Creating Transformational Work-Study Experiences at UVA

Meaningful opportunities for UVA's FWS students

A new collaboration among the Provost’s Office, the Career Center, and Enrollment is opening the door to more meaningful experiential learning opportunities for UVA’s Federal Work-Study (FWS) students.

Through the Transformational Federal Work-Study (TFWS) Internship Program, departments can enhance their student employment experience by incorporating structured internship components, helping students build professional skills while deepening their connection to their work.

Support for Supervisors

Supervisors who participate in the TFWS program are eligible to receive stipends of up to $1,000 ($500 per semester) for offering at least one internship through the program. Participants will receive support through training, goal-setting guidance, and structured feedback tools to ensure a smooth and rewarding implementation.

Join the Lunch & Learn

Interested in participating? Join the Career Center for lunch and a conversation about TFWS on November 12, 2025:

• 12:00 – 1:00 PM: Manager Collaboration Session & Lunch

• 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Hands-on V-TOP Module Training

• Location: UVA Career Center

If you can’t make it to the lunch session, you can register for an alternate training or schedule an individual meeting with Career Center staff to discuss how TFWS could enhance your student roles.

For Students

Students participating in TFWS will enroll in a 1-credit UNST course (UNST 3910 or UNST 3920) designed to help them reflect on their experience and connect classroom learning to workplace practice. Courses are offered in both in-person and virtual formats to fit student schedules.

This initiative represents another step toward making student employment at UVA a transformational part of the academic journey—for both students and the departments that support them.

Professional Development Corner: October 2025

Make time for professional development!

Contributed by Patty Marbury

Why is professional development important?

Professional development offers a valuable opportunity to stay engaged and navigate the constantly changing landscape of Higher Education and beyond. Whether you’re looking to learn new skills, sharpen existing ones, enhance your leadership abilities, explore new interests, stay on top of emerging trends, or simply connect with colleagues, there’s something for everyone. 

Check out this article from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, How Professional Development Can Boost Employee Engagement on how participating in learning activities benefits all.

Turning Professional Development into Impact

Turn your growth into results by applying what you learn, sharing it with others, and connecting it to what matters most.

Professional development is most powerful when it creates real-world results. Learning itself is valuable, but the true measure of growth is how it changes outcomes — for your projects, your team, and your organization.

• Start by reflecting on what you’ve learned: How can this skill or insight make a difference in your work? Maybe it’s improving a process, solving a challenge more efficiently, or contributing a fresh idea that benefits the team.
• Sharing knowledge amplifies impact. When you mentor a colleague, demonstrate a new approach, or pass along insights, your growth extends beyond yourself.
• Finally, connect learning to tangible goals. Align development with what matters most to your team or organization, and you’ll see how growth translates directly into meaningful outcomes.

Professional Development Opportunities

We’re pleased to share information about a variety of workshops, courses, and resources to support your ongoing growth—wherever your journey leads. While some opportunities are free and others may have a fee, many do not require travel. Please feel free to share other opportunities you come across and I’ll include them in future communications!

Coursera

Remember that we have access to Coursera, and an online learning platform that offers a wide range of courses, specializations, certifications, and degree programs from universities and institutions around the world. 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 – as we have done for the past couple of months, we’ll again focus on opportunities for which you can use your centrally-funded education benefit and are offered virtually, or in a few cases, locally, so there are no travel costs! (Remember, if you are requesting departmental funds, make sure it you have approval before you register for or enroll in any offering.)

Annual Fall 2025 FOCUS Conference – November 19-20, 2025 at Virginia State University ($50)

National Conference on College Cost Accounting (NACCA) – November 19 and 20, 2025, 12:30-5:00 – virtual. Registration is free. Note that this is on the same dates as Fall FOCUS.

EDUCAUSE Events

What is EDUCAUSE?  From their website: “EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to lead the way, advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education. We connect and empower our member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice.”

NACUBO*

• Washington Updates and Other Recordings
• Other Live Online Events - unless indicated, the session is free to NACUBO members, which we are, although you need an individual account.* Some also offer CPE credits.
• Conferences and Forums
• Save the date! NACUBO 2026 Annual Meeting – July 18-21, 2026 in Anaheim, CA
• 2026 Intermediate Accounting and Reporting – Jan 28-30, 2026 online ($300)
• Self-Paced Courses and Microlearning
• Strategic Higher Education Finance and Planning ($595)
• F&A Short Form ($150)
• Essentials of College and University Accounting ($125)
• Facilities Management ($49)
• New to Higher Education ($49)
• Podcasts
• Career Conversations
• NACUBO in Brief

*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.

