As UC Merced emerges from its start-up phase to a more mature research university campus, the VCBAS has the opportunity to ensure that a diverse range of administrative and business support functions are aligned with current and future campus directions. The VCBAS will develop and lead a comprehensive program of business process improvement, innovation, and simplification; and s/he will undertake initiatives to build a customer service culture across the division. The VCBAS holds ultimate responsibility for the fiscal integrity and protection of campus assets; the leadership of the Early Childhood Education Center; the development of robust human resource functions; and the leadership and oversight of units responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, and safety of campus buildings and grounds. The position also coordinates policy development relating to administrative and business services, oversees campus sustainability efforts, participates in various campus committees, and serves as the official liaison with the University of California Office of the President, other universities, outside agencies, and the local community in all areas of the division’s responsibility. In helping lead UC Merced into its next stage of growth, the VCBAS will address several key opportunities and challenges, which are detailed below:
Lead and promote a culture of responsiveness and collaboration
The VCBAS will lead a large, diverse team that spans several departments with a broad array of duties. In order for the office to successfully function, the Vice Chancellor must foster a shared sense of purpose and vision across the unit. The VCBAS will be responsible for setting an example and building a culture of professionalism, transparency, and accountability in delivering outstanding service to the campus community. In addition, the VCBAS will make key hiring decisions and support staff development, ensuring a climate of empowerment and excellence consistent with UC Merced’s mission and plans for the future.
Establish and lead a process for review, assessment, and reengineering of existing policies and procedures within Business and Administrative Services
The VCBAS will work to establish standards and policies within the division to promote best practices and ensure sufficient sophistication and responsiveness to meet the diverse needs of the UC Merced community. This will mirror an ongoing campus effort to best position the University for its short and long-term growth and associated aspirations, not to mention the steps being taken system-wide. Assessing the Division’s strengths and areas for growth will clarify which segments would benefit most from increased attention and investment. S/he will lead this process change initiative and the identification of resources needed to allow those segments to achieve cutting edge performance.
Implement a capital plan for growth and impact
Capital construction will play a significant role at UC Merced as a result of the University’s expanding academic and research activities as well as the continuing enhancement of the student experience; it is a fundamental task of building a university from essentially the ground up. Working closely with the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Budget, as well as the executive and academic leadership of the campus, the VCBAS will be responsible for building and supporting a significant portion of the capital growth on campus and understanding that Merced’s development will be based on a fundamentally different financial and growth model than most institutions. Those leading and engaged in the implementation of this plan and its associated projects will need to be flexible and responsive to addressing campus needs on a tight timeframe and within budget, all within a complex environment. This represents an opportunity for an individual with a background in and passion for managing capital construction to develop and strengthen a department that will play a crucial role in the future of UC Merced.
Develop and maintain transparent, effective systems
As a key member of the Chancellor’s leadership team, the VCBAS will work in close partnership with academic and administrative leaders across campus to develop and execute a comprehensive strategic plan to support campus business operations with an eye toward ongoing business process improvement, innovation, and streamlining. The VCBAS will be responsible for assessing procedures and functions and taking steps to ensure maximum efficiency of the eight departments that make up the Division of Business and Administrative Services. The VCBAS will oversee the systems, policies, and practices in each of the departments that foster fiscal integrity and support the delivery of services that underpin the campus infrastructure.
Continue to build and strengthen UC Merced’s diverse and inclusive intellectual community
UC Merced is the most ethnically diverse campus in the UC System and has been designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. It serves as a vivid example of how academic excellence and diversity inform one another and provide the best possible environment for learning. The University is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse students, faculty, administrators, and staff to encourage success. The VCBAS should be dedicated to supporting those ideals and promoting them across the University. Specifically, the VCBA will be expected to recruit and retain a diverse staff and cultivate an environment of inclusiveness across his/her various departments and units. The VCBAS will also be expected to create an environment of collaboration within the division, while also establishing an organizational structure that will more effectively meet the demands of a market-driven academic enterprise. At the core of UC Merced is a focus on academic growth for all students, and the VCBAS should promote an environment across all departments that reflects that vision.
Maintain strong working relationships with external partners
The VCBAS will also serve as representative of and advocate for UC Merced among a broad range of external partners, including educational institutions, businesses, non-profits, and governmental entities. The VCBAS will be expected to sustain mutually beneficial relationships that provide long-term benefits for the University by working with bond agencies, investment banks, city and state officials, and other existing and potential public and private partners. The VCBAS, along with the other members of the senior leadership team, must continue to play an active role building upon existing feelings of good will toward the University to further establish its reputation as a valued and valuable partner.
Engage with partners across the UC System to ensure efficiency and best practices on campus
The VCBAS will need to be strategic in determining whether/how to create or borrow necessary technologies and systems by focusing on decisions that add value to the department and to the University. The UC system provides a framework from which the VCBAS can leverage existing efficiencies, including the new UCPath initiative for streamlining payroll and human resources processes. In order to maximize opportunities for efficiency, the VCBAS must serve as an advocate, both for UC Merced at the system level and for the Division of Business and Administrative Services within the campus at large. The VCBAS will represent UC Merced at system-wide meetings and help to guide the decisions that will impact the University for years to come.
