Rice’s Building Momentum Together (BMT) initiative is all about improving how the university works — from the systems we use to the ways we support each other. At the heart of BMT is a commitment to better service, strong partnerships, and responsible use of resources that help power Rice’s academic mission.
After a first phase focused on cost savings, service enhancements, and reinvestment in staff, Phase 2 is turning its attention to modernizing technology and improving everyday processes. From research and purchasing to HR and IT, departments across Rice are teaming up to replace outdated workarounds with simpler, smarter tools that make it easier to get things done.
Research Administration: Making Research Support More Seamless
Behind every research proposal or grant is a lot of paperwork — and often, a lot of back-and-forth. Rice is now rolling out updates to research systems that will help faculty and staff work more efficiently and with fewer headaches.
What’s changing:
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For faculty: Clearer expectations about required information for proposals, awards, and effort reporting, reducing last-minute requests to revise or resubmit materials.
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For research staff: Less reliance on manual reminders, spreadsheets, and side emails. New systems will send reminders and help track progress more smoothly.
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For departments: Fewer late cost transfers, corrections, and closeout issues. Better processes mean fewer errors and faster turnaround.
Procurement: Smarter Ways to Purchase
Rice’s Procurement Services team is using what it learned from past feedback to make everyday purchasing easier and more consistent. With more shared contracts and clear buying paths, staff will spend less time navigating exceptions and more time focusing on what matters.
What’s changing:
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For staff who initiate purchases: Easier-to-follow steps for buying common goods and services.
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For departments: Fewer small, one-off orders — saving staff time on approvals and processing hundreds of small transactions.
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For the university: Lower costs and less administrative effort through streamlined purchasing.
Human Resources: Reimagining Support for Faculty and Staff
Rice’s HR team is taking a closer look at how people access support and services. By listening to faculty and staff and reviewing current practices, HR is building a new model designed to be faster, clearer, and more people-centered.
What’s happening:
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Focus groups and interviews across campus will help shape the future of HR.
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A review of policies, tools, and services is underway to modernize how HR supports the Rice community.
Information Technology: Better Tools, Built Around You
Technology touches almost every part of work at Rice — and when it doesn’t work well, it can slow everything down. That’s why the Office of Information Technology (OIT) is focused on making systems easier to use, more secure, and better connected.
What’s happening now:
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Improvements are underway for core tools like Oracle
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OIT is partnering with departments to understand real-world pain points and opportunities.
What to expect next:
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A stronger foundation: More reliable systems that work for everyone.
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Simpler tools: Fewer frustrations and more integration across platforms.
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Enhanced features: Updates that make day-to-day tasks easier for faculty, staff, and students.
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Expanded support for academic tech — from classrooms to research labs.
What It Means for the Rice Community
Whether it’s submitting a grant, hiring a new team member, or ordering supplies, these improvements are designed to make everyday work across the university simpler and more efficient. The Building Momentum Together initiative is more than a collection of projects — it reflects Rice’s ongoing commitment to modern systems, improved service, and stronger support for the faculty and staff who help the university thrive.
To find out more about BMT Phase 2, watch the Administrators’ Forum presentation from December.