SACUBO

• 2026 Leadership Forum – February 25-27, Destin, FL
• 2026 Annual Convention – April 19-21, Dallas, TX
• 2026 Fall Conference – November 11-13,  Myrtle Beach, SC

EACUBO

• 2025 Annual Meeting – October 19-22, Pittsburgh, PA
• Higher Education Leadership Program – August 10-13, 2026, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY ($2,999)

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Professional Development Programs, including:

• Leadership Transformation Collaborative - starts January 2026
• Women Leading Change Program - 2026 dates coming soon
• Administrative Leadership Institute – 2026 dates coming soon 
• Higher Education Mental Health Forum – 2026 dates coming soon

Virtual Events (many are on-demand)

AGA - is the association that connects and empowers professionals who support government, from financial management to IT, human resources, cybersecurity and more, to advance good government initiatives, grow their expertise and accelerate their careers. (Requires membership.) 

LearnBFSI (several interesting for fee courses - $199 each for live webinar and $159 for recording – note this company is in Australia), including: ChatGPT for CPAs and Finance Professionals, as well as courses in Excel and ChatGPT for PowerPoint.

UVA Organizations

• UVA Organizational Excellence has many learning opportunities, resources, and articles. Check out Creating Behaviors for Organization Success, November 5, 2025 12:00-1:00.. Subscribe to OE’s newsletter. 
• See a list of ongoing UVA offerings on our website.

Other Institutions 

• Harvard Business School Online offers multi-course credentials and certificate programs – many are less than $2000.
• University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business online programs; many are $1,000 or less. 
• Stanford University Executive Education – the self-paced programs are $1,500.

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.) December 5, 2025, is the cutoff date to use your 2025 benefit.

Professional Development Request Form 

UVAFinance team members –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!

Articles on Leadership

• A Title Does Not a Leader Make (Inside Higher Ed)
• The Top 20 Leadership Challenges (Center for Creative Leadership) – this informative article provides many links to other articles and resources.

Please feel free to share other opportunities you come across and I’ll include them in future communications!

Amazon Business Punchout: Updates and Resources (and a big thank you!)

 

Visit the new Amazon Purchasing Guide

UVA’s Amazon Business Punchout in UVA Marketplace is helping schools and units purchase what they need more efficiently and in alignment with University purchasing practices.  We’re pleased to share that we’ve assembled a new Amazon Purchasing Guide on the UVAFinance website, designed to provide you with the assistance and resources you need. 

Explore the New Amazon Purchasing Guide

Here you’ll find information on:

• Approved methods for purchasing from Amazon
• Helpful guidelines for schools and units
• Resources to simplify ordering and ensure compliance

We’ll continue expanding this site with new tools and updates, so check back often for the latest resources to help your team transition to UVA’s centralized Amazon Business account and Amazon Business Punchout in Marketplace.

Great Progress Across Grounds

Thanks to your efforts, reimbursement requests for Amazon purchases are way down compared to this spring. Your commitment to using the approved purchasing methods is making a real difference, streamlining processes and ensuring UVA’s purchasing power is used effectively.

We encourage all schools and units to continue:

• Using the centralized Amazon Business account or Amazon Business Punchout in UVA Marketplace
• Avoiding reimbursements for Amazon purchases made through personal Amazon accounts.

Communication and Support

We’ll resume sending targeted communications this month to department staff, reimbursement recipients, and T&E Card users to help reinforce these purchasing practices.

If your department would like help communicating this initiative, we’re happy to support you. Reach out through your Finance Advisory Network (FAN) representative (find your FAN member on this page) or contact us directly at askfinance@virginia.edu

Procurement Transformation Updates

A new website and more!

At UVA, procurement is more than purchasing goods and services; it’s a vital part of advancing our mission in education, research, and patient care. Through the Procurement Transformation project, we’re reimagining how the University sources, contracts, and partners with suppliers to make the process simpler, more transparent, and better aligned with our shared goals.

What’s going on with the project lately?

New Website Now Live

We’re excited to share the launch of our new Procurement Transformation website.

This site is your source for project updates, timelines, team information, and resources. Bookmark the page to stay current on everything happening within this multi-year initiative.

