Feature Story: Preparedness is key to IU Public Safety success
Jump to next story ⏭
For IU Public Safety, being ready for any incident that may impact the safety and security of the IU community is a top priority. Large events like commencement, homecoming, IUPUI’s Regatta or athletic competitions like the NCAA women’s basketball tournament that bring large numbers of people to our campuses require careful planning and reflection. Yet, there are many incidents that aren’t planned that require a response from safety professionals too.
The need for preparedness is why IU Public Safety regularly holds tabletop exercises with university and community partners where they consider potential scenarios and what might be needed to protect IU.
Ahead of the Little 500 bicycle race, Emergency Management and Continuity brought state, city and IU Bloomington campus officials together to discuss how they might respond if an emergency happened during the race. The exercise led to conversations about priorities, resources, and how the IU community would be informed. It also helped identify gaps, so they could be bridged and provided an opportunity to share lessons learned from past events.
Public Safety also gathers after an incident occurs whether it happened at IU or not to discuss the challenges they faced and the successes of the event. When a large warehouse fire near the IU East campus required a move to limited operations status for students, faculty and staff, the Environmental Health and Safety team was on the ground, testing air quality and providing regular updates. Their expertise helped university leadership make informed decisions about when the campus could return to normal operations. That incident and many others will be the subject of after-action working groups in the months ahead.
After the tragic shooting at Michigan State University in February, Public Safety staff met multiple times to discuss the event, reflect on how it was handled, and how IU would respond. These conversations are necessary to be prepared for all situations.
Preparedness is something that all of us can do in order to be ready to act if an incident occurs. IU Public Safety offers numerous training opportunities, including active aggressor, search and rescue fundamentals, and verbal judo.
Join IU Public Safety for training and prepare yourself by signing up for IU Notify so you can stay informed and know what action to take if there’s an incident on your campus.
From the Desk: Summertime in EVPFA
Jump to next story ⏭
I have officially been a Hoosier for one full year, and it feels great! The actual move from Virginia to Indiana presented some challenges, as usually happens, but we are here and settled. We decided on a home near Indianapolis which makes the commute a little easier. I have been overwhelmed by the welcome we received and thank everyone for your grace throughout the transition.
Although I have only been here a short time, the campus experience is not one that is new to me. Like all of you, I appreciate the vibrancy and energy the students bring but also look forward to the slower pace that summer provides.
This is not to say we sit idly by and wait for the fall term to begin. Throughout our division we continue to do the necessary work of a busy enterprise. For example, the Board of Trustees will meet in early June which requires the time of several members of our team. Keeping President Whitten informed about critical budgetary matters is certainly at the heart of what we do.
Additionally, IU Public Safety will participate in first-year IU orientation activities statewide that connect parents and incoming students to guidance and safety resources that will strengthen their experience at IU. Our IU Police Department will also be preparing to graduate its 50th class of IU Police Academy cadets – a celebration that will bring hundreds of alumni back to IU this fall.
In other news, the continuing high rate of inflation, and uncertainty about the likelihood of the economy’s soft landing, may present some challenges for higher education. As is always the case, it will be our responsibility to assist in navigating the enterprise through this and all other financial realities that result from these economic conditions.
These examples remind us that a public institution such as Indiana University does not move forward independently. Throughout every season, the important work we do supports our existing faculty, staff, and students, but also has wide-ranging effects beyond the campus.
On behalf of the Senior Leadership Team, I want to thank each of you for the contributions you make each day. Your hard work is noticed and appreciated. To celebrate our fiscal new year, please join us on Thursday, July 27 for the annual summer picnic. We will be meeting in the IMU Solarium for a wonderful lunch and time to enjoy the company of our colleagues.
While the work continues, I am hopeful that each of you will have the opportunity to enjoy the summer with family and friends. It is well-deserved!
Yours in IU,
Dwayne
Meet Your Leaders
Jump to next story ⏭
"Meet Your Leaders" is a feature that helps Finance & Administration staff get to know senior management. Each individual is asked the same 8 questions. This issue, we're getting to know Paul Schmidt.
