UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

ANNUAL REPORT

Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008)

DEPARTMENT OF

Office of the Controller

Name of Department Head

Richard Sears

Name of Person Completing Report

Richard Sears

1*

Departmental Mission/Vision Statement (url only, required)

http://www.westga.edu/controller.asp  

2*

Departmental Statement of Goals, Process to Assess These Goals, and Assessment Results (url only, required)

http://www.bf.westga.edu/EffectEval/Assessments/Controller.asp  

3*

Give an Example of How your Department Used the Assessment of Goals and Outcomes to Change/Improve a Process (required)

Goal: Complete the implementation of Peoplesoft Version 8.9.  OIIT postponed the implementation to September 2008.  Each component institution has a scorecard that is monitored by OIIT to indicate the level of achievement toward significant project milestones and institutional readiness.  UWG maintains a green level on the scorecard which indicates our institution has met all project milestones and is prepared for implementation.  Due to the complexity and magnitude of the conversion, a senior manager was appointed to manage the project; ensure availability of required training and oversee its implementation.

Goal: Review and modify current business processes to take advantage of the best practices associated with PeopleSoft Version 8.9. OIIT postponed the implementation to September 2008.  Business processes are being revised to take advantage of the new functionality available in PeopleSoft 8.9 with regards to employee travel, reimbursement, and procurement.   These new business processes will include electronic data entry by end user departmental staff; electronic routing of documents for approval and electronic approvals.

Goal:  Continue to assess customer satisfaction. Identify ways to improve upon communication of policies and procedures to the campus community.   We received two customer satisfaction responses during the year for which the customer service provided by the Cashier’s office was found superior.  In late 2008, we have made extensive use of the UWG Daily report to communicate changes in policies and procedures regarding prizes, awards, various changes to travel as well as PeopleSoft implementation updates.

Goal:  Successfully complete the Annual Financial Report to ensure compliance with all generally accepted accounting principles.  No audit findings were identified on the published FY 2007 Agreed upon Procedure Report for the institution.

Goal:  Participate in the implementation of TouchNet Marketplace. TouchNet Marketplace will allow our campus to build and operate secure web-based storefronts and online payment pages.   Fully implemented in July 2007 and since its implementation, Enrollment Management and Graduate School now accept student and prospective student fees through the software. 

Goal: Successful implementation of TouchNet Paypath.   Fully implemented in July 2007 and as a result, the institutional has successfully avoided the incursion of approximately $250,000 in credit card fees.

4*

General Statement of Department Condition (required)

A new Controller was hired in November 2007 providing leadership and direction to the office.  The office has endured significant stress and disappointment in the second half of the fiscal year with the death of a co-worker; a life threatening injury to another (resulting in the death of a child); and the retirement of a 23 year employee.  The vacancies left by these individuals created stressful conditions as the department struggled with the continuance of daily operations.  Year end was especially difficult with the void left by those individuals mentioned above.  When combined with the specter of the new PeopleSoft implementation, employees will see no immediate reduction in stress or work load.  The department remains positive and that the changes brought about by the new software will enable them to be more productive.

5

Departmental Achievements

• Successfully implemented TouchNet Marketplace & Paypath in September 2007
• Received a clean report  in our annual Audit of Agreed Upon Procedures

6

Staff Productivity

Staff Attended the following training and/or professional development conferences

Richard Sears

·          6 Sigma for Higher Education(White, Yellow, Green Belt)

·          Immigration workshop for non resident aliens

·          Annual Financial Report Training

·          Annual Financial Report Year End workshop

·          Institute of Internal Auditors – Result of the State of GA PCard audit

·          Quarterly PeopleSoft Update meetings

John Roessler

·          6 Sigma for Higher Education(White, Yellow, Green Belt)

·          Annual Financial Report Training

·          Annual Financial Report Year End workshop

·          BOR Budget to Actuals Workshop

·          PeopleSoft User Acceptance Testing – General Ledger

Patricia Durrough

·          6 Sigma for Higher Education(White, Yellow Belt)

·          Quarterly PeopleSoft Update meetings

Darlene McDaniel

·          Institute of Internal Auditors – Result of the State of GA PCard audit

·          Annual Financial Report Year End workshop

·          Annual Financial Report Training

·          College & Business Management Institute

Cheryl Browning

·          PeopleSoft User Acceptance Testing – Account Payable

7

Student Achievements

None

8

Other Awards, Distinctions, and Achievements

Richard Sears

·          6 Sigma White Belt

·          6 Sigma Yellow Belt

·          6 Sigma Green Belt

John Roessler

·          6 Sigma White Belt

·          6 Sigma Yellow Belt

·          6 Sigma Green Belt

Patricia Durrough

·          6 Sigma White Belt

·          6 Sigma Yellow Belt

·          Certified PeopleSoft Trainer

Tamara Lane

·          Business & Finance Employee of the Quarter

Jessica Lane

·          Business & Finance Employee of the Quarter

Pat Murphy

·          Business & Finance Employee of the Quarter