Conference Materials

Bringing Administrators Together Conference was held on April 15^th, 2010. Click here for the conference brochure.

Please contact the conference planning team at uicadconf9@uillinois.edu if you have any questions about the conference.

Plenary Sessions

Opening Remarks
Conference Sponsors' Unit Updates
Provost Tanner's Presentation on the State of the Campus

Workshops

1. 50 Ways to Trim Your Budget
2. Advanced Topics in Research Compliance
3. Best Practices for Department and College-Level Budgeting
4. How to Write a Scope of Work to Expedite Your Procurement Process
5. How Using iBuy and Strategic Contracts Can Reduce Your Costs
6. Impact of New Procurement Code (Senate Bill 51) on UIC
7. Implementation of the Space Economy
8. Job Analysis - Establishing the Career Foundation for Academic Professionals at UIC
9. Legal Issues Surrounding Human Resources
10. Leveraging Institutional Data to Improve Decision Making
11. Life of a Sponsored Project Activity (Parts 1 & 2)
12. Managing Unionized Employees
13. Models of Shared Service Centers and How They Drive Administrative Efficiencies
14. New and Upcoming Business & Finance Policies and Systems
15. New Reporting Tools for HR and Finance That Will Make Your Life Easier
16. The Importance of Internal Controls at the Unit Level
17. UIC Efforts to Refine Our Academic Mission and Improve Administrative Functions
18. Understanding Key Accounting Issues

Plenary Sessions

Opening Remarks

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Heather Haberaecker (Exec. Asst. VP for Business & Finance) opens the conference with introductions, an explanation of the theme “Succeeding in Challenging Times”, and recognizing those involved in the planning. Total run time = 6:18

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Conference Sponsors' Unit Updates

PDF Slides

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Joe G.N. “Skip” Garcia (Vice Chancellor for Research), John Loya (Vice Chancellor for HR) and Heather Haberaecker (Exec. Asst. VP for Business & Finance) give 5-10 minute updates on their units’ accomplishments, priorities and goals.Total run time = 26:52

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Provost Tanner’s Presentation on the State of the Campus

PDF Slides

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R. Michael Tanner (Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs) gives a presentation on the budget outlook for the University and strategies being implemented to manage the University’s response to the economic crisis. Total run time = 52:13

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Workshops

1. 50 Ways to Trim Your Budget

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Frank Goldberg, Vice Provost for Resource Planning and Management Todd Van Neck, Director of Budgeting and Program Analysis
Target Audience:	Beginning / Intermediate
Description:	This workshop will present ways to trim your budget along with an update on the State budget situation with UIC responses.
Learning Objectives:	Will receive tips, tools and techniques for assessing and prioritizing programs; Will receive an update on the State budget situation

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2. Advanced Topics in Research Compliance

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Vanessa Peoples, Executive Director of UIC Grants and Contracts Fuller Lyons, Associate Director of UIC Grants and Contracts Amneh Kiswani, Assistant Director of Office of Research Services
Target Audience:	Intermediate
Description:	Topics for discussion in this workshop include effort reporting, sub-recipient monitoring, unallowable costs, and pre-award compliance issues (IRB, existing protocols, biosafety, stem cell).  Additional topics will include audit findings and questions asked by auditors, as well as other questions that have come up through recent desk reviews or sponsor inquiries.
Learning Objective:	To develop a deeper understanding of research compliance issues and implications

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3. Best Practices for Department and College-Level Budgeting 

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Russell Biskup, Director of Budgets and Financial Analysis, Office of Business and Financial Services Todd Van Neck, Director of Budgeting and Program Analysis, Office of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Target Audience:	Beginning / Intermediate
Description:	This workshop will provide a general overview of unrestricted and restricted funds management.  We will address how to assess the financial position (budget versus actual) for various fund types prior to year end and how to fix problems and avoid/minimize the incurrence of final balance deficits.  The appropriate use of budget transfers/exchanges and Journal Voucher cost transfers with the importance of observing critical year end cut-off dates and appropriate dating of transactions will also be discussed.
Learning Objective:	To gain a basic understanding of the ground rules for managing unrestricted and restricted funds

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4. How to Write a Scope of Work to Expedite Your Procurement Process

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Lourdes Coss, Director of UIC Purchasing Nancy Dorsch, Senior Contract Coordinator
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	This hands-on workshop will touch on the importance of a well-described scope of services or detailed specifications.  We will divide into groups for a fun short exercise and discuss the outcome. Later, we will review the components of the scope. You will receive a new template for review. Using the guidelines provided in the workshop will help cut down the time necessary for the development of requests for proposals.
Learning Objectives:	To identify necessary components of a scope of services for a RFP; To learn how to develop procurement documents

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5. How Using iBuy and Strategic Contracts Can Reduce Your Costs

