Introducing UVAFinance is a recurring blog feature created to introduce our team to our team, a couple of members at a time. Every other week, we present readers with two team members to get to know. To understand how these colleagues are situated within the greater UVAFinance structure, check out this resource on the UVAFinance website. (Keep in mind that it's not an org chart, but rather a map of what functions of central finance exist in which general areas.)
Let's go!
Let's go!
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Reshma Gali, Budget Analyst
What do you do as a Budget Analyst?
I help various schools and units across the university create and submit their budgets. This year, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Financial Aid, and it has been so interesting to learn about this aspect of budget preparation, as well as student need.
Who do you work with regularly?
In OFPA, we work a lot with different budget teams across many schools and units. We also work very closely with each other – within our own team – and try to foster a collaborative and productive workspace.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
The busiest season is definitely budget season (which really is a year-round process if you think about it). Right around budget submission time is when the work starts picking up more, mostly because we are trying to meet different deadlines that we set for ourselves, and that are set for us as well. It tends to stay busy until the summer, which is when it calms down for a bit until we start the cycle all over again.
What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?
If you have met our team before, it’s not super surprising, but one thing that I love about our team (and that also surprises a lot of people) is that we love to have fun. We often joke around with each other and try to lighten the mood and have fun when we can. We understand the value of the work we do whilst also understanding the value of the other people we work with. Especially in those seasons where most of us are working long nights to get things done, it helps to know that you have a friendly face in your corner.
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
If it wasn’t clear by my responses already, I love the people at UVAFinance. It’s my first full-time job after graduating college, and in comparison to how my other friends talk about their own workplaces, I am so happy to be here. I feel like my work is also very interesting and relevant towards making an impact for the University, and the culture and values of the organization tie it all together.
How do you connect your work with the UVA Finance Values?
I feel like my team and I exemplify the values of UVA Finance. Being a part of a central finance team means that we have to excel at delivering accurate, consistent, and reliable information, providing excellent service and support to all stakeholders, and creating innovative solutions and pursuing continuous improvement. We are also collaborative, have a lot of value and respect for each other, and can recognize and value our teammates for all that they bring to the table. I also enjoy doing these things. It’s not a chore for me to be a valuable and productive colleague.
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Logan Hobbs, Tax & Payment Card Compliance Manager
What do you do as a Compliance Manager?
I manage or assist with most of the University’s tax filings and tax compliance functions. For payment cards, I perform regular compliance activities that allow for the University to continue accepting credit card payments on Grounds. I also work with our payment card consultants, Arrow Payments, to maintain current payment card systems.
Who do you work with regularly?
I work with any and every department on Grounds. My tax duties require me to interact with any
department that generates business income unrelated to our tax-exempt purpose
(this is income reported on our annual corporate tax return Form 990-T). We are required to monitor activities in
buildings funded by tax-exempt debt to make sure private or commercial
businesses are not using more space than our education/research
activities. If the private business use
exceeds 10%, we risk flipping the debt issuance from tax-exempt to taxable. Of
course, any individual tax forms or questions require that I interact with
employees and vendors, as well. My
payment card duties mean that I work with a wide range of departments on the
academic side since the Medical Center has their own payment card compliance
team.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
Basically, the fall and spring are busiest for me, and in
the summer, things are slightly slower.
In the fall, most of our annual payment card compliance, and the spring
is tax filing season.
What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?
First of all, how many areas of the University we interact
with. Also, I commonly hear, “The
University pays tax? I thought we were
tax-exempt?”
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
The ability to serve the whole University.
How do you connect your work with the UVA Finance Values?
In Tax, being an impeccable source of information is always
important. Also, due to the number of
interactions across Grounds, we need to be effective collaborative partners.
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Would you like to be featured in Introducing UVAFinance? Want to suggest a colleague to be featured? Email bv8h@virginia.edu
