Sign up now!Interested in merging sustainability into your current job? Project Drawdown, a U.S. nonprofit organization whose mission is to help stop climate change, is launching a new employee training designed to help folks who might not work directly in sustainability, but want to integrate sustainability practices into their current roles. The goal is to make every job a green job!The virtual three-part training includes content and activities to: Demystify the role of business and inst
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Thank you to everyone who joined us—both in person and online—for the 2025 Spring FOCUS Conference! With nearly 350 attendees, this event provided a fantastic opportunity for the finance community to connect, learn, and grow together.We’re especially grateful to our sponsors—EY, Workday, Nelnet, Transact + CBORD, and Flywire—for their generous support, and to all the presenters and volunteers who made the day possible. From insightful sessions to meaningful networking, it was a great reminder of
UVA's Treasury department has recently implemented a few specific transformations to improve accuracy, efficiency, and help sustain a strong financial foundation. Phase 2 of the General Ledger (GL) Integrity initiative at Medical Center for PayrollUVAFinance is currently progressing to Phase 2 of the GL Integrity initiative, the next step forward in our broader GL transformation strategy (read more about our progress toward GL Integrity here). The new structure will enhance controls and cle
We're making progress!Earlier this year, UVAFinance shared our 2025 priorities with the Finance Advisory Network and the broader UVA finance community. These priorities—Operational Priorities, Workday Optimization, and Engagement—are designed to enhance financial accuracy, operational ease, and community connection. Since then, we've made significant progress thanks to the dedication, partnership, and expertise of finance professionals across Grounds.Here’s an update on how we’re moving these pr
UVAFinance is excited to share the recent changes to the General Accounting team structure that reflect both transitions and big opportunities for growth. The team is confident that these changes will create a stronger, more agile collaborative dynamic where everyone feel seen, supported, and ready for what's next!Team Updates ---------------------------------------Stephanie McAteer Transferring to General Accounting from the Financial Reporting team, McAteer plays a key role in stren
Starting April 28th through mid-May, UVA underwent a verification period, the Workday Attestation campaign, to ensure all employees had the correct Workday access to stay within compliance and on top of security.We are proud to say that this campaign was an enormous success. Over 1,300 managers and 3,300+ employees were certified across 38,000+ assignable roles within UVA's Academic, Medical Center, and UPG departments! In total, 99.8% of attestations were completed during this process
by Patty Marbury, Director of Training & DevelopmentProfessional development is a great way to stay connected and to meet the challenges of our ever-evolving world of higher education and beyond. Whether you’re interested in learning new or refreshing current skills, building your leadership competencies, or just staying current with the latest trends, there are plenty of opportunities to grow. It’s also a chance to connect with other colleagues, explore new interests, and find ways to
Training recording, FAQ, and more!The Amazon Punchout Tile is now live in the UVA Marketplace, making it easier than ever for schools and units across the University to purchase through Amazon Business—while maintaining the compliance and oversight UVA requires.
To support your transition to this new purchasing method, Procurement Services has posted a recording of the Amazon Punchout Training, along with a helpful FAQ, on our website. Whether you’re brand new to the process or just need a quick
Congrats Andrew!Andrew Clark Receives His CompTIA Security+ Certification Recently, Andrew Clark, Supplier Management Specialist, obtained his CompTIA Security+ CE Certification from CompTIA. This certification course builds a foundation of knowledge in baseline cybersecurity skills, including general security concepts, threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations, security architecture and operations, and security program management. This certification encompasses the latest updates in cyberse
Happy Bike Month!Happy Bike Month, UVA!Next week is National Bike to Work Week, and we will celebrate on Tuesday (5/13) with a UVA Bike Social, sponsored by Ben and Jerry’s! 🚲🍦UVA Bike Social Tues, May 13, from 3:30-5:30pm Grassy area outside the Aquatic and Fitness Center (AFC)- rain location will be inside the AFCWhether you are already a bike commuter or just interested in learning more, join us for this Bike Social supporting Bike to Work Week. Music, lawn games, Ben and
Transitioning to PaymodeUVA Finance continues to transition vendor payments from PaymentWorks to Bank of America products, including Paymode and ePayables. This change supports our continued efforts to improve efficiency and streamline payment processes for the vendors who work with UVA. No Action Required from DepartmentsWe’re sharing this update for your awareness—no action is required from departments. In late May to early June, our banking partner Bank of America, will begin reac
Check out the new updates!Recently, there have been a few new changes to the FDM Validator in Workday that have gone into effect. These changes shouldn't be too big for UVAFinance folks but it is important to be aware of them in case future questions arise. These changes are detailed below.Taggable TypeTaggable Type will now default to Accounting Journal and cannot be changed. You will be able to use the validated worktag combination with other transaction types in Workday.Transaction Date:
