Introduction:

The Division of Finance and Operations, under the direction of the Vice
President for Finance and Operations, is the administrative and operational
unit of the University, providing leadership and expertise for delivering
quality services essential to the mission of the University. The division, with approximately 555 full time and 800 part time and student employees and
an annual budget of approximately $55 million, comprises the following
units: Associate Vice President; Assistant Vice President including Duplicating
Services, Mailing Services, Printing Center, and the University Bookstore;
Auxiliary Services including Chester Fritz Auditorium, Police, Traffic,
Transportation, Environmental Training Institute, and the Ray Richards
Golf Course; Controller including Accounting Services, Bursar’s Office,
Grant and Contract Administration, and Purchasing and Central Receiving;
Facilities; Payroll and Risk Management; Personnel Services; Residence
Services including Housing, Dining, University Children’s Center, Campus ID
Card; Radiation and Chemical Safety; Safety and Environmental Health; and
Telecommunications.

The Planning Process:

In January 2000, President Kupchella extended an invitation to all members
of the campus community to take part in shaping a strategic plan for the
University. Throughout the spring of 2000, Finance and Operations employees
participated in campus forums and workshops on the strategic planning process
and provided input into the identification of priority action areas and goals
for the plan. In March 2000, President Kupchella charged each unit with
developing a unit-specific strategic plan that addressed all of the priority
action areas presented through the University Planning and Budgeting
Committee, with the expectation unit plans would inform the broader
University-wide plan.

Finance and Operation departments began the process to develop their
unit-specific plans in March 2000. During the summer of 2000, the office of
VPFO held two half day planning retreats with the division’s extended
management group (See Appendix B) to finalize a mission statement, value
statement, environmental scan and draft goal statements. That group then
met monthly through November to review the draft strategic plan as it
evolved.

The goals and action steps reported herein are a compilation of the
strategic plans from each of the units within Finance and Operations
(see Appendix A).