Infrequent Payee Module: Pilot Progress and Demo Recording

A key part of this transformation is simplifying how we onboard individuals who have short-term or infrequent relationships with the University for payment. To support this, we’ve built a new Infrequent Payee module within Workday.

Last month, we launched a pilot to test the module, and we’re pleased to share that testing has gone smoothly. On Thursday, October 23, at 10 a.m., the project team offered a live demonstration of the tool in action.

If you missed it, you can watch the recording on the new Procurement Transformation site.

A big thank-you to the schools and units who have participated in the pilot and provided valuable feedback. If your area would like to take part in an expanded pilot, please contact us at askfinance@virginia.edu.

Looking Ahead

As the Procurement Transformation continues, we’ll keep sharing updates and resources to support our partners across Grounds. Together, we’re building a procurement experience that’s modern, people-centered, and mission-driven: one that helps the University make the most of every resource in service to our shared goals.

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Related information: Introducing Procurement Transformation at UVA

Finding Help in Workday Finance

Now there are even more ways to find help!

Contributed by Danielle Hancock

As part of their recent releases, Workday has provided some new, helpful tools to help you find the information you need faster!

Meet the Workday Help Hub

You might remember the “Need Help?” button in Workday. That’s been replaced with something even better: the Workday Help Hub.

You can find it by searching for “Help Hub” in Workday’s global search or by scrolling through your menu.

From there, you’ll see resources for Finance and HR, including:

• Quick Reference Guides organized by functional area
• Easy links to the resources you use most often
• A Request Help button that sends your question straight to the right team 

Help, Right Where You Need It

When you’re working on a task, keep an eye out for those little question mark icons; we’re adding them wherever Workday allows. They offer short explanations of what belongs in a field (like Journal Source or Accounting Date) and sometimes include a direct link to the full Quick Reference Guide. 

AI-Powered Suggestions

With the latest Workday update, you’ll also see a “Suggested for You” section in some tasks. It uses your past activity to suggest what you’re most likely to need next.  They may not always be what you're looking for at the time, but on the whole, they should make it easier and quicker to find the task you're looking for.

Customer Accounts Hub & Revenue Hub

These two new hubs, found by using the global search in Workday, bring together everything you need for those tasks based on the roles you have in the system (you'll only see tasks you have permission to do).   

🎥 Watch a short walkthrough video here

Don’t Forget the Training Page

You can always find Quick Reference Guides, training videos, course slides, and one-on-one sign-up links on the Workday Finance Training page.

We're here to help!

These resources are additional help options for you as you work.  You are still encouraged to email askfinance@virginia.edu with your questions; we'll be happy to assist!

We’re always looking for new ways to make Workday easier to navigate and help easier to find. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to explore these tools and let us know what you think!

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More information:  Enhancements in Workday Finance

Tech Tips from our LSPs: Privacy & Security with AI

Be mindful of privacy and security when using AI

This Tech Tip is part of a series on Generative AI.  Stay tuned for more tips!

When using AI tools, protecting privacy and maintaining security must always come first. Even seemingly small details can put personal or institutional information at risk if shared in the wrong place.

UVA staff can use an approved, licensed version of Microsoft’s CoPilot. All info about Microsoft CoPilot at UVA and a form to submit a request for a license can be found here

Keep in mind:

• Do not share personal identifiers. Names, Social Security numbers, employee/student IDs, addresses, and financial account numbers should never be entered into AI tools.
• Protect institutional data. Research data, proprietary business information, and anything covered under FERPA, HIPAA, or other regulations is off-limits.
• Assume the tool is public. Even if a platform claims not to store your inputs, treat every interaction as though it could be seen by others.
• Use UVA-approved tools. When available, stick to versions of AI platforms that have been reviewed and approved for University use.

Examples:

• Don’t paste an internal spreadsheet with names and salaries into an AI tool for “help making a chart.”
• Do ask the AI to show you how to build the chart, then apply those steps to your data securely within Excel.

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See our previous tips: Safely Using Gen-AI at UVA / Data Do's and Don'ts for AI

Read more:  https://genai.provost.virginia.edu/guidance-for-faculty-students A

UVAFinance in Action: October 2025

L to R: Chailey Hench, Danae Polemi, 
Mark Cartwright, and Sara Johnson-Ward

A Sneak Peek at the Virginia Guesthouse

Members of the Procurement Services Team recently got a behind-the-scenes look at one of UVA’s construction projects: the Virginia Guesthouse, a new hotel and conference center slated to open in April 2026.

