Memorandum
To: Strategic Planning Steering Committee
From: Ron Olinger, Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration
Date: 12/12/2011
Re: Division Update
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration (FPA) is responsible
for the Accounting, Business Office, Information Technology Services, Financial
Aid, Human Resources, Physical Plant, Purchasing, Public Safety and Risk
Management administrative departments within Missouri Western State University.
The Vice President for FPA is co-chair on the Planning and Budgeting sections of
the five-year strategic plan for MWSU. Certain staff and administrators in the FPA
division are involved as co-chairs in the five-year strategic plan goal areas of
Information Technology and Facilities and Grounds.
All Financial Planning and Administration units submitted five-year plans during
FY2002-03 as required by the strategic planning guidelines. All unit plans have been
submitted to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee (Special Assistant to the
President) in both electronic and hardcopy format. Annually, updated unit plan
goals have been developed and cross-referenced to the strategic plan goals,
objectives and action plans. Progress on these goals is documented in each
department’s unit plan and has been submitted to the Strategic Planning Steering
Committee.
Key organizational changes in FPA during FY2006-2007 include the following:
A new Director of Financial Aid, Lisa Siudym was hired on July 1st. Lisa
brought over 23 years of experience in financial aid including nine years of
experience with SCT Banner. Under her leadership the financial aid
department was able to take advantage of the banner system to streamline
many processes in the department.
Sandi Berg replaced Janna Wuest as Executive Administrative Associate to the
Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration.
CONFIDENTIAL 1
December 12, 2011
Project Updates
Two FY06 SPIF projects were completed during FY07.
Western Public Safety utilized Strategic Plan Implementation Funding to bring in
outside consultants to review public safety on campus. On March 26-29 2006,
Steven Healey, Princeton University Chief of Police, Steve Rittereiser, Central
Washington University Chief of Police and Jason Powell Central Connecticut State
University Chief of Police reviewed Western. Their formal report was received in
the fall of 2006 and a committee was formed from constituencies across campus to
review the recommendations for improvements. This committee submitted their
final report in April 2007. Findings from this report will be the basis for the
Department of Public Safety’s goals and objectives for next year.
A comprehensive audit and condition assessment of our campus structural,
mechanical, and utility systems was begun in February 2006. The final report from
this assessment was received in December 2006. During FY06/07 Physical Plant
personnel along with the campus architect have reviewed this report to prioritize
capital and maintenance plans for the next fiscal year and future periods.
Other significant events and projects that occurred during FY07 are:
The Outstanding Employee Award process was concluded during July 2006. The
Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration chaired the committee that
reviewed the applications. A list of 10 employees was recommended to Dr. Scanlon
as recipients of the 2006 awards. This year three Administrators were also
recognized for their exemplary performance and contributions to the University.
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration chaired a committee
to finalize the federal grant request for funding of the Science and Technology
Incubator. Committee members included the Dean of the Western Institute, Director
of Physical Plant, Director for External Relations, Vice President for Academic and
Student Affairs/Provost and the University Architect. The proposal was sent in on
September 20, 2006. The committee met regularly to review drafts of construction
plans and to develop preliminary organization and operating procedures. The
committee also met with the board for the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life
Sciences (IIALS) to obtain their input. The Incubator steering committee discussed
the operational and organizational structure and policies for the Science and
Technology Incubator. Bids were opened in April for construction of the facility
and construction began in June 2007.
The University’s Banner Information Management System was upgraded to version
7 on October 13 -14. As noted in the department reports, staff from across campus
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December 12, 2011
tested the various processes before and during the conversion to ensure proper
functioning of the system.
The first phase of replacing the network edge equipment has been completed.
Equipment replacement took place in ITS, Eder, Popplewell, Blum Union, and
Murphy Hall. A plan including the associated costs to replace the campus-wide
network router equipment beginning in FY08 has been completed.
Meetings were held during the fiscal year with representatives from MoDOT and
American Family to review re-construction plans for Mitchell Avenue during
summer 2007. Construction of a full sewer line that crosses over campus was also
completed during the year. Both of these projects were made possible through a tax
increment financing package that American Family created.
