Micro Breaks Health Series: Starting January 7!

Take a little break!  

Take a 10-minute break to refresh your mind and body with this new series of Micro Health Breaks, offered by Beth Frackleton, UVA Health Occupational Health. Whether you're looking to boost your focus with chair yoga, ease stress with meditation, strengthen your body through low-intensity cardio, or explore the transformative power of mindset shifts and self-care, there's something for everyone. These quick, engaging virtual sessions offer benefits like improved flexibility, reduced anxiety, enhanced energy, and a stronger mind-body connection--perfect for fitting wellness into your busy day!

Attend one, or all of these sessions. See this schedule and download it to your Outlook calendar, then choose what suits your schedule!

UVAFinance Welcomes Robbie Almand to the Finance Solution Center Team

Robbie Almand

Early this December, UVAFinance welcomed Robbie Almand as a new member of the Finance Solution Center team. Almand brings plenty of hands-on customer experience and an eagerness to problem-solve that will be vital in his role as a part of FSC.

Originally from California, Almand attended Southern New Hampshire University where he received his BA in Business Administration, minoring in Finance. Post-graduation, Almand utilized his business knowledge in his role as a Senior Associate Sales Executive for AT&T. There, Almand had the opportunity to build on his customer service skills, working in business-to-business sales, and solving any issues that arose in billing and sales.

In addition to his strong communication and business administration skills, Almand has completed professional development certifications in Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, emphasizing his commitment to fostering a communicative, inclusionary basis in his work.


As a part of the Finance Solution Center with UVAFinance, Almand will be one of the first points of contact for all different parts of the University. He’ll work to solve issues with checks not being received, remedying a variety of issues that might occur in financial fields, and more. He will work closely with all academic departments, Treasury, ITS, and Accounts Payable/Receivable to ensure fixes can be made quickly and efficiently, so everything is running smoothly.

In his free time, Almand enjoys golfing, traveling, and watching sports. His favorite sports to keep tabs on are football–he’s a big Steelers fan!–and UFC. He also loves going to the movies and watching horror films.

UVAFinance Welcomes Deon Hallback as Senior Treasury Analyst

Deon Hallback

Deon Hallback recently joined the UVAFinance team this November as Senior Treasury Analyst. With a strong background in higher education in the fields of finance, human resources, and treasury, Hallback brings with him years of expertise into his new role at UVA. 

Hallback is originally from New York and attended college in North Carolina, where he received his bachelor’s in business management, and later on his master’s in coaching education and athletic administration. After college, Hallback worked for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in accounting for three years, gaining experience in both accounting and payroll. 

When Hallback moved from North Carolina to Chesapeake in Virginia, he took a new job as business manager for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, revisiting his love for athletics. After working for the MEAC, Hallback took up a remote position as Senior Budget Analyst with UNC-Chapel Hill again before entering his new role at UVA. 

Hallback’s desire to join the UVAFinance team was impacted partly by travel, as his place in Richmond is closer to UVA than it is UNC! But more than that, Hallback says he loves any opportunity to increase his wealth of knowledge, to challenge himself, “How can I grow and expand my knowledge both within and outside of my field?” In addition, Hallback was drawn to working with a smaller, close-knit treasury group, where he’ll have the opportunity to create a bigger impact and learn more about treasury “straight from the source.”

Hallback attests that his 6+ years at UNC Chapel Hill within finance have made his transition to UVA smooth and straightforward. He notes his prior experience in payroll will help with his treasury role here at UVA, and that his knowledge of the digital banking platform Cashpro from UNC will transfer nicely with UVA’s utilization of this same system. Additionally, his work with UNC’s School of Medicine is translatable to his work at UVA, as both systems are decentralized and have similar tiers. Hallback also says he enjoys the customer service aspect of finance, and his previous work in Human Resources has honed this skill.

As Senior Treasury Analyst for UVAFinance, Hallback will focus on debt management and the cash aspect of things in relation to the University, as well as outside vendors. He says his focus on debt management will also increase moving forward.

In his free time, as a former college football athlete, Hallback loves coaching high school football–he’s been doing so for 17 years! He also loves going to the gym, movies, and watching sports. His favorite pro-league football team, the Jets, reflects his New York upbringing, but he says he’s also adopted the Baltimore Ravens, a bit closer to his home in Virginia. 

Reporting & Analytics Release Notes: December 12, 2024

New for December 

Finance Reporting & Release Notes for December 12 have been posted to the UVAFinance website. This update includes significant new reports and modifications as well as known issues that we are investigating or working on currently.

