New University Business Service Center to serve over 70 CU units and 500 staff

The new University Business Service Center (UBSC), which will provide financial services to approximately 75 business units across the Cornell campus, was launched at the East Hill Plaza office of the Division of Financial Affairs (DFA) Sept. 3. UBSC already provides financial transaction and management services to over 500 university staff members in more than 70 departments across campus. Other units will be added next month.

As part of its expansion, UBSC moved its operations from cramped quarters in Day Hall to the newly renovated facilities at East Hill Plaza, Aug. 28, and service resumed from that new location Sept. 2.

One year ago, in September 2002, then Cornell President Hunter Rawlings announced that university officials would reallocate $20 million from nonacademic to academic and institutional strategic priorities.

"As financial stewards," he said, "we must ensure that we use the available resources in the most effective and efficient manner to fulfill the institution's academic mission and priorities."

This direction led to the establishment of the Finance Workforce Planning Initiative under the leadership of Vice President for Financial Affairs Joanne DeStefano. At that time, the Administrative Service Center (ASC) provided financial transactions support primarily to the Offices of the President and Provost and many of the departments that reported to these positions.

As a result of Workforce Planning, in January of this year, ASC's reporting relationship was moved from Administration, Facilities and Finance to the Division of Financial Affairs. In addition, for the university to gain the economies of scale targeted in Rawlings' directive, all administrative units will be supported by business centers. Some units will be served by the UBSC, while colleges and large administrative units will be served by one of approximately 18 other centers across campus that are modeled on the UBSC.

Speaking at the launch of the UBSC at its new headquarters at East Hill Plaza, DeStefano commended UBSC Director Robin Yager and her staff for their effective customer support that prompted the center's expansion into a universitywide facility. DeStefano said the center's recent successes strengthen its role as a model for other centers that will be coming on stream.