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration has been asked to serve on
the steering committee of the Mayor’s DREAM team, which was established to
perform a downtown revitalization study.
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration coordinated financial
aid staff with the State of Missouri Treasurer’s office to make available 10
scholarships of $500 each to students whose parents have participated in the MOST
program to save for college tuition.
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration along with the Dean
of the Western Institute and the Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student
Affairs reviewed and selected a site for a University Downtown Campus.
The Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration was appointed to the
Governors Campus Security Task Force. This 29 member committee brings
together higher education administrators, faculty, public safety and students along
with safety officials from both the public and private sectors. The committee will
work to identify and implement best practices to protect students, faculty and staff
on Missouri’s higher education campuses.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) performed their annual
program review for default management. MWSU continues to see a decrease in
cohort default rate for student borrowers. The University receives grant money from
MDHE which has assisted the Default Coordinator, in developing new
communication strategies that assist students with their repayment options. We
developed phone logs, enhanced reports from Banner so students are identified and
communication to concerning their loans. We also developed a report which tracks
the academic progress of financial aid students. The results of the report are used to
monitor eligibility for financial aid. The program review shows that we continue to
be a leader among colleges and universities in the state who shadow the MWSU
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model for default prevention. Information on our efforts was showcased at the
annual MDHE Default Prevention Conference in Jefferson City.
The Student Employment Program has been under review and reorganization during
the past 12 month period. A committee, chaired by the Vice President for Financial
Planning and Administration, was established to streamline procedures and enhance
assistance to students interested in employment on campus. This includes Federal
Work-Study, Western Work-Study, and institutional pay for students.
The following changes have been incorporated in the program to better serve the
needs of our students and the University.
The Student Employment Handbook and the Student Employment
Supervisor’s Handbook and position descriptions and pay rates were revised
and distributed in July 2006.
Student Employment Supervisor Training was conducted for all supervisors
in July 2006.
On-line Student Employment time recordkeeping was implemented in July
2006
Supervisor and student training on the time recordkeeping system were
conducted in June and July 2006.
The Human Resources department began oversight and processing of student
employment applications, hiring documents and student employment set-up
in SCT/Banner.
In January 2007, all student employment documentation to increase
minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 per hour was processed.
Student Employment Handbooks and documentation were revised to meet
the minimum wage adjustments.
The Student Employment Committee continues to meet to evaluate the
Student Employment Program.
The Policy Committee made a recommendation for the University to purchase a
Policy and Documentation Management system. Specifications were developed and
went out for bid in April 2007. To date three companies have presented presentations
on their products to the University community. Bid opening and a final
recommendation for purchase will be made during May 2007.
The Policy and Documentation Management system will provide a defined,
standardized format for all University policies as well as a tracking, archiving and
communication. The system also provides for incorporation of on-line training
programs and knowledge testing which will be used to address mandatory testing for
areas such as sexual harassment, student and employee confidentiality, conflict of
interest policies, etc.
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December 12, 2011
Ongoing plans will be to begin revising policy statements so that procedures and
forms are linked to the policy but not incorporated within.
In addition to the facilities condition audit of academic facilities, Physical Plant has
collected the data on all the major operating systems at the residential hall facilities.
We are now collecting and analyzing data on the structural and architectural
components of the facilities.
Physical Plant has completed identifying the physical locations of all the major
underground utility systems. Physical Plant enrolled two staff members in the May,
2007 GPS training provided through Dr. Cary Chevalier in the Biology Department.
Partnering with the Missouri Conservation Department, Physical Plant has initiated
the renovation of one of our primary ponds on campus. The Conservation
Department is also assisting us in annually monitoring all of our campus ponds to
identify problems and recommend corrective measures. We are also investigating the
possibility of stocking one of our ponds for winter trout fishing.
The Bursar, Associate Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration, and
Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration have implemented new
procedures to improve and closely monitor the University’s student accounts
receivable collections efforts.
The Bursars Office has fully implemented the past due collections process on prior
term accounts. In fact, the final demand letter has been sent to that population on
Monday, April 2nd.
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