Workday

• Award and Grant reports: We have eliminated the need to select the Award Plan Structure when running reports so that reports return all Awards regardless of Plan Structure. We have also made some back-end adjustments to improve performance of many of the reports that pull Grant expenses.
• Alerts are now being sent to Cost Center Managers and others when critical security roles are missing that might delay business processes. We are also sending alerts for missing Award and Grant roles as well.
• Budget reports: We now take a snapshot of the Working budget as of October 1st in Adaptive. This is available in the Plan Structure prompt of any Budget reports – select “Annual Budget – Quarterly Snapshot” and Plan Name = “FY25 Q1 – Snapshot”. This point in time budget near the beginning of the Academic Year may be more detailed and current than the Original Budget but will not continue to update through the year as the Working Budget might. Please consult with your budget office for direction on which budget to use for comparison in your school or unit.
• Supplier Invoice and Payment reports: New Workday field “Cancel Payment Date” has been added to many reports.
• Find Expense Reports in Draft or In Progress Status: This is a new report that is now available to all authorized users. This report has a variety of prompts that can be used to track down expense reports that may not yet have been submitted or are in progress.

UBI

• Budget vs Actuals: See note above re: Budget Reports; this snapshot is also available in the UBI app.
• RAD for PIs: Access for co-PIs to view reporting has been enabled in addition to the primary PIs.

Adaptive

Please refer to the announcements in Adaptive for the latest updates.

For any finance reporting questions or feedback, please reach out to AskFinance@virginia.edu.

Professional Development Corner: December 11, 2024

Make a plan for your 2025 learning

contributed by Patty Marbury

We are rapidly approaching the end of 2024! There are still opportunities for programs this year, and plenty of online, self-paced courses and programs. December is also a great time to start planning for 2025! Remember to discuss all professional development opportunities with your manager before applying for any funds. (See below for more information on the Education Benefit.)

Why is professional development important?

Check out this short blog post from Harvard on the importance of professional development.

Coursera

Did you know that UVA has a University-wide subscription for Coursera? Check it out and start learning!

 

Upcoming Offerings

Listed below are links to offerings that may be of interest. (Remember, if you are requesting departmental funds, make sure it is approved before you make any arrangements.)

 

NACUBO*

• Washington Update: 2024 Post-Election Analysis - Recording available
• Other Live Online Events
• Financial Literacy for Higher Ed Professional: Key Indicators and Questions- Jan 15, 2025, 1:00 pm (free)
• 2025 Intermediate Accounting and Reporting – Jan 29-31, 2025 ($300)
• The Change Leadership Toolkit: Resources for Leading Systemic Change on Campus – Feb 13, 2025, 4:00 pm (Free)
• 2025 Endowment Leadership Series – Seven webinars Feb 18 – Mar 6, 2025 ($325)
• Self-paced courses and Microlearning
• Strategic Higher Education Finance and Planning ($595)
• F&A Short Form ($150)
• New to Higher Education ($49)

*Individual NACUBO membership is free through UVA’s institutional membership. To join go to nacubo.org and click on “Login or Join”. From the Login box, click on “Don’t have an account” and fill out the form. In the “Primary Affiliate” field enter “University of Virginia” and select the appropriate affiliate.

 

EACUBO

·         2025 Annual Workshop – March 9-11, 2025 in Boston, MA (Save the date; registration not yet open)

·         2025 Annual Meeting – October 19-22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA (Save the date; registration not yet open)

·         Higher Education Leadership Program (with Cornell University) – August-4-7, 2025 in Ithaca, NY

 

SACUBO

• 2025 Women’s Leadership Forum - February 26-28, 2025 in Virginia Beach, VA (UVAFinance attendees have been selected)
• 2025 Annual Meeting: Adapting to New Realities in Higher Education – April 13-15, 2025 in Miami, FL (Registration is open)
• 2025 College Business Management Institute – July 27-August 1, 2025 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY (Save the date; registration not yet open)
• 2025 Fall Workshop – October 29-31, 2025 in New Orleans, LA (Save the date; registration not yet open.)

 

The Chronicle of Higher Education

·         Professional Development Programs

·         Virtual Events

 

The Chronicle also has many interesting articles.

 

Association for Financial Professionals (AFP):

·         Upcoming Webinars

Also consider the following as you plan your professional development for the rest of this calendar year and next year:

• UVA’s Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion current offerings.
•  UVA Human Resources offers many free programs and courses.
• Self-Paced Learning - Human Resources also has links to microlearning courses and to LinkedIn Learning. (Participating in these courses does not require submitting a Professional Development Request Form.)
• UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers many Certificate programs.
• University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business online programs; many are $1,000 or less.
• UVA Darden Executive Education - There are two programs less than $2,000, using the discount. (Leading Mindfully and Collaboration and Influence.)

o    Use the discount code UVA50, which provides a 50% discount for the cost of the program. (The prices listed are for the full cost.)

o   See the Darden Executive Education program schedule for upcoming dates.

