Dear Colleagues:

We are in the midst of an initiative that will improve our business processes and expand our ability to collect, coordinate, and share financial and administrative data. That initiative, called HopkinsOne, is now well under way and gathering momentum.

We first described HopkinsOne in an April 2003 letter on the need to improve financial and administrative systems throughout The Johns Hopkins University and The Johns Hopkins Health System. Since then:

• The HopkinsOne Project Team has been established, has set up headquarters at the Mount Washington Corporate Campus, and has recruited a talented core staff.
• After extensive investigation of the available options, we have selected SAP as the software vendor for the project.
• Again, after considerable study, we selected a consultant firm known as BearingPoint to help us implement our new processes.
• We have completed the project's design and business process improvement phases.
• We are approaching the end of what is known as the blueprint phase, which is followed by the realization phase.

The intent of HopkinsOne is not just to install new computers and software, but rather to position Johns Hopkins for the future by identifying "best practices" and redesigning business processes to conform to those practices. These new processes will be supported by new software for finance, purchasing, materials management, sponsored projects, human resources and payroll systems. The software and processes will be shared across Johns Hopkins entities so that users can more easily transact business and communicate with each other. The rollout of the new system is scheduled to begin in July 2006.

We are asking Johns Hopkins faculty and staff to help the HopkinsOne Project Team. Some of you will be asked to attend workshops to help us rethink and redesign how business at Johns Hopkins is conducted. Others will be asked to examine our findings and provide constructive feedback on proposed changes.

We must challenge the status quo at all levels of our organizations. We must be willing to tear down longstanding organizational barriers and accept nothing short of the best industry practices appropriate for institutions like ours.

It is clear that, as new processes are implemented, many of our jobs will change significantly. It also is clear that many of us will need to undergo retraining and acquire new skills. We are committed to providing that training. We know how dedicated our staff is to their jobs and to the mission of Johns Hopkins. Many of you will devote significant time and effort to helping us meet HopkinsOne deadlines. Your opinions and experience will be critical to our eventual success.

We ask you to be actively engaged in this project, rethinking what it is we do, why we do it, and how we can do it more efficiently and effectively. You will use these new processes and systems; you need to be involved in their design.

We are grateful for the support of our dedicated employees and will count on your continued assistance as this important initiative moves forward.

Sincerely,

William R. Brody
President
The Johns Hopkins University

Edward D. Miller
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, John Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
Johns Hopkins Health System