations of the partnership were lower operating costs, technology refresh and enhanced quality of materials and services. This was possible through the willingness of each of the partners to transcend institution boundaries and work together to eliminate duplication of administrative support and operational redundancy.

Evidence of the success of the partnership is exhibited by the positive evolution realized by way of technology upgrades and enhanced services. Direct cost of any technology refresh is made affordable due to a combined purchasing power and through the adoption of common technologies. All equipment acquisitions are the responsibility of the applicable institution; this eliminates the financial exposure to the other partners. Both Mohawk College and St. Joseph's Hospital have replaced retired print consultant positions with designers who assist in content development in addition to providing print coordination. These were already available at the University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

“I am very proud to have our regional initiative recognized by the Caubo association,” says Sue Moorcroft, senior manager of Media Production Services. “The staff from all four institutions play a key role in it's continued success, this award is shared with each and every one of them.”