What is your job title and how long have you worked at IU?
Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration and I started August 1, 2018.
Where are you from originally and what brought you to IU?
I’m from Selma, Indiana outside of Muncie and this job offer brought me to IU after 30 years in the Army. It was a chance to come back to my home state.
What departments are a part of your unit?
My department is made up of EVP Pinkney and Cherlyn Crees, Dwayne’s Executive Liaison, but I collaborate frequently with other members of the Senior Leadership Team and leaders from across IU.
What does a day in the life of your position consist of?
Every day is different and chaotic in its own way. Planning and resource management is continuous. This includes for events internal to EVPFA as well as others involving campuses, Vice Presidents or the President and some external to IU. Meetings will normally create additional opportunities for discussion and coordination regarding initiatives. Some level of crisis bubbles up periodically as well, which requires attention.
What is your favorite thing about your position?
The people are my favorite thing.
What upcoming initiatives or projects are you most excited about?
Employee development efforts are going slowly given other priority work, but the possibilities are exciting.
What shows or podcasts are you streaming when you're "off the clock?"
I prefer history related topics though I usually gravitate toward live sports if available.
What's one fact about you that would surprise everyone?
I met my wife through the mail. Some know the story, but that surprises people. I was deployed to Iraq and received a random care package through a soldier support group. Shelley and I were both widowed and I had three boys while she had her daughter who was 4 years old at the time. Shelley wanted to support soldiers in some way so she had Claire scrolling through thousands of names on her computer and came upon mine, which included my home state of Indiana. Claire knew the spelling from the cheer during IU sporting events, I-N-D-I-A-N-A so she picked my name from the list.
After receiving the care package I sent a thank-you note and we realized we had much in common. We attend as many IU sporting events as we can and I’m reminded of that story every time the cheerleaders are spelling out Indiana. Go Hoosiers!
Thank you, Paul, for sharing a bit about yourself with the rest of the division!
Department Updates
Jump to next story ⏭
Employee Services, Training, & Communication (ESTC)
Employee Services
Steve Miller has been coordinating the Finance & Administration division’s participation in the Performance at IU rollout. In Q1, Expectation Conversations were held between leaders and employees, and attestations were signed that those conversations were made. Our division had a high response rate for these conversations. By the end of Q2, Check-in Conversations will be held between leaders and employees to discuss goals and expectations identified in Q1. Learn more about Check-in Conversations on the Performance at IU website.
Training & Communication
Through April and May, Angus Burke collaborated with staff from Purchasing and Accounts Payable to develop updated fiscal year end materials for those group’s processes. This resulted in a reformatted year end announcement that provided answers to frequently asked questions.
As another part of this project, the group built materials to help IU staff build better requisitions to streamline workflows and issue payments to suppliers more quickly. Angus reviewed BUY.IU POs and identified the most common issues. Soon, three non-catalog order checklists will be available on the Training team’s website.
Angus also helped facilitate the most recent Spotlight on Supplier Diversity interview. This episode featured Powers and Sons Construction Company, a third-generation family-owned business located in Gary and Indianapolis. The video is available in Kaltura. Check it out!
This quarter, the online, self-service travel booking tool Egencia rolled out a new requirement for nonemployee travelers. Training Specialist Juliet Roberts worked with Travel Management Services (TMS) to outline and launch the new requirement for IU-booked trips. This new requirement raised questions for travel arrangers and departments expecting guests so Juliet and TMS have been working with users directly to identify pain points and plan improvements. In the meantime, Juliet has also created training materials for new reporting options in Chrome River that can help departments be proactive with auditing and managing travel expenses.
Sarah Chavez is deep into the development of content for the upcoming P-Card Essential Canvas course. Over the past few months, she visited many groups across IU to publicize this upcoming compliance requirement and collected feedback on course materials. The course launches on Monday, July 3.