Education Benefit

Each year you have $2,000 of centrally-funded education benefit for professional development or $5,250 to use for tuition toward a degree-seeking program. See https://hr.virginia.edu/career-development/education-benefits-1 for more information. (To be eligible for this benefit, you must have had six months of service in a benefits-eligible position at UVA by the start date of the class, with the intent to remain on the active payroll during the entire term of the class.)

Professional Development Request Form

UVAFinance team members – Since we have submitted initial FY 2025 professional development requests already, please discuss with your manager and use the Professional Development Request Form before you register for any program. Remember, not all professional development opportunities require submission of the form. If an opportunity is less than ½ day AND there is no cost associated with it, then do not submit a form. Many LinkedIn Learning courses and some courses offered by UVA Human Resources or other UVA departments meet these criteria. Otherwise, the form must be submitted. If unsure, feel free to ask!

Exploring Finance at UVA: Brandy Marsh

Welcome to 'Exploring Finance at UVA'! This is a recurring blog feature highlighting finance professionals from across Grounds, beyond UVAFinance. Meet a diverse array of staff members and delve into their roles and insights in the world of finance within the greater UVA framework.

If you or someone you know would like to be featured in Exploring Finance at UVA, please email bv8h@virginia.edu

_____________________________________________________________

Brandy Marsh

Brandy Marsh, Business Services Manager, Frank Batten School

How would you describe your job in simple terms? 

As the Business Services Manager, I have the incredible opportunity to assist in so many aspects of the Batten School's financial and business operations. This includes managing payroll, hiring students, registering vendors, creating supplier invoices and purchase requisitions, approving expense reports, and analyzing account spending. I also support Batten’s Research Centers with the Pre-Award process and the management of their awarded funds. I also work with our Batten School Foundation to distribute payments and reconcile accounts monthly.


Who do you work with most frequently in UVAFinance?

I work with so many incredible people within the Central Finance Team. I am always grateful for their superior guidance and support.


What does the rhythm of your work look like?  Do you have a busy season?

Every day is quite busy! The end of the fiscal year and the beginning of each semester brings a little more busyness to the day.


What do you enjoy most about your work?

I love helping others!  Whether it is faculty, staff, students, or vendors, when I can offer support and solutions, those are the best days.


How does your work contribute to UVA's mission?

The work I do every day furthers UVA’s mission specifically by supporting our faculty, students, and staff by creating an atmosphere immersed in honor, integrity, trust, and respect that provides excellent service and good stewardship.


Anything fun or interesting about your team?

If we had a team motto it would be “work hard, laugh harder.” Everyone is extremely supportive, collaborative, and encouraging. We all genuinely enjoy working together, and every day there is a laugh and smile shared.

 

Wellness Resources: December 2024

Last Chance to Join Free Fitness Classes

There's still time to join a free group fitness class offered by Hoos Well in partnership with UVA Rec. The classes are open to employees and spouses. 

Classes include Body Pump, Barre, Yoga, Aqua Jogging , Pilates, Zumba^®, and Cycle, Strength & Core. Get in shape, meet your colleagues, and have some fun!

Check out the class schedule HERE.

Explore Financial Wellness Resources

There may not be any live financial wellness webinars this December, but there are many on-demand training courses and webinars you can view at your convenience.  Topics include:

• Debt Management and Budgeting: Manageable strategies, tools, and tips to get a handle on your spending and debt.
• Your College Planning Choices: How to start saving now for a child’s college education.
• Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) - Setting Financial Goals.
• VRS Financial Literacy: Banking, Credit, Taxes, Investments, Financial Planning, and Home Finance.

There are also many other tools and resources available, such as:

• Financial and Retirement Planning Guide
• Fidelity Calculators and Tools
• TIAA Calculators and Tools

You can find more on-demand training and resources to support your financial wellness HERE.

Virgin Pulse Changing to Personify Health 

Just a reminder that the company that delivers the Hoos Well Portal will be changing from Virgin Pulse to Personify Health on Jan 1, 2025.  Your username and password will the stay the same and you don’t need to take any action at this time. 

All programs, account history and features will continue to be available. 

Don’t have a Hoos Well Portal account?  Find more information and how to join click HERE.

