The following update outlines several significant changes in the AVP Finance and Operations portfolio on the Okanagan campus, involving Finance, Risk Management Services, Campus Security, and the creation of a new department overseeing all ancillary business units on campus.
Two new Finance directors
Last summer I announced a major restructuring of finance operations on the Okanagan campus. The resulting changes led to the creation of:
- The Budget and Strategic Decision Support team responsible for the overall campus budget, 10-year financial outlook and high-level financial and operational support for the campus executive
- The integrated and distributed model with a team of Finance Managers embedded within the faculties and administrative departments they support that is connected to a central Finance organization.
- The Payment and Procurement Services team responsible for the transactional elements of Accounts Payable, Payroll and Purchasing
In reviewing the delivery of Finance services over the past year, it has become apparent that there are two distinct leadership roles that require dedicated Directors: Finance Strategies (item 1 above) and Finance Operations (items 2 and 3 above).
As a result, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Curtis Morcom as Director, Finance Strategies, and Carri Lawrence as Director, Finance Operations.
Both Curtis and Carri emerged as the clear winners of a highly competitive search process and I would like to thank them for serving in interim leadership roles during the reorganization of the Finance department.
Business Operations
Changes in the Student Services portfolio, announced yesterday, include the move of the following ancillary services to the Finance and Operations portfolio:
- Student Housing
- Conferences and Accommodations
- Food Services
This created an opportunity to reassess how the Finance and Operations portfolio is structured, and that has driven a variety of changes. These include creation of a new Business Operations team and merging of Risk Management Services and Security to become one unit.
I am pleased to announce that Shannon Dunn has been appointed Director, Business Operations. Since mid-2013, Shannon has been seconded to serve as Director, Capital Planning, and was formerly Director, Student Housing and Hospitality Services. In her new role, she will oversee all ancillary services (student housing, conferences and accommodations, food services, parking and the Bookstore) on the Okanagan campus.
In recognition of the significant role of student housing, Conferences and Accommodations, and Food Service operations, Shannon will have a dual report to Andrew Parr, Managing Director of Student Housing and Hospitality Services in Vancouver, as well as to myself.
View Finance and Operations organizational chart
In addition to the reporting structure outlined above, a strategic governance committee will be established to provide overall direction for the Business Operations team. Recognizing the commitment to the student experience on the Okanagan campus and the operational responsibility of the Bookstore from the Vancouver campus, the committee will consist of:
- Shannon Dunn, Director, Business Operations
- Michael Shakespeare, AVP, Finance and Operations
- Andrew Parr, Managing Director, Student Housing and Hospitality Services
- Ian Cull, AVP Students
- Debbie Harvie, Managing Director, University Community Services
Risk Management Services and Security become one unit
Campus Security is being merged with Risk Management Services (formerly Health, Safety and Environment) with a new Associate Director position being created to manage all security and risk management services on the Okanagan campus. This position will report to Shelley Kayfish, Director, Campus Operations and Risk Management.
As a result of the changes to the Parking and Security portfolios, the position of Associate Director, Parking and Security, currently held by Garry Appleton, has been eliminated. I’d like to thank Garry for his years of service developing an outstanding and efficient system of parking and security services for the Okanagan campus and wish him well in his future endeavours.
I am confident the changes announced today will provide new leadership focus and organizational alignment to deliver highly-effective services that best meet the needs of today’s students, faculty, staff, and UBC as a whole. Please join me in congratulating Curtis, Carri and Shannon on their new positions.
Sincerely,
Michael Shakespeare
Associate Vice-President, Finance and Operations
