From Melody's Desk

November 19, 2018

Dear team,

As we take a break to spend time with our friends and families for Thanksgiving, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all that you do. Every day your efforts are appreciated by your managers, your colleagues, faculty and staff in the schools and units, students and families, patients, donors, and visitors to the University. I have been struck this year by the notes of appreciation that have been shared with me from others outside UVAFinance, as well as the full board of “shout outs” that each of you share with your UVAFinance co-workers each month. I see statements like “I am extremely thankful”, “you are a life-saver”, “I will forever be in gratitude”, “I can’t imagine having to do my work without her”, “a most valuable member of the UVA team”, “your team has been beyond helpful”, and so on.

I know that there have been many challenges this year as you have worked long hours to meet deadlines and answer requests, learn and master new tasks and systems, adjust to unexpected complications, and spend much of your time problem-solving. It can be easy to get caught up in the day to day trials, but I encourage you to take a few minutes today to step back and look at the big picture to reflect on the positive impacts that you have had on UVA and our community. You have touched and improved the daily lives of so many and for that, I am most thankful.

Thanksgiving is also a great time for you to take an opportunity to pledge to the 2018 Combined Virginia Campaign (CVC)! In 2017 we had 34 UVAFinance team members contribute nearly $17,500. So far in 2018, we have had 10 team members contributing $3,400. I know that we can do better than this, so I encourage you all to take time to make your pledge to help the more than 1,000 charities that serve persons in need throughout Charlottesville, Virginia, the US, and the world. Remember, it is not how much you give but that you give that makes a difference! You can pick up a red envelope from Stacey or utilize the online form through the CVC website.

I hope you all have a restful and safe Thanksgiving!





PS – You can find great shopping sales and benefit the CVC at the annual Cavalier Computers and Bookstore holiday sale from November 26 through December 1. If you make a $10 CVC contribution at the register, you will get a $15 UVA Bookstore gift card!

Opening Doors of Opportunity for UVA students

UVA is making a promise that Virginia families who earn less than $80,000 a year and have typical assets will be able to send their child to UVA tuition-free.  For Virginia families earning less than $30,000 a year with typical assets, we will cover their child's room and board in addition to their tuition.

This is the first step in a larger and longer project by President Ryan and the Board of Visitors to look at current financial aid packages for both Virginia and out-of-state students.

In his inauguration speech, President Ryan said, “I see a community that opens wide the door to opportunity for first-generation, low- and middle-income students."

“There is more work to be done in this space, there will be more work done in this space, but we might as well get started.”

Steve Kimata, Assistant Vice President for Student Financial Services, says that current UVA financial aid essentially meets the commitment laid out by Ryan, but that it's important to make an explicit promise to our low-and-middle-income families.

"Opening doors of opportunity is one of our highest callings as a public university," said Kimata.

Current programs will stay in place.  The promise will be focused on members of the fall 2019 incoming class, but applies to all current undergraduate students as well for aid that will be awarded for the fall of 2019 going forward.  Current undergraduate students will apply for financial aid as normal and be evaluated for eligibility for this promise even if the student has not received financial aid in the past.

The University currently meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of all undergraduate students and offers admission to students with no consideration of their family financial situation.

Consistent with AccessUVA, the total grants awarded to students will be funded from a variety of sources:  federal, state, endowment, and tuition.  We will meet these new commitments with all grants.  Loans (capped at $1,000 for low-income students and $4,500 for others with demonstrated need) and work-study will continue to be offered to meet other costs of attendance.

$19 Million in Savings: The Power of Strategic Sourcing

Our colleague Ryan Balber, located in Procurement & Supplier Diversity Services, recently presented to the Leadership Advisory Council of the Virginia Higher Education Procurement Consortium (VHEPC) the results of the strategic sourcing efforts he has championed as Director of VHEPC for the past three fiscal years.

Ryan Balber

Balber is located here at UVA, and his position is funded by all VHEPC member entities.  In his role, he has developed a strategic and cooperative procurement program leveraging the purchasing power of VHEPC's 15 member organizations.  In the three years since VHEPC was formed and Balber took the lead, he has worked hard to negotiate better contracts for member entities with their suppliers.

The results of these efforts are impressive:  $19 million in savings and incentives enjoyed by UVA, The College of William & Mary, James Madison University, and more.  UVA's portion of the savings totaled over $6.5 million.

Sam Jones, Senior Vice President for Finance at the College of William and Mary, noted that the results of VHEPC's efforts speak for themselves, and UVA's John McHugh, Interim Director of PSDS, agrees.

"This is strategic sourcing in a nutshell," he said.

Well done, Ryan!
__________________________________________________________

Read more about VHEPC on their website. 

Workday goes live January 7, 2019. Are you ready?