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Heather J. Haberaecker, Executive Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance Barbara Roemer, Associate Director of Procurement Systems, University Strategic Procurement Nancy Reynolds, Purchasing Officer, UIC Purchasing
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	In this workshop, we will provide an overview of the iBuy strategic contracts currently in place and how to use them. We will also give a brief overview of the iBuy system and upcoming improvements to the system. Participants will be presented with benchmark data on spending trends at UIC and the implications of using Banner or the P-card versus using iBuy to make purchases.
Learning Objective:	To recognize the time and cost saving benefits of using iBuy

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6. Impact of New Procurement Code (Senate Bill 51) on UIC

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Heather J. Haberaecker, Executive Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance Lourdes Coss, Director of UIC Purchasing
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	Senate Bill 51 (SB 51) takes effect on July 1, 2010 and makes significant changes to the Illinois Procurement Code. In this workshop, we will highlight how changes such as the creation of chief procurement officer and state procurement officer roles, reporting of communications with potential vendors, charging vendors a fee for submitting bids, and public hearings for sole source purchases will impact the University and timelines for purchases.
Learning Objective:	To understand the impact of SB 51 on how procurement is done at the University

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7. Implementation of the Space Economy

PDF Slides

Presented By:	James Foerster, Associate Vice Chancellor, Facility and Space Planning Frank Goldberg, Vice Provost for Resource Planning and Management Todd Van Neck, Director of Budgeting and Program Analysis
Target Audience:	Advanced
Description:	In FY 2010, the campus is implementing a model of distributing space cost to units.  This workshop will cover the rationale for the policy and provide units with a general overview on how it will work.  There will be a short presentation with open discussion and adequate time for questions.
Learning Objective:	To gain an overview of the space economy at UIC

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8. Job Analysis - Establishing the Career Foundation for Academic Professionals at UIC

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Anniese Lemond, Director of Compensation
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	This workshop will provide an overview of the most recent Civil Service audit and a major component of UIC’s compliance plan, job analysis.  Job analysis is the systematic study of work in an organization.  The results of job analysis provide a foundation on which to establish critical employee programs (including compensation, performance management, training and professional development) that ultimately help in the attainment of organizational goals and operating objectives.
Learning Objectives:	To gain an understanding of the Civil Service audit process; To receive an overview of UIC’s recent Civil Service audit, UIC’s response, and plan of action; To have an introduction to the concept of job analysis and its implications for the Academic Professional workforce at UIC; To learn the importance of job analysis and its necessity in establishing critical employee programs

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9. Legal Issues Surrounding Human Resources

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Thomas H. Riley, Jr., Director of Labor and Employee Relations Margaret Woulfe,  Associate University Counsel
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	This will be a panel discussion and presentation on labor and employment legal issues incorporating some case studies.
Learning Objectives:	To assist administrators in avoiding pitfalls, recognizing "red flags" and identifying available resources; To proactively handle difficult HR matters and issue avoidance.

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10. Leveraging Institutional Data to Improve Decision Making

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Mary Lelik, Director of Institutional Research, Office of Institutional Research Edward Valentine, Coordinator of Business Systems Users, Office of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) maintains a broad set of specialized data systems which can provide valuable information for campus unit managers and decision-makers. Among those are the Activity Reporting System (which looks at how staff time is distributed); the Resource Performance Indicators (key ratios which can shape planning), and Cost Study credit hour data (which informs the yearly budget planning process). Knowing this information and how to use it can be a powerful management tool for those in college and departmental offices. This presentation will provide an overview of each of these data sets, how the information is gathered, what they reveal, what processes they influence and what reporting tools are available.
Learning Objectives:	To gain an understanding of the OIR systems and their relationship to Effort Reporting and the Decision Support Consolidated Faculty Analysis (CFA) systems; To make optimal use of these data sources for management information needs

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11. Life of a Sponsored Project Activity (Parts 1 & 2)

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Luis Vargas, Executive Director of Office of Research Services Patricia Manheim, Associate Director of Office of Research Services Mee Mee Lee-Choi, Associate Director of UIC Grants and Contracts Fuller Lyons, Associate Director of UIC Grants and Contracts
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	Workshop participants will be walked through a complete cycle of the life of an award. Frequently asked questions and potential problem areas for research administrators will be addressed. The presentation will also incorporate the perspectives of the Business Manager, Human Resources and Central Office (ORS/GCO), allowing the participants to draw connections in a manner that can be readily applied to day-to-day grant administration activities.
Learning Objective:	To develop an understanding of the pre-award process from proposal submission to award and sub-award execution

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12. Managing Unionized Employees