It's OK to sign the OCD!The TravelUVA team has been working hard making booking groups and events at local contracted hotels as easy as possible. The team recently created a new and improved version of the Hotel Order Confirmation Document (OCD). This document is completed by a local hotel with a master agreement with UVA, and is then sent to the UVA department contact to confirm their group and event booking.Starting May 5, 2025, when departments arrange an event with a local contracted hotel,
It's OK to sign the OCD!The TravelUVA team has been working hard making booking groups and events at local contracted hotels as easy as possible. The team recently created a new and improved version of the Hotel Order Confirmation Document (OCD). This document is completed by a local hotel with a master agreement with UVA, and is then sent to the UVA department contact to confirm their group and event booking.Starting May 5, 2025, when departments arrange an event with a local contracted hotel,
Celebrate you and your grads!May is the season to celebrate students' academic achievements and success! If you or someone in your immediate family is graduating this year, your UVAFinance teammates would like to celebrate with you. Whether they graduated pre-K, high school, college, or became a doctor, we'd love to take the time to honor them. Please share your news with the blog by emailing us before the end of June. Please provide your name and your student's name(s), your rela
Be well this spring!May is Mental Health Month!May is a month when the world exhales into color, warmth, and possibility. It represents a season that reminds us that growth is not just an idea, but something we can see and feel. For that reason, it's fitting that May is also Mental Health Awareness Month: a time to honor the often unseen landscapes of our inner well-being. Below are some mental well-being opportunities that are designed to support you.Caregiver Connection: Exploring Care and Sup
Register now!On June 5th from 11:00am - 12:15pm, UVA's Organizational Excellence will be sponsoring the online event, Introduction to Liberating Structures: Unleashing the Power of Groups for Better Results. This event, featuring presenters Sarah Collie and Mary Brackett from Organization Excellence, will help attendees discover how to use the transformative tools of Liberating Structures (LS) to enhance the effectiveness of groups. This experiential session introduces the foundational
Show off those furry friends!June 20th is National Take Your Dog to Work Day!Last year, UVAFinance participated in the fun by holding a Virtual Bring Your Pet to Work Celebration featuring any and all pets, and will be hosting the event again this year!To participate, please share pictures of your pets with their names and any other fun facts about your furry, feathered, or scaly friends. Send info to Brandi Van Ormer.Pictures will be shared via the UVAFinance Flickr account by J
Register now!Online registration for the Spring 2025 FOCUS Conference is officially open! This year's event will be hosted by the University of Virginia from May 20 - 22, 2025, bringing together finance professionals for an engaging and informative experience. Registration DetailsCost to attend online: $50Link to register: https://pci.foc.virginia.edu/UVA_FOCUS_CONFERENCEDeadline to register: May 16No CPE Credits for online attendeesAfter registering, you'll receive an email promp
Save the date!Procurement Services is pleased to present their Small Business Expo on Friday, June 11 at Newcomb Hall. The event will run from 12 pm to 2 pm.At the Small Business Expo, you'll have the opportunity to discover new businesses, connect in person with your favorite local small businesses and companies, and learn more about everything they have to offer. We hope to see you there!RSVP Here: University of Virginia's Small Business Expo Registration, Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 12:00
Procurement Services is pleased to present their Small Business Expo this June 11 at Newcomb Hall. The event will run from 12 pm to 2pm.At the Small Business Expo, you'll have the opportunity to discover new businesses, connect in person with your favorite local small businesses and companies, and learn more about everything they have to offer. We hope to see you there!RSVP Here: University of Virginia's Small Business Expo Registration, Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite 
When do your vendors need to be reviewed?Contributed by the Infosec Compliance TeamWondering when a vendor needs to be reviewed? The ITS Information Security Compliance Team has you covered.Ask yourself these questions to determine the correct steps to take in the submission process!How does the vendor handle UVA's data?If they: Process, store, AND/OR transmit data in the cloud AND The data is highly sensitive data (HSD) OR it’s a mission-critical service Then they need to be submitted for a sec
Congrats Danae!Danae Polemi's New Role as Manager of Travel & Expense TeamOn April 8, Danae Polemi started as the new Manager of the Travel and Expense Team. Polemi was serving in this role to an interim capacity, so we're thrilled to welcome her in this position permanently. Since joining UVA in 2020, Polemi has been an integral part of supporting UVA travelers and strengthening T&E operations. Her broad experience in both higher education and the travel industry, along with her thought
Coming June 5Last fall, we shared that UVA's historical data from Oracle is being moved to a new home: Solix, a more secure and structured data archive. This move, a collaboration between UVAFinance, OSP, UVAHR, and ITS, is part of our commitment to protecting sensitive data and improving data management practices. As a reminder, Oracle is no longer being updated with new financial or HR data since the University’s transition to Workday. The Oracle environment will be officially sunset
Why do internal controls matter?Contributed by JJ SullivanThe UVAFinance Compliance team plays a vital role in supporting not just students, but parents, taxpayers, sponsors, and the broader university community as well. By ensuring the University follows critical regulations and policies, the Compliance team helps protect the resources that power UVA. A key part of this work involves strong internal controls that help prevent errors in UVAFinance's framework, while keeping operations tran