[Vision2020] IKON update
DonaldH675@aol.com
DonaldH675@aol.com
Fri, 27 Feb 2004 19:08:51 EST
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Visionaries:
This morning I left a phone message for Wayland Winstead asking for
clarification regarding the IKON survey. He returned the call within one-half hour,
which I think speaks well for his accessibility. I urge all interested V2020
with questions to call him directly for additional information. The substance
of our conversation follows:
1. Gary Michael approached Matt Espy, a UI alumni, CEO of IKON and according
to
<http://www.cbe.uidaho.edu/jbailey/Course%20Pages%20Bailey/Executives%20Sp03/Espe/matthew_j%20bio.htm> "... an Advisory Board [member] at the
University of Idaho." I have no idea what that means]
2. Mr. Espy agreed to have IKON do a survey. (I just bet he did - but I
didn't say so)
3. IKON representatives came to campus to review the operations in areas of
IKON expertise.
4. IKON developed an on-line survey aimed at identifying areas in which
could be improved or made more economically efficient. [I suggest that IKON, in
the interest of fair play release the survey questions - so the public at
large could note the nature of the survey and their transparent agenda to secure
data to aid in any future bid proposals.]
5. IKON is bearing all the costs related to the survey and will give the
results to the UI.
6. IKON will approach the UI Foundation and offer the cost of the survey as
an "in kind" donation and thus will be able to write off the costs of the
survey.
7. The contents of the survey will not be available to other vendors because
UI has signed a confidentially agreement with IKON. However, general
information related to a any possible
bidding process, if the UI decides to outsource these services, may/will be
available. For example, if IKON has identified that 3 copy centers represent
an efficient way to handle copy management, the bid specs could include the
number 3 in reference to needed copy centers. Of course UI is free to disagree
with the suggestion of 3, and make it 2 or 4 or 17.
8. I touched briefly on the topic of UI morale. Mr. Winstead agreed that
that the climate is not as trustful as he could hope. I pointed out that of
course it was much easier for him to be hopeful at his salary than it was for a
custodian. (I don't believe IKON will be suggesting any out sourcing for senior
executives.)
Here are my concerns: Who will be looking out for the welfare of UI
employees if this "plan" goes forward? No for-profit company offers this kind of
expensive project on the basis of good will or alumni affiliation. The survey
questions are clearly slanted toward acquiring information useful in a (potential)
bid. Other vendors will be at a disadvantage in preparing a bid because they
will not have access to specific figures that would inform costs. IKON
suffers no financial loss as a consequence of the survey if the UI Foundation (now,
there's an outfit that I think has earned the trust of the people of Idaho -
NOT) accepts the survey as an "in-kind gift" and thus the survey expenses
become part of a tax deductible.
In short, I was not persuaded that this is anything but UI business as usual
with some additional serious concerns. Here's some of the questions that
IKON's Mr. Espy needs to answer.
1. What percentage of IKON employees receive full time benefits and
retirement? Is this another Walmart 35 hours a week company that avoids paying
benefits? Gary Michael needs to clarify his position on UI employee rights. His
former executive home, Albertson's, does not have a good record of labor
relations - re: the current strike against Albertson's in California. This is
crucial because if IKON were to win a service bid - there is no reason to expect
that Gary Michael will have an ounce of concern for consequences to UI employees
- and of course he would be long gone from campus. What would happen to
current UI employees in those areas that IKON would take over? Will they continue
as state employees or will they belong to IKON? And, of course will President
Michael resume his seat on the Foundation Board after his term as interim
president is over?
2. What kind of (if any) investigation would Purchasing do regarding a
history of customer satisfaction with IKON (or any prospective vendors) before
announcing the winning bid? Just on a personal note, three separate people who
have worked both inside and outside the UI have described an awful level of
service with IKON. Does Purchasing have any current contracts with IKON?
3. At what point do we as citizens of Idaho, University of Idaho alumni,
retired employees, and concerned community members demand an end to the charade
that some how certain UI administrators have pulled out of the muck of Boise
Center and have re-instituted something akin to ethical leadership? In that
regard, when and where did these folks (and frankly, I include current UI faculty
and staff who are acting as Capo's for this administration) suddenly come to
Jesus? With a few notable exceptions, the same folks who got us into the
Boise mess are still sitting high, wide and handsome, sailing the good ship (to
them) Idaho into the reef. What makes them more reliable in February 2004 than
they were in February 2002 or 2003?
And, how many more IKON like deals are pending that we know nothing about.
Rose Huskey
Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.
Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.