During a hard hat tour of the site, the team explored the future guest rooms, meeting spaces, and gathering areas that will soon welcome visitors from near and far. The project will offer a state-of-the-art venue for University events and conferences, along with comfortable accommodations just steps from Grounds.

It was a fun and inspiring visit for our Procurement colleagues, who play an important role in supporting projects like this one that help the University thrive.

Treasury Team Welcomes Donald Cook

After a national search, the Treasury Team is pleased to welcome Donald Cook to UVAFinance.

Cook joins the University as a strategic treasury and finance leader with more than a decade of experience as Corporate Treasurer for two publicly traded companies. Over the course of his career, he has led global teams responsible for cash and forecasting, working capital management, debt and capital structure, financial risk management, insurance programs, and investment management.

Most recently, he worked closely with the UVA Treasurer’s Office as a consultant, partnering on financial transformation efforts for UVA Health. His work helped strengthen governance and operations, simplify payment programs, and improve liquidity management, important steps in bridging the Academics and Health sides of UVA to create a “One UVA Treasury” culture.

A UVA alumnus with a master’s degree in accounting, Donald says returning to Grounds has been both personally meaningful and professionally rewarding. “I’ve truly enjoyed supporting the mission of the University, working alongside the Treasury team, and helping to drive transformational change,” he shares.

Please join us in welcoming Donald Cook to the UVAFinance Treasury Team!

Giving Back: Ajoni Wynn-Floyd Volunteers with Ronald McDonald House

Ajoni and Chamber colleagues

Earlier this month, Ajoni Wynn-Floyd from the Supplier Engagement Team spent time giving back to the Charlottesville community through service. She joined fellow members of the Young Professionals of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, where they helped prepare meals for families staying there while their children receive medical care.

The Ronald McDonald House provides comfort, meals, and a supportive place to stay for families traveling to Charlottesville for treatment. Wynn-Floyd's participation reflects UVA's ongoing commitment to community engagement and service beyond Grounds.

Don’t Travel Without It: UVA’s Auto Accident Card for Car Rentals

Be sure you have the UVA Auto Accident
Card with you during your next car rental!

When driving for University business, it’s recommended to rent a car rather than seek mileage reimbursement. Renting a car through TravelUVA is often less expensive, saves wear and tear on your car, and provides University insurance coverage.

University employees should print and carry the Auto Accident Info Card with them when renting a car for University business travel. This card provides instructions on what to do in case of an accident and includes insurance information that can be provided to the other driver.

For more information about claims, please contact the Risk Management department.

Welcoming Michael W. Phillips, UVAFinance’s New Assistant Vice President and University Controller

The Phillips Family

UVAFinance is pleased to welcome Michael W. Phillips as our new Assistant Vice President and University Controller. Phillips brings to the role nearly two decades of experience at UVA, as well as leadership across higher education, corporate, and professional accounting organizations. Most recently, he served as Associate Vice Provost for Budgeting and Financial Planning in the Provost’s Office, following earlier roles with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. He has also chaired the Virginia Society of CPAs Accounting & Auditing Advisory Committee, and earlier in his career served as Assistant Controller for a division of a publicly traded company in Charlottesville. 

A Non-Traditional Path into Accounting 

Phillips did not originally major in accounting or take the typical big-firm route into the profession. Instead, he started in finance as Director of Financial Operations for Kappa Sigma Fraternity. There, he quickly realized that while his finance skills were strong, he wanted to deepen his accounting expertise. He returned to the classroom through UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, earning a Certificate in Accounting before sitting for the CPA exam. That credential helped him transition to Alere, a publicly traded company (now part of Abbott), where he served as Assistant Controller and solidified his passion for accounting. 

Returning to His Accounting Roots 

After years of budgeting and planning roles, Phillips welcomed the opportunity to return to a more accounting-focused position. “Budgeting is fun, but I missed doing debits and credits,” he shares.  

“Moving into this role means stepping back toward the actuals side of the coin: ensuring financial statements are complete, audited, and compliant. It’s a different side of the same coin.” 

Since beginning his new role on September 22, Phillips has been impressed by the warm welcome from the UVAFinance team.  

“Everyone has been friendly and open, willing to share and help me learn the processes,” he notes.  

