From the Desk: Welcome Back!
Greetings,
It has been a while since our last Socket edition, and I am happy that we have a chance to share with you all the great things going on at IU and in our financial operations!
Once again, we head into that time of the year were our campuses start to emerge from the summer break and we see students and families, faculty, and staff bustling about in preparation for the start of the academic year!
Our spring and summer have been very busy as you know. I want to thank you for all the work you have done this summer to keep IU moving forward, even when our campuses are taking a break and recovering from the academic year. The work you do during the summer is vital to our success and “keeping the trains running on time.” I hope you were able to enjoy the summer and are refreshed and ready to tackle the upcoming academic year!
Some highlights from this spring/summer:
- Successfully closed fiscal year 2025 and started fiscal year 2026
- Held resident undergraduate tuition and fee rates flat for the next two years
- Held our first ever IU Finance Forum in April and had great attendance, great questions, and shared helpful information
- Kicked off the audit for fiscal year 2025. Findings will be presented to the Board of Trustees in November
- Developed 12-month goals with the senior leadership team to determine the areas of focus for this fiscal year
- Launched a full review of Procurement Services to provide insight and feedback on how we operate, serve our IU community, and adhere to policies and regulations
- Hired two new senior leadership team members
- Updated communications and engagement around student billing and payments
This list is a small sampling of this summer’s great work and accomplishments and highlights the forward progress we are making and the impact each of you have on our operations and support to IU. There is still much more work to be done, and it will take time, but I am confident we are moving in the right direction. Your contributions are the keys to our team’s success and the success of IU.
Finally, I want to highlight recent discussions around Artificial Intelligence, or AI. I will be the first to admit I need to learn a lot about this new technology and what it means not only to me, but to our work here at IU. The free GenAI 101 course launched August 25 and is open to all students, faculty, and employees starting this academic year. Brian Williams from the Kelley School of Business has created this course to help us learn about AI, what it means, and how to use it. If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to sign up for this online class and take advantage of Brian’s knowledge and expertise in this field.
Our next Town Hall will be held in October, and a fall celebration is being planned. I look forward to seeing you at both events! Additional details will be shared soon.
Best,
Jason
Meet Your Leaders
Each issue, we introduce a new senior leader with the "Meet Your Leaders" story. Everyone is asked the same 8 questions, and this time we have two leaders to introduce: Hormaz Dubash and Brett Dunn
Meet Hormaz Dubash
What is your job title and how long have you worked at IU?
I joined IU in June and my role is the Associate Vice President of Financial Enterprise Engagement.
Where are you from originally and what brought you to IU?
I am from Elkhart, Indiana. After high school, I went to IU in Bloomington for my undergraduate degree in accounting. After working in public accounting for a few years, I went back to IU to get my MBA. Since then, I have worked in multiple financial roles within the pharmaceutical industry and most recently for an industrial manufacturer. I have always been passionate about IU, and this role is a great opportunity to contribute to the university.
What departments are a part of your unit?
My role is a strategic role that encompasses the broader VPCFO organization.
What does a day in the life of your position consist of?
No two days have been the same. My time has been spent meeting individuals across the organization and learning about the university. It has been interesting to learn about the operations of such a large and complex institution.
What is your favorite thing about your position?
I have really enjoyed the people I have met. Everyone has been welcoming and is open to sharing their knowledge and ideas on how to make this place even better.
What upcoming initiatives or projects are you most excited about?
I am really excited about helping IU finance be successful for the next 10-20 years. My project is tied to Indiana University’s 2030 Strategic Plan, and specifically, how the VPCFO organization evolves into the future. IU’s fiscal position is strong with high external credit ratings and traditional clean audits. However, it has also been noted that we need to bring the financial operations into the modern era for a multi-billion dollar, Big Ten, top research public institution. No one knows what exactly this looks like today, but my role is to ensure we can evolve so IU Finance is strong in our processes and platforms for decades to come.
What shows or podcasts are you streaming when you’re “off the clock?”
I am a sports junky and watch too many games. I enjoy watching the Colts, Pacers, Chicago Cubs and college basketball and football. Last year was over the top for IU football. Let’s do it again!
What’s one fact about you that would surprise everyone?
My parents are originally from Pakistan, but I have never been there. I was born in Elkhart. My dad’s side of the family immigrated to different parts of the US and my mom’s family immigrated to Vancouver, BC. So, growing up, we always had family events somewhere in North America.
Meet Brett Dunn
What is your job title and how long have you worked at IU?
I am the Associate Vice President for Budget and Planning and joined the IU team on June 30th¸ 2025.