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<DIV>
<DIV>Visionaries:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This morning I left a phone message for Wayland Winstead asking for cla=
rification regarding the IKON survey. He returned the call within one-=
half hour, which I think speaks well for his accessibility. I urge all=
interested V2020 with questions to call him directly for additional informa=
tion. The substance of our conversation follows:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. Gary Michael approached Matt Espy, a UI alumni, CEO of IK=
ON and according to <<SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FO=
NT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; ms=
o-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-S=
A"><A href=3D"http://www.cbe.uidaho.edu/jbailey/Course%20Pages%20Bailey/Exec=
utives%20Sp03/Espe/matthew_j%20bio.htm">http://www.cbe.uidaho.edu/jbailey/Co=
urse%20Pages%20Bailey/Executives%20Sp03/Espe/matthew_j%20bio.htm</A><FONT fa=
ce=3DArial size=3D2>> "... an Advisory Board [member] at the University o=
f Idaho." I have no idea what that means]</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. Mr. Espy agreed to have IKON do a survey. (I just bet he=
did - but I didn't say so)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. IKON representatives came to campus to review the operations i=
n areas of IKON expertise.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4. IKON developed an on-line survey aimed at identifying are=
as in which could be improved or made more economically efficient. [I=20=
suggest that IKON, in the interest of fair play release the surve=
y questions - so the public at large could note the nature of the survey and=
their transparent agenda to secure data to aid in any future bid proposals.=
]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5. IKON is bearing all the costs related to the survey and will g=
ive the results to the UI.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>6. IKON will approach the UI Foundation and offer the cost of the=
survey as an "in kind" donation and thus will be able to write off the cost=
s of the survey.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7. The contents of the survey will not be available to other vend=
ors because UI has signed a confidentially agreement with IKON. Howeve=
r, general information related to a any possible</DIV>
<DIV>bidding process, if the UI decides to outsource these services, may/wil=
l be available. For example, if IKON has identified that 3 copy center=
s represent an efficient way to handle copy management, the bid specs c=
ould include the number 3 in reference to needed copy centers. Of cour=
se UI is free to disagree with the suggestion of 3, and make it 2 or 4 or 17=
.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8. I touched briefly on the topic of UI morale. Mr. Winstea=
d agreed that that the climate is not as trustful as he could hope. I=20=
pointed out that of course it was much easier for him to be hopeful at=20=
his salary than it was for a custodian. (I don't believe IKON will =
;be suggesting any out sourcing for senior executives.) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here are my concerns: Who will be looking out for the welfare of=20=
UI employees if this "plan" goes forward? No for-profit company offers this=20=
kind of expensive project on the basis of good will or alumni affiliation.&n=
bsp; The survey questions are clearly slanted toward acquiring information u=
seful in a (potential) bid. Other vendors will be at a disadvantage in=
preparing a bid because they will not have access to specific figures that=20=
would inform costs. IKON suffers no financial loss as a consequence of=
the survey if the UI Foundation (now, there's an outfit that I think has ea=
rned the trust of the people of Idaho - NOT) accepts the survey as an "in-ki=
nd gift" and thus the survey expenses become part of a tax deductible. =
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In short, I was not persuaded that this is anything but UI business as=20=
usual with some additional serious concerns. Here's some of the questi=
ons that IKON's Mr. Espy needs to answer.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. What percentage of IKON employees receive full time benefits a=
nd retirement? Is this another Walmart 35 hours a week company th=
at avoids paying benefits? Gary Michael needs to clarify his posi=
tion on UI employee rights. His former executive home, Albertson'=
s, does not have a good record of labor relations - re: the current strike a=
gainst Albertson's in California. This is crucial because if IKON were=
to win a service bid - there is no reason to expect that Gary Michael will=20=
have an ounce of concern for consequences to UI employees - and of cour=
se he would be long gone from campus. What would happen to current UI=20=
employees in those areas that IKON would take over? Will they continue=
as state employees or will they belong to IKON? And, of course will P=
resident Michael resume his seat on the Foundation Board after his term=
as interim president is over? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. What kind of (if any) investigation would Purchasing do regard=
ing a history of customer satisfaction with IKON (or any prospective ve=
ndors) before announcing the winning bid? Just on a personal note, thr=
ee separate people who have worked both inside and outside the UI have descr=
ibed an awful level of service with IKON. Does Purchasing have any cur=
rent contracts with IKON?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. At what point do we as citizens of Idaho, University of I=
daho alumni, retired employees, and concerned community members demand=20=
an end to the charade that some how certain UI administrators have pulled ou=
t of the muck of Boise Center and have re-instituted something akin to ethic=
al leadership? In that regard, when and where did these folks (and fra=
nkly, I include current UI faculty and staff who are acting as Capo's for th=
is administration) suddenly come to Jesus? With a few notable exceptio=
ns, the same folks who got us into the Boise mess are still sitting high, wi=
de and handsome, sailing the good ship (to them) Idaho into the reef.&=
nbsp; What makes them more reliable in February 2004 than they were in Febru=
ary 2002 or 2003?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And, how many more IKON like deals are pending that we know nothing abo=
ut. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rose Huskey</DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SERIF" PTSIZ=
E=3D"12">Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SERIF" PTSIZ=
E=3D"12">Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.</FONT></DIV></BODY=
></HTML>
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