[Plantsci] SPLS Business Office

[Arnold, Betsy - (fungi)]

Dear SPLS Community,

We are writing to update the School on some important changes to our Business Office.

First, we’d like to share that we are advertising now for an Accountant II to fill the vacant position in our office roster.

Second, we have some meaningful structural changes coming to our Business Office thanks to decisions made by CALES. We anticipate that these changes will be of tangible benefit to SPLS. Please review the email below and feel free to reach out to us (Betsy, Kevin, and Jen – see below) with any questions.

Sincerely,

Betsy Arnold (arnold at ag.arizona.edu<mailto:arnold at ag.arizona.edu>)
Kevin Teres (kteres at arizona.edu<mailto:kteres at arizona.edu>)
Jennifer Rascon (jrascon1 at arizona.edu<mailto:jrascon1 at arizona.edu>)


1. CALES is restructuring business operations across the college

• Three groups (‘pillars’) of business office staff will work across units to better serve business needs and to provide coverage when others are out of the office. This will not mean specific changes for individual units, such as Plant Sciences, as the current staff in each unit will still focus mainly on that unit -- but as a positive step, backup will be available from others when needed or if individuals are out of the office. We’ve already been in a test case for an important aspect of this model: Kevin Teres has worked with our unit and with ENVS since May.

• Each group (pillar) will be led by a business manager, who will oversee the day-to-day operations of that group. They will supervise Accountants and all business operational staff.

• This is not fully implemented college wide as yet, and it will take some time. However, because SPLS is short-staffed, we will begin implementing this process with SPLS immediately, with other units to follow.

• In the first phase, our group will include the Environmental Science/WRRC Shared Business Office and the School of Plant Sciences. Other units will join us later. As we have been operating in a ‘shared’ mode with ENVS over the past two months, progress during that period is expected to continue and accelerate (see below).

• We can discuss this more once we resume faculty meetings in the fall.


2. What does this mean for SPLS?

We shouldn’t see any disruption, and indeed, we hope to see positive progress on all fronts.

Kevin Teres will remain the Manager of Finance and Administration for the School of Plant Sciences, in a permanent role. He will also be the Manager, Finance/Administration for Environmental Science and WRRC. He will focus primarily on higher-level operational functions, department planning, and working with faculty, staff, and each Unit head/director, focusing on departmental strategic planning, department goals, mission delivery, and unit level funding. He will be working closely with division leadership as an advocate for these units. He will have oversight of daily department operations but will not the point of contact for transactions. He already is active in this role and has been a tremendous asset to our unit over these recent months – thank you Kevin.

Jennifer Rascon will be the Business Manager. She will oversee the day-to-day operations of the group (SPLS + ENVS/WRRC and additional units that join later). She will be working with all business staff to ensure operations are conducted in an efficient, and effective manner. Jennifer is new to us and fills the considerable gap of our lack of a business manager in the unit. Jennifer will be introduced by email shortly. We thank Jen for the contributions of professionalism and excellence she will bring to our unit.

As we have had in the past, SPLS will have two accountants. Per above, we are currently advertising for an Accountant II.


3. Other operational matters

Human Resources requests should be sent to Lizeth Enriquez directly.

Amanda Stevens will be returning to her regular duties at the Division level and going forward will not be involved with SPLS departmental activity. Going forward, please do not reach out to Amanda for SPLS inquiries. We’d like to thank Amanda very much for all her effort and time assisting SPLS in getting on track. She has done a hero’s work.

We are working with our front office team to handle packages and emails appropriately. Concerns should be directed to Betsy and Jen.


4. Closing thoughts

This will take some time to implement, and there will be some learning curves for everyone. The transition at all levels within the business office is moving in the right direction, but every step requires care and learning. Having a strong business office will position us as effectively as possible when we have the green light to reinitiate the search for a permanent Director, something we hope to do at the earliest possible opportunity -- and such strength is essential as a foundation for all the work we do. We ask that everyone continue to offer patience and understanding during this time. We believe this will set up the School with smooth operations going forward.




[The University of Arizona block 'A' logo.]
A. Elizabeth Arnold, PhD

Interim Director and Professor, School of Plant Sciences

Curator, Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium

Chair and Director of Graduate Studies,

Ecosystem Genomics GIDP

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

fungi at arizona.edu

www.arnoldlab.net<http://www.arnoldlab.net> | www.gilbertsonherbarium.net<http://www.gilbertsonherbarium.net>


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