Friday Focus: Staying connected

December 3, 2020

Tori Tragis

— by Julie Queen, vice chancellor for administrative services

I hope everyone had a restful, although likely quieter, Thanksgiving break. I find myself wishing people a healthy holiday season in this climate, understanding so much is happening. With the increasing Alaska darkness and sense of isolation this year, one unlike any other, it is important to be mindful this season because we are not seeing each other in the ways we normally would. It is often a sense of relief to see other people at the office, even if we are tucked away in our work spaces, just being able to say hello in the hallways (while wearing masks).

Because not everyone is in the office, I hope you find ways to connect with others safely. I continue to be hopeful these days will end, and in the meantime, encourage you to check in with others to spread warmth where you can. 

The chancellor’s budget message this week listed several efforts where committees will be encouraged to think of additional ways to tackle budget challenges or harness opportunities for revenue generation. One committee is also documenting needs and making recommendations on options for childcare in a UAF context. These are exciting concepts which highlight UAF’s resiliency as we work within the constraints of the budget, but will not settle where creative thinking might provide us new avenues for growth or change in thoughtful ways. 

In my role as vice chancellor for administrative services, which is also the UAF chief financial officer, I am also going to be doing some outreach with schools, colleges and institutes in the coming weeks and into the new year. UAF internally does four major financial updates in the form of “management reports” each fiscal year. All units have just completed their first management report using October month-end data. This represents the first-quarter activity within each unit and is a good starting point for basing additional projections on for the remainder of the year. The remaining management reports occur in January, March and April, annually. March and April reports are closely analyzed because they are the best indicators of what to expect for the fiscal year end, including whether a unit will meet required fund balance targets by the end of June. 

The Financial Services team and I monitor these reports and work with deans, directors and fiscal managers to understand what is occurring across the UAF campuses in bottom-line terms and alert leadership if any issues come to light that need attention. Report summaries are shared with the chancellor, provost and vice chancellors for decision-making. UA System leadership and the Board of Regents are also provided updates to keep them informed of UAF’s financial health and expenditure status. 

In addition to reporting, it is necessary to be proactive as part of budget planning now that we are nearly halfway through FY21 and looking into FY22. My office will be reaching out to deans’ and directors’ offices to schedule budget meeting times. I will be providing a financial summary and some discussion topics and questions to seed the conversations. 

One goal in setting these meetings is to get a deeper understanding of the financial conditions applicable to each unit. This is important because each unit is unique in its makeup and functions. In addition, there is some new leadership on the Financial Services team, and many units also have new leadership in finance areas or in the dean or director role. The more we get to know each other, the more we can rely on each other as a resource. Our financial health as an institution improves when we know what plans are in motion, we can anticipate major changes, and our accuracy is high because we are all more connected to the work.

Financial Services may also be able to offer different or improved training or tools where needed, with your input. I look forward to conversations in these areas as we discuss FY21 in greater detail and thank you in advance for your engagement. Although our budget is smaller in some areas, UAF so far is in a strong position to manage reductions as revenue concepts take shape. I look forward to connecting with many of you in the coming weeks or early in the new year.

Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of UAF’s leadership team every week. On occasion, a guest writer is invited to contribute a column.