More Hoos Well Opportunities

• Create a Hoos Well Portal Account and earn up to $500 in awards while enhancing your well-being. Thousands of your colleagues are already reaping the benefits of the Portal and its offerings. Watch this recorded demo to learn how to get the most from the Portal.
• Join WW (WeightWatchers) through UVA at a discounted rate.
• Get one complimentary nutrition counseling session for those covered by a UVA health plan through the UVA Nutrition Counseling Center.
• Meet with a Live Health Coach to achieve your personalized health goals. Your Health Coach will work with you to formulate a strategy to achieve improved well-being. 
• Join a free Hoos Well drop-in exercise class such as Yoga, Cycling or Body Pump.
• Get free access to Healthy Minds@Work, a personal guided journey to a healthier mind.

Holiday Flavors: Chocolate Mint & Gingerbread

Over the holidays, we often crave flavors such as Chocolate Mint and Gingerbread. As a bonus, chocolate can trigger the release of endorphins which can make us feel good, and who can resist the warming scent of gingerbread? Here are a couple recipes to indulge your senses with these holiday flavors.  Try Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes or Gingerbread Cake. Or, these healthy, no-bake recipes, Mint Chocolate Smoothie or Raw Ginger Snaps.

New on Finance Matters: UVA Office of Audit & Compliance and UVA Financial Compliance

Carolyn Saint, Gary Nimax,
JJ Sullivan, and Christine Kennedy-Tyburski

What's the difference between UVA's Audit & Compliance department and UVAFinance's Compliance Team? What do they do, how do they work with people across Grounds, and how can we best work with them? 

Carolyn Saint and Gary Nimax from Audit & Compliance, along with JJ Sullivan and Christine Kennedy-Tyburski of UVAFinance Compliance, join Patty and Brandi on this episode of Finance Matters to give answers and insights into these two vital functions.  

Listen in below!

See the show notes posted below for easy access to resources mentioned in the pod, plus a quick recap of the the main points of the podcast. 

Recap of Important Points

What’s the Difference Between UVAFinance Compliance and The Office of Audit & Compliance at UVA? 

• UVAFinance Compliance: Focuses on risk management and internal controls through a consultative and investigative approach. Works with internal and external auditors to ensure processes align with organizational goals and policies.  
• Office of Audit & Compliance: Institutional Compliance: Ensures adherence to regulations and organizational policies using a charter-based program guided by federal standards. Maintains a compliance helpline to report suspected compliance concerns, which may be done anonymously if necessary. Facilitates collaboration across the University through a compliance network.  UVA Audit: Internal audit plans are based on risk assessments and a two-year plan is approved annually in the June meeting of the Audit, Compliance, and Risk Committee of the Board of Visitors. The plan is updated as needed based on changes in organizational priorities or resources. 

Both teams are partners in fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and effective risk management at UVA. 

Key Points: 

• Audit operates independently as assurance providers, advisors, and occasionally, investigators. 
• Compliance integrates more directly with teams, helping implement solutions while upholding policies. 

• Audit and Compliance are not just about "catching mistakes"; they aim to empower departments to achieve their goals effectively and safely. 

• 
  

How to Work with Them: 

• Be proactive and timely in responding to audit and compliance inquiries. 
• Provide context for issues to streamline resolution. 
• Use resources like the fraud, waste, and abuse hotline, compliance helpline, and compliance champions for guidance. 
• Find the approved UVA Audit plan for FY2025 and FY2026 here: https://bov.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1171/files/2024-06/%2724%20JUN%207%20ACR%20BOOK%20-%20OPEN%20SESSION.pdf 

Resources Mentioned: 

• Staff Senate Podcast

• Office of Audit and Compliance website 
• Audit Charter
• Compliance Charter
• For the UVA Compliance Helpline, online reporting mechanism, and the Commonwealth's Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline and online form: https://audit.virginia.edu/resources-and-references
• UVA Compliance Helpline and Subject-Specific Reporting Portals
• What are Internal Controls?
• Compliance Network
• Seven Elements of an Effective Compliance Program
• UVA Policy Directory
• GOV-002: Reporting and Investigation of Fraudulent Transactions
• GOV-003: University Institutional Compliance Program for Adherence to Federal, State, and Other Regulations
• FIN-036: Signatory Authority for Executing University Contracts
• Office of State Inspector General for VA
• Audit Two-Year Plan (from June 2024 BOV Meeting - scroll to "Meeting Documents" at the bottom of the page)
• UVA Code of Ethics for Faculty & Staff
• COSO Framework Resources
• https://www.coso.org/_files/ugd/3059fc_77d5d0f3d569439990b170bd3b909d7e.pdf
• https://www.coso.org/guidance-on-ic
• https://www.auditboard.com/blog/coso-framework-fundamentals/