Where are you from originally and what brought you to IU?
I grew up in Mishawaka, IN and have lived in the Indianapolis area since I graduated from IUB. I decided to make a career change from my work at the Department of Defense/Army to be part of the positive changes coming throughout IU Finance over the next several years. I enjoy adding structure, standardization, and transparency to processes and believe my background is a good fit to help the UBO/FNSS teams. As a two-time Kelley grad, I also have great passion for IU and seeing my alma mater excel.
What departments are a part of your unit?
University Budget Office (UBO) and the Finance Shared Services (FNSS) team
What does a day in the life of your position consist of?
Like many people I don’t think there is a “typical” day in my job, but since I am still very new to the role I spend a lot of type meeting with various leaders and staff to understand their roles/functions and how the UBO/FNSS teams can best support the University.
What is your favorite thing about your position?
Since I am new to IU, I love having the opportunity to learn new things every day. I also enjoy that I can balance digging into the weeds on different issues as well as focusing on the big picture and long-term strategies for the organization.
What upcoming initiatives or projects are you most excited about?
We have two significant initiatives over the next year, and I am very excited about both! First, we will be working to procure new budgeting software to improve our ability to budget and forecast requirements for our $4.5B budget. We will also be working to finalize the transition of finance shared services to a structure that is truly shared across University Admin units while also building our capabilities for financial planning and analysis.
What shows or podcasts are you streaming when you’re “off the clock?”
I don’t watch much TV other than sports, but when I do I like stand-up comedy and wilderness survival reality shows. I have also been making the best of my long drives to/from Bloomington by listening to audiobooks.
What’s one fact about you that would surprise everyone?
I joined the Army National Guard when I was a Junior in high school to help pay for college. I never intended to make it a career, but after serving in the enlisted ranks for several years I attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Finance Officer. I really enjoyed the impact I was able to make as an Army Officer, both on Soldiers’ lives as well as financial management processes in the Army, so I decided to continue serving and eventually retired after 24 years. My service in the Army had a tremendous impact on shaping who I am as a person and as a leader.
Thank you for sharing a bit about your team with the rest of the division!
HR Corner
New resources and other updates from IU Human Resources.
New HR Website
A new, employee-centric IU Human resources website recently launched! It puts employees first and features improvements in usability, accessibility, and mobile performance. The launch was expedited due to this summer’s university-wide web issues. If you encounter an issue using the site, use the support form link on the homepage to tell us about it and we’ll investigate.
HR Support Form and Contact
UA HR Business Partners (HRBPs), including our own HRBP, Steve Miller, are now using CRM/Salesforce to better track and manage HR issues. As part of this move, the team started using a group account, uahrbps@iu.edu. If you contact Steve directly and get a response from this group account, don’t be alarmed! Your request was moved into CRM for better follow up and tracking.
Additionally, IUHR launched a Fireform to help route requests to the proper people faster. If you have HR questions as an employee or as a supervisor, please try out the new IUHR CRM form. Using the intake form is not required, but IUHR would appreciate it if you would try it out. If you have problems with the form, or if you have suggestions to improve it, please let Steve know by emailing him.
Total Rewards Tool
All full-time, benefits-eligible staff and faculty can view their total rewards at any time at One.IU.edu via the Total Rewards task tile. The online total rewards tool now reflects 2025-26 fiscal-year pay for staff and faculty.
Sleep Great IU Challenge
Join this 4-week challenge to build simple habits that help you sleep better and feel more energized. Each week, you’ll get an email with tips, a goal-setting guide, and a bedside log to track your progress. Register by October 31 to participate. Click here to learn more and register for the challenge.
New Employee Spotlight
Several new staff have joined IU Finance since our last issue! Get to know them by checking out their profiles.
Name: Grace Yoder
Start date: March 3, 2025
Department and job title: Purchasing, Category Manager Associate
Get to know Grace: I am a 2022 IUB Apparel Merchandising Grad, working since graduation in the corporate retail world (Dick's Sporting Goods), which led me to Pittsburgh up until this last Fall. Upon moving back home to Indiana during the winter, I joined the IU team this past March as a Category Manager Associate on the Professional Services team. Originally from small town New Paris, IN, I am now based in Indianapolis and love being able to make trips back to the Bloomington campus!
