LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY QUALITY ASSURANCE RETREAT Theme: Fostering Community-Wide Quality Assurance Culture in Lagos State University for Efficient Service Delivery and Academic Excellence to be delivered by FREDDY OGUGUA ESENWA (Jnr) 1 KSM, MCCM; MIMC; FNIQS; FACIA; RQS Director, Physical Planning & Works, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State IMPROVING QUALITY OF SERVICE DELIVERY IN WORKS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Being the text of Paper delivered at The Quality Assurance Retreat, 2016 DATE: WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2016VENUE: LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO TYPES OF PLANNING An Academic Brief or Plan An Academic Brief is a vital document which provides information on present and future core educational activities of a University. The Academic Brief is a reference document which stipulates the programmes to establish, number of students to admit into each programme, number of academic and non-academic staff to engage, infrastructural facilities to provide and the acceptable staff/student ratios to maintain. Rolling Plan The Rolling Plan in the Nigerian context is a medium-term, 3-5 year development plan aimed at resource mobilization and channelling of the same to address critical problem areas including the provision of infrastructural facilities and social amenities. Strategic Planning and Management Strategic Planning has been defined as a disciplined creative process for determining how to take an organization from where it is today to where it would like to be in the future (Keller, 1993). It is the process of setting institutional goals or objectives based on identified strengths and weaknesses so as to take maximum advantage of opportunities and threats in the environment. Annual Budget Plan The Annual Budget Plan is a short-term financial plan for funding the objectives of an institution for the period of about a year. It is an economic blueprint of budget proposals aimed at harnessing resources for maintenance of institutional activities and development. Typically, an annual budget should provide information on planned expenditure for the year. STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ACADEMIC BRIEF AND POLICIES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES The Policies and their Legal Backing The National Universities Commission (NUC) is vested with the mandate for quality assurance of University education in Nigeria without prejudice to ownership of the Universities. Decree No. 16 of 1985 (now Act 16 of 1985) gave the Commission the responsibility to lay down minimum academic standards for and accredit all academic programmes in Nigerian Universities. Departmental level Most often ideas for new academic programmes or units are generated at this level. This could be as a result of increased funding or pressure from interested internal or external parties. College/Faculty Level The proposed academic programme from the department is further discussed at the College/Faculty Board. The essence is to look at the merits and demerits of the programme. This is weighed against the background of its general feasibility, cost implication, staffing and the facilities on the ground. Senate At this level, the proposed programme is further scrutinized by senior academics in the Senate for approval. Senate approval is very crucial to the establishment of any academic programme. Once the programme is approved by the Senate, the Chairman of the Senate (i.e. the Vice-Chancellor) is required to write to the National Universities Commission (NUC) requesting approval to mount the programme. It is expected that the University must have at this stage made adequate arrangement for the take-off of the new programme. National Universities Commission Level On receipt of the Universitys request for the establishment of a new academic programme or unit, the Commission through the former Department of Academic Planning and Research now Department of Academic Standards (housing the former Departments of Academic Planning and Physical Planning and Development) sends application forms to the University for it to complete and return in order to provide the information the Commission needs to process the request. In evaluating the request for the establishment of an academic programme, the Commission takes into consideration the following basic requirements: (a)Synopses of the Course Content (b)Staffing (c)Physical Facilities (d)Market Survey (e)Sources of Funds (f)Manpower Requirement (g) National Universities Commission (NUC) Assessment of Resource Readiness This is closely followed by the inspection of facilities including the library holdings. The Report on the verification exercise is sent to the Executive Secretary and the Management Committee of NUC for their consideration and appropriate recommendation to the NUC Board. Upon denial or grant of approval by the Board, a letter is sent to the University conveying the decision. THE MASTER PLAN DOCUMENT An institutional Physical Master Plan is a comprehensive and well-detailed plan, designed to guide future physical development activities in an institution. A physical Master Plan shows short, medium and long term strategic development of an institution for 5, 15 to over 25 years respectively. An Action Plan is a short-term plan with a time frame of about 5 years. From the institutional Physical Master Plan, an Action Plan is drawn up taking into account the subsisting level of funding for capital development. - Typical