Looking Ahead 

Phillips is eager to dig into the work of preparing UVA’s financial statements and understanding the flow of dollars through Workday. “I want to understand how a dollar moves through the system, from when it goes in to when it comes out, and every step along the way,” he says 

Outside of work, Phillips and his wife, Jessica, are raising their son Matthew, who just turned 13 and is busy with baseball. Weekends often find the family at the ballfield, while Phillips also enjoys playing golf, especially his annual weeklong trip with old friends, now in its tenth year. Jessica, an attorney specializing in criminal defense, also serves as a substitute judge in Albemarle County. 

With his technical expertise, collaborative approach, and deep ties to the UVA community, Phillips is well-positioned to lead in his new role as University Controller. Please join us in welcoming him to UVAFinance! 

Welcoming Bryon Gilstrap, UVA Finance’s New Sourcing Director

The Gilstraps

UVAFinance is excited to welcome Bryon Gilstrap to the Procurement Team as our new Sourcing Director. An Illinois native, Gilstrap comes to us most recently from Columbia College Chicago and brings more than 20 years of procurement and supply chain leadership spanning higher education, healthcare, and global organizations. 

His career began in healthcare at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, where an entry-level buyer role sparked his passion for using data to streamline processes and improve business outcomes. His later career saw the expansion of his leadership roles in both healthcare and higher education.

Gilstrap has broadened his career with an Executive MBA from the University of Illinois and even international work on a major procurement project in Saudi Arabia. 

A Journey to Charlottesville

Gilstrap’s first connection to Charlottesville came decades ago, during his time in the Navy. On a mountain biking trip with friends, he camped in the Shenandoah Valley and was struck by the area’s beauty. 

When he and his wife, Denise, began planning their move from Illinois, the East Coast was a natural choice for its proximity to family.  Once Gilstrap visited Grounds for his interview, he was convinced UVA was the right decision. 

“People here seemed to care about their work, and leadership was moving in the right direction. My only worry was whether my wife and daughter would love the mountains, but once we came house-hunting, they loved it as well,” he says.

Excitement for the Work Ahead

Since joining on September 22, Gilstrap has been impressed by the strength of the Procurement team and the culture within UVA Finance:

“Usually in transformational roles, there’s a gap in experience, data, or mindset. But here, people are ready to go. The team has strong relationships, a lot of retained knowledge, and great leadership support. Yes, we have the tools and data, but most importantly, we have the people.”

His leadership philosophy centers on three pillars: collaboration, transparency, and integrity. He believes procurement is at its best when teams celebrate wins together, even if recognition from the field is rare.  

“You can’t fake it in procurement,” he comments.  “You either love it or you don’t. What makes it rewarding is the interaction with people, the debates that challenge the status quo, and ultimately making the decisions that bring the most value to the university.

Looking Ahead

With their adult sons (Caleb and Branden) being out of the house, Bryon, Denise, and their daughter Averie are looking forward to settling into Virginia life,  traveling, exploring Charlottesville, and enjoying UVA sporting events.

Gilstrap’s experience, values, and leadership will be invaluable as UVA Finance continues to strengthen procurement. Please join us in welcoming him to the team!

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Related Content:  Procurement Transformation / Celebrating Growth on the Procurement Team

Strengthening Our Accounting Team: Leadership Updates and New Additions

Three cheers for Liz, Yvonne, Victoria, 
and Tammy!

UVA Finance is pleased to share several important updates within our Accounting team, changes that reflect the department’s continued focus on collaboration, expertise, and excellence in financial stewardship. 

Congratulations to Liz Vlahos, who has been promoted to Director of Accounting. Liz has been an integral member of the Accounting team as a manager, bringing strong leadership and a deep commitment to advancing UVA’s financial stewardship. Before joining the University, Liz served as Assistant Director at the Virginia Department of Accounts, where she gained extensive experience in state-level accounting practices—expertise she continues to apply to her work at UVA. We are excited for the energy and insight she brings to this new role. 

We also extend heartfelt thanks to Yvonne Metheny for her outstanding leadership as Director of Accounting. Beginning October 1, Yvonne transitioned into the role of Investment Accounting Program Lead, where she will continue to apply her knowledge and dedication in support of UVA Finance’s mission. 

The team is also pleased to welcome two new colleagues who have joined the Accounting area from Payroll: 

• Victoria Peprah-Asante, Accounting Manager, who will lead efforts around payroll accounting improvements, fiscal stewardship, and reconciliations. 
• Tammy Kolotkin, Senior Financial Analyst, who will support this important work alongside Victoria. 