On the web front, Luc Sinex continues to refine the Travel Support Form in preparation for its launch. In the meantime, Luc has developed a miniature support form for Egencia’s new nonemployee traveler requirement to assist IU users in adapting to the new process. In addition, Luc has updated all the Procurement websites in preparation for IU’s Google Analytics 4 upgrade this summer.
Office of the University Controller (UCO)
JoLynn Bahr joined UCO in May as the School of Medicine Campus Controller and has over 30 years of experience in a variety of finance and accounting roles primarily focused in higher education, healthcare, and non-profit organizations. She most recently served as the CFO for the Hoosier Cancer Research Network. Prior to that she served in fiscal roles with the School of Medicine & IU Health. She has a BS in Accounting from IU and is also a CPA.
Christy Gelback-Diaz joined UCO in April as the Indianapolis Campus Controller and has 13 years of experience working for higher education and non-profit organizations including service as the Assistant Vice President of Finance & Controller for the Ivy Tech Community College System. She has a BS in Public Affairs and an MS in Accounting, both from IU’s Indianapolis campus. Additionally, Christy is a CPA.
University Accounting & Reporting Services (UARS)
Beth Forbes joined us in May as a Staff Accountant on the UARS team. Beth is originally from Saint Mary, Jamaica and has lived in Palm Beach County, Florida for almost 10 years. Beth has a seven-month-old baby girl and as a certified foodie she enjoys traveling and trying new foods. Beth has been in the accounting field for almost eight years and enjoys problem solving and helping others, which will make her an asset for our team.
Jimmy Mayberry joined us in May as an Accounting Fellow on the UARS team. Jimmy graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a dual degree in Accounting and Economics. He most recently worked as a Staff Accountant at Archer-Daniels Midland where he worked in corporate, intercompany, and inventory. Jimmy spends his Saturdays hiking with his partner and is always looking for new trail suggestions. In his free time, he enjoys running and baking.
University Collections & Loan Services (UCLS)
UCO is pleased to announce the hire of Joel Easton for our Staff Accountant, UCLS position. Joel has been an Accounting Fellow since February of 2022 and served as an auditor for Keystone RV, Inc. prior to joining UCO. Joel has worked on a variety of UCO projects for both UCLS and UARS in his time as a fellow.
Joel graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a B.S. in Journalism. He then received his M.S. in Accounting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2022.
Joel’s hobbies include golfing and being an exercise companion to his six-year-old Airedale, Malu. He lives in Bloomington with his wife Jimena. His official start date for this position was May 1. Please congratulate Joel on this accomplishment. We are excited to have him continue with our team!
Office of the Treasurer
Insurance, Loss, Control & Claims (INLOCC)
INLOCC Assistant Director Mel Lane recently sent his team of Inspectors, pictured below, to a Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Class. The Inspectors attending are assigned to cover IUB, IUPUI and each of the Regional Campuses.
The class was hosted by the Purdue University Fire Department and was presented by Dr. Matthew Swabey, the director of the Bechtel Innovation Design Center. Topics covered included the safe use and storage of Lithium-Ion Battery’s along with the hazards involved in the potential response to incidents involving this technology.
University Bursar
The University Bursar has moved to the Cyberinfrastructure Building (CIB). Our new address is 2709 E. Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN 47408-2671.
Students should not be directed to our new location. Student Central handles all student inquiries.
Students can contact scu@iu.edu or visit 408 N Union Street, Bloomington, IN 47405. Student payments can be made online or mailed to PO Box 6448, Bloomington, IN 47407.
Procurement Services
Continuous Improvement
In April, members of the Continuous Improvement (CI) Committee joined members of the Uplands Lean Network for a tour of the Upland Brewery in Bloomington. The tour offered a glimpse of Lean practices in craft beer brewing. Afterwards, Upland Brewery hosted a beer tasting and networking session. Our group enjoyed lively conversation with CI peers from South Central Indiana as well as several Kelley Business Operations students. It was a wonderful event all around!