Go here for training: http://workday.hr.virginia.edu/

Go here for other workday information: https://ufirst.virginia.edu/

Be sure and check out the info below on how to get training, prepare for changes to current systems, learn about security and access in Workday and how leave balances will be displayed differently:

Message from the CHRO: Training and System Cutover: https://ufirst.virginia.edu/blog/2018/11/07/chro-update-workday-training-and-system-cutover

Changes are coming, but when?: https://ufirst.virginia.edu/blog/2018/11/08/changes-are-coming-both-and-after-go-live-%E2%80%93-when

Workday Security Roles – What you need to know: https://ufirst.virginia.edu/blog/2018/11/02/workday-security-roles-%E2%80%93-what-you-need-know

Spotlight on Leave Balances: https://ufirst.virginia.edu/blog/2018/11/05/spotlight-leave-balances

THE FOLLOWING IS INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW, 

AND ACTIONS YOU NEED TO TAKE, NOW.

Workday Training – Take it now
Workday training is available at http://workday.hr.virginia.edu/. Please take the Workday Essentials eLearning course so you know how to use Workday. If you manage people, please also complete the Manager Essentials course. You may choose to take the eLearning module or register for an instructor-led session.


System Cutover

A critical step during the launch is to load data from our current systems into Workday. This is planned for November 30. Therefore, any transactions other than time and absence entry, between November 30, 2018 and January 7, 2019 should be kept to a minimum. Below is an overview of the cutover timeline. For detailed information, please visit:https://ufirst.virginia.edu/cutover-timeline.

Personal Information
Any changes you want or need to make to your HR record including, name, address, emergency contacts, tax forms or banking information should be completed by November 30.
After November 30 we ask that you only make changes that are time sensitive and must be made to support a smooth transition before January 7.

Required benefits changes can be made during this time by contacting the HR Solution Center, askHR@virginia.edu or 434-243-3344. 

Payroll
Pay calendars will not change as a result of Workday.
Payslips will be viewable in Workday for the first time on the following dates:
January 4, 2019 – Medical Center and UPG Bi-weekly Payday
January 11, 2019 – Academic Division Bi-weekly Payday
February 1, 2019 – Academic and UPG Monthly Payday
W2’s for 2018 will be accessed through your current HR system, not Workday 

Performance Management
Performance evaluation activity in current systems completed by October 31, 2018 will migrate to Workday. View only access will be available after November 1.

Recruiting
Hiring managers should work directly with their Recruiter to determine the details of how existing open positions will be addressed.

Important cutover dates for transition from Oracle Learning Management to Workday

From December 15, 2018, through January 7, 2019, required online training for access to the Integrated System will not be available. 

The following are important dates to note as we transition from Oracle Learning Management to Workday for access to online training and to enroll in instructor-led classes:

• Oracle Learning Management (Employee Self-Service > Learning) will be unavailable beginning Saturday, December 15, 2018. This means you will not be able to complete or have access to online training, and you will not be able to enroll in courses.
• The new learning management system in Workday will be available beginning Monday, January 7, 2019. All courses completed within the last 7 years will be listed in your Learning application; incomplete courses will not be listed.
• If you have an open ESHARP request, or need to complete any other online training, please complete it by December 15, 2018.
• If you need to enroll in Finance Fundamentals scheduled for January 8 or January 22, please do so by December 15, 2018. If you miss this date, please email FOC-training@virginia.edu with the name of the enrollee. No other instructor-led classes are open for enrollment at this time, but will be in Workday after January 7, 2019.

Please plan accordingly – training for access to the Integrated System will not be available. 

Please contact FOC-training@virginia.edu if you have questions.

Let's get organized: Finance Matters

Even if you're not a New Year's Resolution kind of person, the end of the year is a time that we often have a little more interest in tidying up and getting organized

If you're thinking of how you can be more organized and productive going forward, check out the latest edition of Finance Matters!  Patty and Brandi talk about some great ways to clear out the literal and metaphorical clutter in your life.

                                                        Listen to the episode by clicking here!

We want to hear from you

Got a tip on how to be more organized or make your workspace or processes leaner? Have you found the perfect method to keep yourself on track and on task?  Please share and we'll include your suggestions into a "Part Two" episode!

You can email your suggestions to Patty or Brandi, or just comment below.

Financial Reporting & Operations welcomes Kimberly Smith

From L to R:  Grace, Virginia, A.J., Kimberly,
Jackson, and Ella Smith

Financial Reporting & Operations is pleased to announce that Kimberly Smith has joined the Financial Reporting Team in the role of Senior Accountant.

Smith owned and operated her own accounting business, Smith & Smith LLC, for 16 years, and has accounting and tax experience across a variety of industries. She and her husband A.J. (a corporate accountant) decided to move their family of five back to Charlottesville a few years ago, where he took over the business and she pursued opportunities at her alma mater.

"It's really exciting to come back," Smith said, adding that it was evident from the get-go that UVAFinance seemed to have an appealing atmosphere.

"People are not only nice to one another; they genuinely seem to like their jobs. That speaks well to me enjoying my new role if everyone else enjoys theirs," she said.

The Smith family enjoys traveling together. 
Kim's husband A.J. is also a Hoo (a double Hoo!)

In between the full circle of her getting her B.A. from UVA and her recent return are many years of travel and adventure with her family. The Smiths lived abroad for ten years in England, in the town of Guildford in Surrey.

Besides travel, Smith and her family keep busy hiking, camping, and dashing between the three younger Smiths' soccer, rowing, and swim meets.