Campus Master Plan THE PLANNING PROCESS Master Planning is a multi-faceted and open-ended activity with various parts in a process. The planning process is concerned with how the various parts relate to each other. The Physical Master planning process is in line with the general land-use planning process as stated below: Stage 1:-Specification of Broad Goals. Stage 2:-Formulation of Feasible Objectives. Stage 3:-Data Assembly and Analysis. Stage 4:-Development of a Physical Brief. Stage 5:- Generation of Strategic Alternative Plans. Stage 6:-Draft Master Plan. Stage 7:-Implementation. Master Plan Implementation Process It seems that in planning generally, much more effort, time and money goes into the production of the plans on paper than into the achievement of those plans in reality. It is the implementation of the plan that impinges directly on the public. Hence it is difficult to overemphasize the importance of Master Plan implementation. The detailed planning and implementation of institutional Master Plan comprises four types of activities: Organization and Co-ordination Once a policy or plan has gained the necessary authorization, implementation begins, and some framework for organization and co- ordination is needed. Old techniques such as the PPBS (Planning, Programming and Budgeting Systems) could still be employed. Control Techniques Two technical devices used in the control process are Land-use Zoning and Standards. The eventual implementation of majority of land-use planning, strategic policies and plans are dependent on the zoning- based controls over permissible uses of land. Stimulation The other side of the implementation coin (positive encouragement and stimulation of activity to implement master plans) is even less well charted than the control of development. The processes of analysis of the existing situation in an area, its possible features, and the presentation of such information and the enrolment of members of the public as well as other organizations in assessing options can all be seen as stimulating activity. Monitoring and Feed-back It is in conjunction with implementation of a plan that monitoring and feedback of results to modify the planning process must be carried out. Evaluation is therefore a continuous operation. COMMON INADEQUACIES ASSOCIATED WITH INSTITUTIONAL MASTER PLANS Inadequacies common with Physical Master Plans of Institutions include: Inadequate field surveys to determine opportunities and constraints; Failure to adhere to laid down Standards and Procedure Guide for Master Planning of Tertiary Institutions; Failure to pay attention to detail in the plan; Over-ambitious proposals; Unrealistic cost estimate and phasing programme; Inefficient Land-use which often results to unnecessary spread of activity area to cover all the available Land. Thus sterilizing a large part of the land for over a long period; Unrealistic space and population projections; Inadequate Land budgets; Poor articulation of implementation strategy; Inefficient dimensional co-ordination; Giving little or no attention to intensive landscaping by not making provision for the establishment of a well- funded Parks & Gardens Unit; Location of campus core far away from the main entrance gate leading to increase travel time from main entrance gate to the Academic core area and increase in cost of infrastructure; Rigid provisions which do not allow for changes resulting from changing policies; Non-inclusion of Environmental Impact Assessment report in the physical Master Plan. PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON WITH THE IMPLEMENTATIONOF INSTITUTIONAL PHYSICAL MASTERPLANS Inadequate resources (financial & personnel); Failure to produce as-built drawings after the completion of construction; Failure to review Physical Master Plans as and when due; Inadequate development control machinery. This encourages the springing up of unsightly/unpermitted developments; Existence of old structures belonging to the original settlers side-by-side with new buildings on Institutional land because compensation was not paid which will allow for the demolition of such old structures; Lack of concern for the environmental sanitation of the institution. Refuse are not disposed of regularly, grasses are left to grow wild around buildings, and inadequate provision of public toilet for use by visitors; Paying little or no attention to proper landscaping STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF INSTITUTIONAL PHYSICAL MASTER PLAN For effective implementation of the Master Plan, an Institution must: Ensure that population, space and infrastructure, projections in the Physical Master Plan are realistic and the provisions are adhered to during implementation; Maintain a well-staffed Physical Planning & Development Department and ensure that qualified professionals are employed to monitor the implementation of the Physical Master Plan constantly; Ensure that realistic cost estimates and phasing programme are provided for and adhered to; Make adequate provision for funding the proposed project; Draw up a realistic action plan to be executed by the Physical Planning & Development Department; Ensure periodic review of some provisions of the Physical Master Plan whenever the institutions policy changes; Empower the Physical Planning & Development Department to discharge their development control functions without fear or favour. All physical development activities must be approved by the Department before execution; Establish Parks & Gardens and Environmental Sanitation