Financial Affairs Strategic Plan and Goals
2005 - 2010


MISSION

To support the advancement of the intellectual and social condition of the people of the State, the nation, and the world through the creation, translation, and dissemination of knowledge with an emphasis on quality programs of teaching, research, and service.

VISION

The Division of Financial Affairs will provide preeminent service to The University of Alabama which will be The University of Choice for the best and brightest students in Alabama and a University of choice for all other students who seek exceptional educational opportunities. The University of Alabama will be a student-centered research university and an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life, not only for all Alabamians, but for citizens of the nation and the world.

                             

STRATEGIC GOALS AND SUPPORTING ACTIONS

  1. Advance the University’s academic, research, scholarship, and service priorities, consistent with a top tier university, and continue to promote growth and national prominence in these areas.

A.     Improve communication and increase collaboration among Financial Affairs and academic and other administrative units.

a.   Develop standard for campus mail.

b.   Establish a good working relationship between Construction Administration and the Campus Community with open lines of communication.

c.   Coordinate year-end audit process.

B.     Align Financial Affairs’ resources to most effectively support academic, scholarship, and research excellence priorities.

a.       Evaluate the long term value of land holdings and develop a plan for maximizing income.

b.      Develop a model to move from a biannual to an annual property inventory for campus departments.

c.       Provide support to the academic/research labs by meeting and maintaining federal security guidelines.  (EHS)

d.   Develop process to capture minority vendor statistics.

e.   Develop a plan for the issuance of additional bond funds.

f.    Continue to provide course materials in a timely, accurate and profitable way to students and faculty and strengthen the Supply Store’s contribution to UA to $1 million.

g.   Partner the Supply Store with University Printing to provide faculty with custom published course packs in new electronic formats where applicable.

h.   Provide accurate information for capital project process.

i.    Develop and implement monthly financial meeting/report for the President.

C.     Streamline Financial Affairs’ functions and improve their effectiveness.

a.       Develop policies/procedures for construction administration.

b.      Develop legal documents for sale of surplus properties.

c.       Develop proposals for a campus wide copier program for UA offices and a pay-for-print program for student labs.

d.      Implement a web-based inventory system utilizing bar coded inventory tags and scanners for campus departments.

e.       Draft all university buildings and utilities infrastructure into CAD format for space inventory purposes.

f.        Reengineer cash receipting standards.

g.       Finalize and implement banking services agreement.

D.    Sharpen the Division’s assessment activities of its functions and link those to an enhanced planning process.

a.       Utilize Institute for Communications Research for on-line surveys.

b.      Develop and implement on-going national benchmarking project for the ACTion card.  Enhance participation in printing and bookstore benchmarking.

c.       Develop a standard, repetitive process for analysis for assessing to campus initiatives.

d.      Develop Sustained Growth Plan including operating, personnel, and facility needs to reach 28,000 student enrollment by 2013.

E.     Develop the research infrastructure and enhance the library resources necessary to be competitive for grants and contracts.

a.       Evaluate a risk management program that supports research.

b.      Evaluate federal guidelines for lab security.

c.       Provide fleet services at below market costs and at ultimate convenience to support the research needs of the faculty and staff.

  1. Retain and recruit outstanding faculty and staff to support the teaching, research, and service mission of the University.

A.     Provide competitive salaries and benefits for faculty and staff and work with other divisions to address salaries and benefits for graduate research and teaching assistants (i.e., via tuition increases, requesting higher appropriations).

a.       Explore new/innovative work life policies and benefits for faculty/staff.

b.      Maintain standards established by accreditation/national associations.

c.       Conduct analysis; provide reports on faculty/staff salary levels.

d.      Evaluate funding models for establishing living/learning communities.

e.       Develop and implement exit interview in Facilities to ascertain why employees leave the organization and follow up on areas of improvement.

B.     Ensure performance-based merit salary increases.

a.       Develop/revise performance evaluation form.

C.     Create new types of faculty and staff positions that reflect technical, research, creative, and clinical activities.

a.       Organize Building Maintenance and Housing Maintenance to form a more efficient operation.

b.      Create a construction crew.

c.       Create a preventative maintenance crew.

