A service level agreement (SLA) is a formal document that articulates a university’s expectations for the performance and responsibilities of service providers and their customers. SLAs are especially important for system-wide shared services as staff perform functions for multiple campuses. Therefore, the working relationship between the shared services center, the system, and the constituent campuses must be well defined and the expectations clear.
SLAs are typically developed in conjunction with the creation of KPIs, which play an important role in SLA design. Since SLAs represent mutual accountability between the shared service center and customer units, representatives of both should be included in SLA development planning. Planning teams often include:
- System leadership
- Shared services director and functional area leaders
- Implementation team members
- Deans and unit head representatives
- Decentralized administrative staff
EAB developed a checklist of essential and optional elements to include in your SLAs as well as links to higher education SLA examples.
Example service level agreements
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