Unit, to maintain the soft and hard landscape as well as keep the institutions environment always clean; Ensure that all as-built drawings for buildings and infrastructure are kept safely for use whenever the need arises. RECOMMENDATIONS In consideration of the foregoing and to achieve an effective strategy for the Implementation of Institutional Physical Master Plan, the following are recommended: i. Establishment of a Strategic Development Committee The establishment of a Strategic University Development Committee whose terms of reference are to include: (i)To consider the Physical Master Plan and set the machinery in motion for its implementation, including the strategies for phasing the development and properties attendant thereto; (ii)Advise the Institution on resource mobilization, financial administration, cost saving options and quality assurance for a successful implementation of the provisions of the Master Plan. ii. Establishment of the Department of Physical Planning and Development/Works Immediately approval is given to establish an institution, one of the Departments that should be established urgently is the Physical Planning & Development Department/Works, which should be attached to the office of the Vice-Chancellor or Chief Executive of an institution. iii. Establish Fund Raising Committee The development and maintenance of an institution involve constant flow of fiscal resources. The Institution could set up a Fund Raising Committee charged with the responsibility of raising funds for the implementation of the Physical Master Plan. The Committee should work in consultation with the Physical Planning & Development Department, and the Site Development Sub-Committee in anticipating the fiscal needs of the Institution and programming to meet such needs. Computerization Planning by its very nature makes demands on the use of Computer Technology especially in the spheres of data analysis, digital mapping, development control, planning information, modelling, evaluation and monitoring. For effective computerization, the Physical Planning & Development Department of Institutions must train their staff to acquire both hardware and software knowledge in support of such endeavour. National Universities Commission Standard Guides The NUC Standard guide provides standards for planning physical development activities in Tertiary Institutions. This is a good reference document for use by all Tertiary Institutions during the preparation and implementation of the Physical Master Plan. Master Plan Review A Master Plan is a dynamic document, which should respond to changing circumstances but eventually, the document will have to be subjected to periodic comprehensive review in line with the intended life span of the existing Physical Master Plan. SHORTCOMINGS ON THE PART OF GOVERNMENT / PROPRIETORS Funding Over the years, there has been a continual increase in the quantum of funds released to the Universities. However, such increases have mostly been effected to finance salary increases to the neglect of goods and services. The inflationary trend in the economy has exacerbated the dwindling capacity of these institutions for procurement of goods and services. Lack of Adequate Monitoring Although monitoring of the University system is one of the main functions of the Commission, there is, however, no standardized format for monitoring and reporting the implementation of the Academic Brief. The Commission may need to incorporate this as part of its monitoring programme. Inadequate Sanctions It is observed that in situations where deliberate deviation from the plan of development of the Universities have been identified the lack of political will on the part of the Commission and the Federal Government has led to withholding of appropriate sanctions on such erring Universities. High Turnover of University Management Personnel and Policy Inconsistencies Sometimes policy statements that emanate from the Federal Government are in conflict with the laws and norms that operate in the Universities. High turnover of University chief executives and wholesale and frequent dissolution of university councils result in inconsistency of policy direction whereby programmes commenced by one administration are left uncompleted by the next one resulting in uncoordinated implementation of the Universitys academic plans. CONCLUSION From the foregoing discussion, institutional planning documents, no matter how well prepared, are worthless if they are not carefully implemented. The planning process is cyclical and the process will be incomplete without implementation. To facilitate implementation, institutional planning documents should be flexible enough to accommodate changing circumstances brought about by unforeseen situations. It is noteworthy that for the implementation of an institutional Academic Brief and Master Plan to succeed, adequate financial resources must be provided in addition to putting in place committed and experienced managers to manage the implementation process. Strategies for achieving effectiveness in the Academic Brief and Master Plan implementation include strict but sensible compliance with their provisions and avoidance of actions which could lead to a distortion of the provisions of these documents. The use of computers and modern software such as the Geographic Information System (G.I.S.) will be of tremendous benefit in the implementation and monitoring of institutional planning documents and ensure the economics of a multifunctional estate development a Nigerian University Campus.