Projects Overview

Learning & Labor gateway

Submit a Project Idea

Share your project idea for consideration.
Your submission will be reviewed by members of the SPMO team.

Project oversight

Strategic projects that improve business operations or service quality within administrative and operations functions of the university can be managed or monitored by the SPMO. 

Learn more about project management best practices, here.

Managed by SPMO

  • Large-scale, cross-functional, complex strategic projects
  • Involves one or more members of the steering team as key stakeholders
  • Requires use of project management methodology and templates
  • Regular reporting on progress to SPMO and reviews with steering team

Monitored by SPMO

  • Support Operational Excellence or other strategic initiatives
  • Managed within a unit without ongoing steering team engagement
  • Use of standard project management methodology is encouraged, but not required
  • Regular reporting on progress to SPMO and reviews with steering team

Project type

Projects in the SPMO may be mandatory or discretionary in nature.

Mandatory projects

  • Must be completed
  • Originate from the university Strategic Plan or university leadership
  • Initiatives identified as part of Operational Excellence
  • Reviewed by steering team prior to project acceptance by SPMO

Discretionary projects

  • May be completed
  • Originate from university operations, align with functional areas
  • Strategic or collaborative and improves business service quality
  • Reviewed through advisory governance process prior to acceptance by SPMO

Project Request Process, Discretionary Projects 

Step 2: Project review

Your request will be reviewed by the SPMO team. If it meets the project purview, we will assign a member of the team to connect with you and start the process of building a project proposal. 

Step 3: Possible recommendations

If it is beyond SPMO purview, we will offer recommendations for other avenues. 

Step 4: Committee review

After the proposal is ready, it will go to the appropriate committee for their review or approval and prioritization recommendation. 

Step 5: Steering review

After committee approval, the project moves on to the SPMO steering committee for final approval. 

Step 6: Further action

After final approval, a kick-off meeting for the effort will be moved into the project management pipeline.