University Business Council Makes Impact on Business Practices

The University Business Council (UBC) was founded in 2007 to act in an advisory role to the Vice President of Finance and Administration (VPFA). UBC membership consists of senior business leaders from the academic and administrative units as well as the associate vice presidents and directors reporting to the VPFA. The UBC is charged with advancing the university’s mission, vision, and goals through the discussion, prioritization, and addressing of tasks related to enterprise-level strategic issues and the development of efficient, sustainable business practices, policies, processes, and procedures.

Over the past three years several UBC recommendations have been adopted by the University’s senior administrators in areas such as budget and management reporting, procurement, non-sponsored projects, effort reporting, retro distributions, IPEDS reporting, working with graduate and work study students, and designing a concept for continuous improvement within the Division of Finance & Enterprise Services. One project the UBC initiated that will eventually affect most everyone on campus is the development of business service centers. The service center concept has the potential to improve the quality of business-related work, address strategic business risks such as an aging workforce, and provide consistent and accurate reporting. The initial center serving central administrative units is scheduled to begin processing transactions in early 2011.

Driven by the post-PeopleSoft implementation environment, the primary focus of the UBC over its first three years has been on addressing tactical business issues such as meeting reporting needs and tweaking the chart of accounts. With many of those pressing business needs addressed, the UBC is taking a step back and reviewing how it can best fulfill its original charge.

Brian Cote, Senior Associate Dean for Finance & Administration for the College of Medicine, is the current chair of the UBC. In thinking about the future of the UBC, Brian said, “the UBC is now poised to move beyond the operational issues surrounding the implementation of PeopleSoft and to focus on strategic business practices that will enhance the University's strategic plan. I would envision areas of foci to be revenue enhancement, smarter use of technology to increase our efficiency, and organizational structure and design.” 

As the UBC evolves, one thing is certain; it will continue to play an important role in determining the future of how the University conducts business.

Last modified February 08 2011 10:07 AM