Driving Operational Efficiency with AI

published: 2025/03/18
contact: UNO Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives (ILCI)
email: innovate@unomaha.edu

Illustration of a hand holding a puzzle piece in red, black, and white, surrounded by AI-related icons, with bold text reading 'Driving Operational Efficiency with AI.

In higher education, efficiency in administrative tasks and operations can profoundly impact both faculty and student success. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), innovative projects harness AI’s power to streamline workflows and enhance operational processes. Here are three initiatives that illustrate how AI is helping UNO improve productivity and communication.

Enhancing Efficiency in Sponsored Programs

Project Lead: Trudy Nienaber

Managing sponsored programs often involves repetitive tasks like data entry, document review, and report creation. Trudy Nienaber’s project integrates AI into the Office of Sponsored Programs to automate these processes, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors. AI will also improve reporting accuracy by analyzing large datasets and generating precise, insightful reports. This initiative aims to enhance decision-making, standardize workflows, and improve compliance, ensuring that sponsored programs operate efficiently and effectively.

AI for Faculty Senate Knowledge Management

Project Lead: Patty Bick

The Faculty Senate faces challenges with institutional memory due to regular turnover. Patty Bick’s project uses AI to analyze past resolutions and meeting minutes, creating a centralized knowledge base that faculty can query. This AI-powered solution allows senators to efficiently access historical information and avoid redundant efforts, enabling the Faculty Senate to make informed decisions and build on past initiatives.

Streamlining Housing Operations with AI

Project Lead: Marshall Kole

Efficiently managing housing data is critical for student satisfaction and operational success. Marshall Kole’s project leverages AI to evaluate trends in occupancy, improve housing marketing strategies, and identify process efficiencies. By analyzing residential data and automating routine tasks, this initiative enhances both the decision-making process and communication with students, ensuring a more seamless housing experience at UNO.

Transforming Operations with AI

These projects demonstrate how AI can optimize administrative and operational processes, saving time and resources while improving outcomes. By embracing AI-driven solutions, UNO is enhancing efficiency across campus, empowering staff and faculty to focus on their core mission of supporting students and advancing education. More exciting AI initiatives will be featured in our upcoming blogs!

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.