Please join us in congratulating Liz, Yvonne, Victoria, and Tammy as they begin these new chapters. These transitions strengthen our Accounting team and position UVA Finance well for the work ahead. 

Enhancements in Workday Finance

R2 Enhancements are here!

On September 21, Workday released its latest set of enhancements to the Finance system. Workday follows a biannual release cycle, typically in March and September, with additional weekly updates for fixes and smaller improvements. Each release incorporates customer feedback and delivers new features, enhancements, and AI-powered tools across both the Human Capital Management and Financials modules. The focus is always on streamlining processes and improving the overall user experience. 

This most recent release is all about convenience, adding tools that make routine tasks easier, provide better visibility into transactions, and save you time. None of these changes alter your core workflows, but they do give you more efficient ways to get work done. 

AI Prompt Recommendations for Payroll Accounting 

In the assign costing allocations and create payroll accounting adjustments tasks, you’ll now see a new “Recommended” option in several fields (such as costing company, earning, position restriction, worker, change reason, and employee). Choosing this option provides up to five prompts based on your frequent usage, helping you complete these tasks more quickly and with fewer clicks. 

Current Accounting for Gross-to-Net Pay Result 

You can now view all journal lines affecting a pay result in one place — including adjustments made after the pay period was completed and processed. This consolidated view eliminates the need for multi-step reporting, presenting both the original journal lines and subsequent adjustment lines together. Journal types included are Actuals and Payroll Accounting Adjustments. 

Costing Source for Payroll Accounting Journal Lines 

A new Costing Source column displays on Actuals, Current Accounting, and Forward Accruals journals. This gives you immediate visibility into the costing allocations that generated payroll accounting journal lines, making it easier to trace, audit, and understand complex distributions without running additional reports. 

Customer Accounts Hub 

The new Customer Accounts Hub offers one-stop access to many of the most used customer account tasks and reports. The hub is personalized to you — it only displays the tasks and reports you already have permission to access, so you can navigate faster and more confidently. 

Revenue Hub 

Similarly, Workday now delivers a Revenue Hub, providing a centralized location for Customer Account Contracts tasks and reports. Like the Customer Accounts Hub, this hub adapts to your permissions, showing only what you have access to, and making it simpler to find what you need in one place. 

Looking Ahead: Videos on the Horizon 

These enhancements are designed to give you better visibility and quicker access to information so you can spend less time hunting for details and more time focusing on your work. And there’s more support on the way: the Finance Training team will soon be sharing short videos to walk you through these new features in action. Watch this space for more information! 

 

Introducing Procurement Transformation at UVA

Modernizing our Procurement Function

At UVA, procurement is more than purchasing goods and services; it’s a vital part of advancing our mission in education, research, and healthcare. To better serve that mission, we’ve launched Procurement Transformation, a strategic realignment to create a smarter, more connected procurement ecosystem.

This initiative is about more than just technology. It’s about reducing manual processes, increasing transparency, and creating a seamless experience for both our colleagues across Grounds and suppliers. By modernizing how UVA sources, contracts, and partners with suppliers, we unlock time and resources that can be directed to advancing the University’s mission.

Our Goal

This transformation positions Procurement Services as a trusted partner across Grounds. We aim to deliver a seamless procurement journey, from sourcing to payment. Through updates to our team structure, technology, and end-to-end processes, we’re setting UVA procurement up for long-term success and resiliency.

What’s Happening Now

Procurement Transformation preparatory work has been underway this summer:

• Team updates: Procurement Services has a new structure, with team members stepping into new roles to better support UVA’s buying needs.  Read more about the team changes
• Infrequent Payee Pilot: We’ve launched a pilot process to simplify how occasional or one-time payees are managed. Once complete, we’ll share the results with finance partners across Grounds. 
• Technology improvements: Workday Strategic Sourcing is next on the horizon, with guided buying and supplier onboarding coming soon. The project team is looking forward to continuing to engage with our partners across Grounds as we make progress on this next phase of transformation.  
• Website launch: A new website is underway to provide a one-stop hub for project details, resources, and updates. 

Looking Ahead

We recognize that change can raise questions, especially with many initiatives happening across UVA. The goal of Procurement Transformation is simple: to improve the procurement process from start to finish and leverage UVA’s buying power more effectively. 

This is about creating a procurement experience that is modern, people-centered, and mission-driven. We’ll share updates regularly as the project progresses this fall and winter, and we invite you to join us on this journey toward a smarter, more connected UVA procurement future.