D.    Improve communication among all constituent groups in campus decision-making processes.

a.       Insure that the Campus Master planning process includes campus, city, county and state leaders.

b.      Seek input for policy/procedure changes.

c.       Involve Athletics, Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs earlier and more consistently in construction planning and implementation.

E.     Enhance relationships among community and University of Alabama leaders to promote an excellent quality of life and career development for faculty, staff, and students (i.e., town to gown).

a.       Review/evaluate law enforcement and EHS training efforts.

b.      Identify training and assignment opportunities that achieve cross-training of employees.

c.       Support the Neighborhood Partnership plan.

d.      Create and implement a quarterly Facilities Newsletter beginning September 1st as a way to improve communications as well as provide recognition to the staff. The newsletter would inform staff about the status of certain projects, special events, training opportunities, recognize new hires, promotions, retirements, and other important events.

  1. Enhance the university’s learning environment to attract and retain excellent students.

A.     Expand the development of living/learning communities.

B.     Encourage and reward creative strategies for engaging students in learning and life long learning.

a.   Partner with academic units to provide student internships.

b.   Develop life-skills for students by providing programming for conflict resolution.

C.   Continue progress in achieving diversity among faculty, staff, students, and administration.

a.   Expand on-line recruitment software and utilize for faculty.

b.   Implement on-line job description software.

c.   Continue to streamline and improve the hiring processes in order to assist facilities management in hiring the best candidates on a timely basis. Continue to work with the Facilities Business Office to streamline and improve the PA process.

d.   Proactively seek qualified diverse employees.

D.  Develop a pedestrian core area with supporting transportation system.

a.       Develop campus transportation system, staffing, facilities, funding, etc. in accordance with Campus Master Plan.

E.        Maintain and revitalize many of the campus’ architecturally significant buildings.

a.   Address architecturally significant buildings in campus master plan and deferred maintenance.

b.      Complete the current Campus Master Planning effort and submit to the Board of Trustees for adoption.

c.       Complete work on the interior design center and sample rooms for the campus.

F.         Ensure user-friendly support services for students, faculty, and staff.

a.   Implement alternative backup measures for data.

b.      Implement self-service module of Banner.

c.   Integrate auxiliary services systems with Banner.

d.      Implement on-line retirement manager.

e.       Explore new methods of communication (instant messenger).

f.        Facilitate timely moves of equipment to support research and academics.

g.       Increase locations, hours of operation and variety of units of Bama Dining to encourage interaction and build campus community.

G.        Continue to be on the “cutting edge” of information technology resources.

a.    Evaluate personal computer replacement plan.

b.    Successfully implement Banner Finance and Human Resources.

c.    Develop state of the art web system

d.       Investigate web submission for supply store orders, fleet reservations, parking, and ACTion card.

e.       Increase and improve Prolog utilization.

f.        Use technology to shape a more efficient organization.

g.       Utilize the technology available in Facilities to improve communication, streamline processes and provide better service.

h.      Review space inventory software and make recommendation to the administration.

H.      Ensure the campus environment is safe for all members of the campus community.

a.       Enhance teaching and research safety efforts by implementing on-line chemical and equipment inventory system.

b.      Improve the physical security of academic, support, and living/learning facilities by implementing additional building access control measures. 

c.       Develop policies/procedures to mitigate risk.

d.      Conduct facility inspections to ensure safety. 

e.       Reduce on the job injuries by providing job safety training programs and ergonomic services to community members.  

f.        Increase safety awareness by providing crime prevention programming and information through presentations and on-line sites.  

  1. Develop a University-wide emphasis on leadership as a primary role of the flagship university of the State of Alabama .

A.     Develop professional and technical leadership skills among students, faculty, and staff.

a.       Increase support through vendors to bring in top training programs.

b.      Host local and regional training in Financial Affairs areas.

c.       Encourage staff to participate in regional/national organizations.

d.      Review and upgrade the Apprentice Program.

e.       Assess training needs for non-management staff.

f.        Evaluate and revise as needed the current supervisory/management training.