How to Do Walking Meetings Right

"Recent research finds that the act of walking leads to increases in creative thinking. This certainly supports the usefulness of walking meetings. Plenty of anecdotal evidence also suggests that walking meetings lead to more honest exchanges with employees and are more productive than traditional sit-down meetings."

"Those who participate in walking meetings are 5.25% more likely to report being creative at their jobs than those who do not. Additionally, the responses suggest that walking meetings support cognitive engagement, or focus, on the job. Those who participate in walking meetings are 8.5% more likely to report high levels of engagement."

Read more about the benefits of walking meetings (and how to do them right) at the Harvard Business Review.

BETWEEN TWO FILES with Mike Ludwick and Elizabeth Adams

Hello everyone. Welcome to this edition of BETWEEN TWO FILES. My name is Mike Ludwick. I’m the Associate Director for Grants and Contracts in the Office of Sponsored Programs and today I’m here with Elizabeth Adams, who has just finished up her time at Northwestern University as the Executive Director of the Office for Sponsored Research. However, on August 10th she will be joining us here at the University of Virginia to serve as the new Assistant Vice President for Research Administration directing OSP. Welcome Elizabeth and thanks for speaking with me today.

So let’s start off with an important question about your past performance. How good a soccer player were you when you were an undergraduate at Emory University? You racked up some impressive scoring records coming in at #8 for all-time scoring for an individual season with 12 goals, 6 assists;  #6 for points per game 1.76; and #4 for all-time career scoring, 31 goals, 17 assists. 
Good job Googling! I haven’t seen those figures in some time. I loved playing soccer at Emory. I learned a lot of things on the soccer field that serve me every day in business.

How do you think your experience in athletics influenced your management style?
In soccer, I tried to develop and use as many skills as I could to help the team score. I think similarly, I enjoy bringing a resourceful, problem-solving approach to a team. I try to understand the strengths of my teammates and colleagues, and use those to the advantage of the team. Of course, persistence and resilience are also important, both on the field and in the office.  

Few people say to themselves, “When I grow up I want to be a research administrator?” And yet here we are. Tell us how you got into this profession and walk us through your career to this point.

Excel Tips & Tricks: Copy. Paste. Paste Special?

You want to copy and paste your data in Excel, but do you know which ‘paste’ is right for you? This simple graphic explains the many options you have when using the ‘copy’ and ‘paste special’ features of the Excel clipboard.

Mark Your Calendar: Research Administrators Forum & CRA Study Sessions

Research Administrators Forum
Tuesday, August 11, 2015 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM 
 Newcomb Hall Kaleidoscope Room on the 2nd floor
Come meet Elizabeth Adams, our new AVP for Research Administration. Also, Patty Marbury will also be conducting a focus group session discussing finance training needs.


Fall 2015 Certified Research Administrator (CRA) Study Sessions
On behalf of the new Finance Outreach and Compliance team and in conjunction with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), we are pleased to announce the University of Virginia’s fall 2015 Certified Research Administrator (CRA) study session schedule.  This is the tenth year that we’ve partnered with subject matter experts from across grounds to offer these study sessions to provide help to those attempting to master the body of knowledge specified by the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC).  Although UVa subject matter experts will be leading these sessions, they are NOT targeted to address practices specific to UVa, rather the experts will speak about the requirements for obtaining and managing sponsored awards from a global perspective.  However, participants will be provided links, work aids, and course recommendations for learning more about how UVa implements these requirements through policy, procedures, and guidance.

For those interested in pursuing the CRA certification please review the specific educational and experience requirements available on the RACC website.  The exam to be administered this fall will not include questions drawn from the Uniform Guidance as the RACC has decided to phase those in gradually over the next three years.  Here is the proposed phase in schedule:

• May and November 2015 – former regulations (Circular based and using agency specific regulations predating the December 26, 2014 implementation date)
• May and November 2016 – approximately 1/3 of the relevant questions will be based on the new regulations
• May and November 2017 – approximately 2/3 of the relevant questions will be based on the new regulations
• May 2018 examination – All relevant questions will be based on the new regulations

Fall testing dates are early this year, so our kick off session is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 with weekly sessions to follow through Wednesday, November 4.

These sessions:
• include a minimum of 11 meetings focused on specific examination topics
• will be no longer than two hours (mostly scheduled from noon – 2pm)
• are limited to the participation of 12 individuals; priority will be given on a first come first served basis
• will be provided at no cost to you or your department
• will require a time commitment from you outside of the formal study sessions, particularly if you plan to take the CRA exam
• will require the support of your supervisor

Most sessions will be held in FinAdmin Conference Room E, located in Carruthers Hall.

Updates from the Comptroller's Office: APA Audit & Cardinal

APA Audit
The audit is progressing as usual, and the APA will be on-site full time in early to mid-August. A new GASB Pronouncement (GASB 68) effective for FY15 will have a significant impact on the University’s financial statements, thus requiring additional time and effort.  Our goal this year is to have the completed financial statements by the November BOV meeting.

