Restructuring will offer financial relief
A long-planned restructuring in the finance and resources portfolio that has been a year in the making is being implemented to improve service and provide cost savings at the U of S
By University CommunicationsThe streamlining process, a major project headed by Greg Fowler, vice-president finance and resources, will consolidate seven units into four while reducing 25 per cent of the leadership complement and eliminating a total of 15 positions from the 1,200 members in the division.
“This change is about people working together to provide service that has a positive impact on the university’s core mission,” said Fowler. “We know we have not always met the university’s needs—we are focused on improving that. We will be successful when people say ‘you make it easier for me to do my job.’”
Fowler said the changes are designed to eliminate duplication, align services and reduce errors and wait times, while also saving the university close to $2.7 million annually, beginning in 2018-19.
“Although our planning began long before the current budget situation facing the university, we have and must consider budget implications in all of our decisions,” Fowler said.
The seven business areas in the portfolio (Customer Services, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities Management, Corporate Administration, and ConnectionPoint) will now be integrated into four: People and Resources, Information Technology, Services, and Strategic Projects. The streamlining will result in trimming associate vice-president positions from four to three, director positions from 24 to 19, and manager positions from 72 to 50.