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Stephen G. Katz,  Associate Director of Labor and Employee Relations
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	This will be a presentation and discussion about effectively managing unionized employees at UIC with its 18 collective bargaining agreements and its unique atmosphere as a public higher education employer.
Learning Objective:	To assist administrators to manage effectively in the UIC unionized environment

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13. Models of Shared Service Centers and How They Drive Administrative Efficiencies

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Frank Goldberg, Vice Provost for Resource Planning and Management Heather J. Haberaecker, Executive Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance Richard Alpern, Associate Dean for Administration, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Albert Schorsch, Associate Dean, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs
Target Audience:	Advanced
Description:	Interim President Ikenberry has recently formed a committee responsible for providing recommendations on shared service centers (e.g., teams of business, finance, research and human resources administrators who service more than one department). In this workshop, participants will learn about different models that are already in use at UIC and ones that are being considered. There will be discussion regarding how shared service centers can potentially reduce costs and how to effectively deploy them at UIC.
Learning Objective:	To develop an understanding of the concept of shared service centers, different models that exist and how they can save costs

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14. New and Upcoming Business & Finance Policies and Systems

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Sandra Ehler, Executive Director of University Payables
	Stephen Wiggs, Director of Corporate Card Operations
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	This workshop will provide information on new and revised OBFS policies relating to University Payables and P-Card. Particular emphasis will be placed on Telecommunications, Business Travel, P-Card and Human Subjects.
Learning Objective:	To provide the audience with an in-depth understanding of the new and revised policies and related procedures

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15. New Reporting Tools for HR and Finance That Will Make Your Life Easier

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Beth Ladd, Functional Area Coordinator, Decision Support Aaron Walz, Assistant Director, Business Information, Decision Support
Target Audience:	Beginner and Intermediate Data Warehouse Users
Description:	This workshop will review some existing reporting templates for departments as well as for those interested in grants data.  An overview of new reporting universes for grants, financial data and personnel will be included.  There will be explanations of report samples with comparisons and contrasts of new universes.
Learning Objectives:	To expand awareness of Data Warehouse report samples for use; To learn new Business Objects universes as well as other related information products

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16. The Importance of Internal Controls at the Unit Level 

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Neal Crowley, Director of UIC Office of University Audits Ron Miner, Associate Director, Accounting Consulting, University Accounting & Financial Reporting Uma Sriram, Business and Financial Coordinator, Accounting Consulting, University Accounting & Financial Reporting Vanessa Smith, Associate Director for Business and Finance for the Urban Transportation Center, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	In today’s University climate it is more important than ever for units to develop strong business practices that utilize good internal controls. Discussion will focus on key concepts of internal control and the State’s Fiscal Control & Internal Auditing Act (FCIAA). Case studies of significant audit findings at the unit level will highlight why internal control procedures are imperative. Participants will leave with in-house resources that can assist in the process.
Learning Objectives:	Recognize the key concepts of internal controls; Understand the importance of internal controls at the unit level Know available in-house resources

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17. UIC Efforts to Refine Our Academic Mission and Improve Administrative Functions

PDF Slides 1

PDF Slides 2

Presented By:	Lon Kaufman, Vice Provost for Planning and Programs
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	The current budget situation is forcing the University to refine the breadth and depth of our academic mission and how we are conducting our administrative functions. Interim President Ikenberry has recently appointed the Administrative Review and Restructuring Task Force to “review and make recommendations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our administrative organization and services.” UIC has established its own task force on this topic. At UIC, the Academic Directions Task Force has been appointed to review and make recommendations on “specific academic areas in which the campus should continue to invest or invest anew.” This workshop will provide participants with an overview of the work of these two task forces and what the potential implications are for the University.
Learning Objectives:	To learn about the upcoming activities of two University task forces assigned to make recommendations for improving academic and administrative efficiencies at the University

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18. Understanding Key Accounting Issues

PDF Slides

Presented By:	Timisha Luster, Resource and Policy Analyst, University Accounting and Financial Reporting Roger Wade, Business and Financial Coordinator, University Accounting and Financial Reporting Jason Bane, Business and Financial Coordinator, University Accounting and Financial Reporting
Target Audience:	All levels
Description:	Succeeding in challenging times requires an emphasis on understanding. Understanding Self-Supporting funds and their restrictions can ensure departmental compliance. Understanding the NACUBO functions behind Program codes can reduce transaction errors and increase staff efficiency. Closing stagnant Self-Supporting or Gift fund balances and correcting inaccurate encumbrances can provide a more realistic picture of your department’s financial standing. Join us to gain an understanding of these topics and where you can find additional information resources.
Learning Objectives:	Gain an understanding Self-Supporting funds and their unique challenges; How to close stagnant Self-Supporting and Gift funds; Obtain an understanding of NACUBO function codes as they relate to university transactions; Review the proper way to complete budget transfers in different fund types; Using the OBFS Home page to find additional resources

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