Cardinal 
The Commonwealth’s transition to Cardinal is still going on with the February 1, 2016 “go live” date rapidly approaching. The Comptroller’s staff will begin going to individual training workshops that address specific users and modules of the new Cardinal System over the next few months. IS-EA has been busy “stamping” the new Cardinal accounts in Oracle and Accounting Services has also been involved in numerous tasks related to this project.

Updates from Outreach & Compliance: Listserv & Staff Changes

Our team has a newly created list serve which can be used to communicate information to our group, and for training &/or outreach requests: finance-outreach@virginia.edu.

There have also been a few recent changes to our group:


Patty Marbury joined the Finance Outreach & Compliance team as the Finance Training Lead. Patty has been with UVa for 15 years, first as an instructional designer with the Integrated System Project and then as the Learning and Development Manager for Systems and Technical Training with University Human Resources, in the Center for Leadership Excellence. Her background includes over 20 years of employee development experience with the federal government and at UVa. Her expertise and interests include instructional design, curriculum development, technical writing, facilitation, coaching, and leadership development. Patty has a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.

In Finance Outreach and Compliance, our charge is to create a comprehensive training program for finance professionals at UVa, and Patty will be leading this effort. We are excited about creating a program that is engaging and provides training in the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively do the job at all levels, from entry-level to advanced. We also want the program to provide a structure that encourages career development and advancement among finance professionals. We look forward to working with you all to make this happen!


Brandon Barnhill, our Export Control analyst, left UVa July 31st to accept a position at Portland State. Although we are disappointed to lose Brandon, we wish him well in his new role, knowing this is a wonderful opportunity for him.

Updates from MRP: More New Team Members, Agile Training, & Data Governance

More New Managerial Reporting Project Team Members
Ashley Bagby is the newest Managerial Reporting Project Data Analyst. She brings 16 years of experience in finance and operations at GE, and is excited to work with a new group of sharp, dedicated people across Grounds. She was a Classics major at UVA, and is thrilled to be back!

In her spare time, Ashley enjoys knitting cool socks and cheering for UVA sports—admittedly at the same time. She once completed a pair of socks in 26 hours, which we assume is fast. Her husband, kids and cat Richard hope she can break the 24-hour mark. Welcome, Ashley!




Agile Training
Tom Kim from the Managerial Reporting Project is starting monthly Agile information sessions. The sessions will give University employees insight into the MRP methodology, and general information about the project. The first class is Wednesday August 19th at 10am—learn more and RSVP online.


Data Governance Explained
Do you know what data governance means? Do you know why the Managerial Reporting Project is working on it? Would you like a quick video explanation? Join Forrest and Tom from the MRP team as they discuss data governance within the context of a couple easy-to-understand scenarios at the University.

Eight Email Mistakes That Could Hurt Your Career

"Email mistakes can derail your career or harm your reputation, says career consultant Marcelle Yeager, writing for U.S. News & World Report, so keep emails professional by avoiding these eight common errors.

Although emails have become less formal, a seemingly innocent typo or a flippant remark can have severe consequences. Yeager cautions that people should take email within the office more seriously than email among friends and family."

To see Yeager's eight tips to avoid email taboos, check the EAB Daily Briefing.

Two New Team Members Join the Managerial Reporting Project

Johann Reinicke has been a UVA employee for more than 12 years. His career spans various IT support roles in the Health System, SCPS, Student System Project and SFS. He joins the project as the Scrum Master for the Architecture team.

Johann is passionate about improving people’s lives through technology and process improvement. He is excited to join the MRP team because, as he says “the MRP Team is extremely talented, motivated and an experienced group—doing exactly what I’m passionate about.”

Johann is a Batesville native, and is related to all three of the other Reinickes employed at UVA—his wife, mother and brother. He and his wife Carey have three young children.

Laura Nucci is the newest Data Analyst on the Managerial Reporting Project team. She is excited to learn the variety of new applications being utilized by the team.

Laura has been a consultant for nearly 20 years, and has implemented large computer software packages (Baan, SAP & Siebel) and reporting systems, and has worked on continuous process improvement initiatives. In 2008, Laura co-founded a local consulting firm that helps small to medium-size businesses manage their operational and growth challenges by implementing Lean/Agile techniques across their software and business operations departments.  She has worked for a number of start-ups in the Charlottesville area, implementing financial systems, data warehouse reporting systems and business analytics processes.

Laura lives in Earlysville with her husband, three children, three dogs and a cat.  When not at work, Laura is either shuttling kids in the family taxi, exercising at ACAC or reading a book.

Finance Forward 2015

Nearly 150 UVA finance professionals met in June for the annual Finance Forward conference. The event is sponsored by Melody Bianchetto, the Associate Vice President for Finance, and was hosted at the McIntire School of Commerce.

Attendees collaborated, learned and networked with each other at the day-long event—which addressed a full range of professional development topics. Because fiscal administrators and other data management staff play a critical role at the University, the program addressed current and future financial analyst skills, and pathways to develop new skillsets.

Carolyn Saint, the University’s new Internal Audit leader gave the first presentation, followed by Nicole Ferretti from the Budget Office, and Judy DiVita from the Managerial Reporting Project. The conference also offered morning and afternoon breakout sessions, including a full menu of topics led by attendees and area experts. The day concluded with a panel discussion on finance careers at the University. All available presentation materials are online.

The UVA Board of Visitors met the same week, so Finance Forward participants were treated the following day to a discussion with UVA Board Member Victoria Harker. Ms. Harker spoke candidly about the University’s strategic goals and mission of excellence, as well as her experience working with the BOV.

Finance Forward 2015 was a success, and many thanks go out to the entire planning committee. The McIntire School of Commerce was a wonderful host, and special thanks go out to Rob Tharpe for his ongoing support and partnership with McIntire. The conference has evolved to include staff from all schools and major offices of the University, reflecting the mission of collaboration across Grounds. Finance Forward aims to build a more collaborative team of professionals that pursue excellence and continuous professional development.

Finance Forward Quotes and Feedback:

“The conference sessions were rich in valuable information and the networking opportunities throughout the day were plentiful. Time well spent.”

“The variety, and range of topics discussed and experienced were great.”

“I enjoyed the Finance Forward conference. It provides an important opportunity to see colleagues, and make new connections. The topics were very timely and pertinent.”

Excel Help: In-Person and Online

Thank you to the more-than 100 attendees one of the “Advancing your Excel Skills” class this spring. The AVP-Finance area had 65 attendees, 14 from various schools, and the remainder from different Auxiliary and Central Offices. Classes are on hold for the time-being as we regroup and refine the offering. Special thanks to Malika Ouenza, Disha Venkatesan, Greg Ball, Lisa Shuler, Andrew Yeung, and Tom Kim for help with the classes.

Meanwhile, Peggy Reitz from the Center for Leadership Excellence has put together some great resources for us regardless of current skill level. For help with basic Excel skills we have access to Skillsoft Training.  Additionally, the University has access to the http://www.Lynda.com training website which has approximately 100 in-depth Excel videos for review.

Finally, we launched an Excel_help@virginia.edu list, which the Excel training team is monitoring. We happily offer our many years of Excel knowledge as a resource if you need just a quick question answered, or want to schedule some time for more in-depth help with an Excel challenge.

Facilities & Administrative Rate Submission

The University periodically renegotiates the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate with the federal government, through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This rate is applied to federal grants to offset the ‘overhead’ costs associated with research. Our rate is currently 58%. The rate calculation submitted June 30, 2015 demonstrates that our costs associated with research grants are 67.34%.

Creating the rate proposal requires effort across many parts of the University, coordinated by the Cost Analysis unit in the Comptroller’s Office. Detailed information must be gathered on buildings, personnel, utilities, equipment inventory, and other costs. Dozens of people are either directly or indirectly involved in the data collection before Cost Analysis uses the proprietary software CRIS to calculate the rate and create the hundreds of pages of unique reports required for the submission.

Although it is unlikely we will receive 67%, for every percentage point of change it will be worth approximately $1 million to the University in the first year of implementation (most likely fiscal year 2016). Under UFM, those funds will go directly to the schools doing the associated research. A negotiated rate is agreed to for a term of three to four years when implemented, so that new rate will most likely be in place until 2019.

The Cost Analysis team is Sara Tarkington, Yvonne Metheny, and John Wallace-Smith. For more information on F&A check out their FAQ page: http://www.virginia.edu/finance/finanalysis/FA_FAQ.html.

Fiscal Administrators Meeting and the MRP Team

Members of the Managerial Reporting Project team attended the June Fiscal Administrators meeting, with Mark Anderson leading an hour-long pre-session about reporting requirements. More than 50 Fiscal Administrators attended the engagingsession, which provided a platform for all to discuss broad reporting needs. The project team is thankful for the big turnout of this important constituency, and the team looks forward to future opportunities to work together.

Educational Opportunity for Research Administrators: NCURA

National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Annual Meeting
August 2-5, Washington DC

The conference, usually attended by over 2,000 people each year, begins with a full day of pre-conference workshops and senior level forums which are a supplemental training program open to all registrants of the annual meeting. This in-depth, targeted training and professional development includes offerings for those new to the profession to our most senior level members.

Then there are two and a half days of presentations, discussions, open forums and networking opportunities spanning all areas of research administration including, but not limited to, Pre-Award, Post-Award, Compliance, Departmental, International, Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions, Clinical Trials/Research, and Career-Skills

Bookmark This: AVPF Blog Resources

If you read the email digest version of the AVP for Finance Blog, you're missing a few great resources! Click here to see the full blog, which includes not only the posts you enjoy in the digest, but also job openings, professional development resources, and searchable content categories.