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? In my free time, I enjoy making art, trying new foods, and spending time with friends. I am an avid animal lover and have 2 kitties that I love to show off whenever I get the chance 🙂
Name: Jada Driver
Start date: March 24, 2025
Department and job title: Bursar's Office, Bursar Assistant
Get to know Jada: I provide front-line support to students, parents, and staff, serving as a resource for individuals navigating billing and enrollment inquiries. My strong background in customer service paired with my bachelor’s degree in communication fuels my attention to detail and shapes my understanding of the important of maintaining a people-first approach to resolve student accounts. Despite my short time here, I always uphold a friendly demeanor, to help put students at ease during potentially complex and/or stressful situations and ensure a smooth and supportive student experience.
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? In my free time, I ground myself through Pilates and yoga – I highly recommend these practices to everyone as they’re great stress relievers!
Name: Kylee Pendley
Start date: March 24, 2025
Department and job title: Bursar's Office, Bursar Assistant
Get to know Kylee: I started my career in banking, where I worked as a teller at a credit union. From there, I transitioned into a remote role with a travel company, specializing in account dispute resolution. Those experiences helped me develop strong customer service and problem-solving skills that I bring to my role here at IU.
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? In my free time, I enjoy shopping, traveling with my husband, and baking 😊
Name: Stephanie Mobley
Start date: March 26, 2025
Department and job title: Treasury, Finance Specialist
Get to know Stephanie: I am the wife to a wonderful, supportive husband of 8 years in December, the mother of an amazing 5-year-old daughter and a sweet kitty named Special Agent Dale Cooper. I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and have been working in finance for 9 years, starting with banking and now working here at Indiana University.
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? I enjoy reading, drawing and painting, biking, playing video games, and baking and cooking. Of course, if I can do any of these with my family then they are only elevated in status!
Start date: April 1, 2025
Department and job title: Purchasing, Contract Manager Associate
Get to know Andrew: I am originally from Southern California and have my Bachelor’s in Sociology from California State University, Northridge. I’ve been with IU since December 2021 and was a Financial Administrative Coordinator for the Biochemistry department prior to this position
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? My hobbies include golfing, hiking/backpacking, and traveling.
Name: Parth Shah
Start date: July 1, 2025
Department and job title: Finance Shared Services (FNSS), Payroll Coordinator
Get to know Parth: I hold a Bachelor of Science in Marketing & Finance and a Master of Science in Taxation from the Kelley School of Business at IU Indianapolis—formerly known as IUPUI. It’s especially meaningful to me that I now work for Indiana University, supporting its mission after having been a student here myself. My professional journey has taken me through the hospitality industry and public service with the State of Indiana, giving me a strong foundation in both people-focused service and operational excellence. I have proudly called Indianapolis my home for over 15 years and am a graduate of Lawrence Central High School..
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? I love exploring new places, whether that’s traveling to a new city, hiking local trails on the weekends, or going camping when the weather allows. I’m also a big sports fan and enjoy watching games—both in person and on TV—as a way to relax and connect with friends.
Name: Alex Mancheno-Hakes
Start date: July 14, 2025
Department and job title: Treasury Operations, Finance Specialist
Get to know Alex: I am a three-time Alumni of Indiana University, most recently graduating with my Master of Public Affairs in Public Finance in the Spring of 2024. I live in Bloomington with my husband and our 12-year-old Papillion daughter, Bella. Before coming to IU, I had spent my professional career working for a municipal advisory consulting firm dealing with tax advisory and bond issuance for municipalities in Indiana. I left Corporate America for a change of pace and to find a sense of purpose in my job, what better way to find that than coming back to my Alma Mater and working in such a pivotal department.
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? In my free time, I like to consider myself a serial hobbyist. Currently, I am reading and documenting Renaissance art history and religious influence. Other than reading, I enjoy spending most of my time baking and cooking, working out, and weekly hot yoga at Vibe Yoga here in town.
Name: Kristi Brand
Start date: July 14, 2025
Department and job title: Purchasing, Assistant Director of Functional Excellence. This role was previously held by Melonee Bristoe who retired at the end of April.
Get to know Kristi: My family moved to Bloomington in the second grade, and I’ve been a local ever since! I’ve been married to my husband, Dale, for 37 years. We have 1 daughter and two granddaughters. I’ve worked for Indiana University for 24 years serving in finance/fiscal officer roles throughout campus. I serve as the fiscal officer for Procurement in my new role and manage the revenues and disbursements for the B2B and various sponsor contracts.
Any hobbies or special interests you’d like to share? I love spending time at home with my family. I also enjoy quilting, gardening, canning and baking, and consider myself a part-time homesteader!
Not Pictured:
- Craig Slater, Office of the University Controller, Start date: March 24, 2025
- Sophie Richardson, Purchasing, Start date: June 2, 2025
Office of the Treasurer
Amanda Srichareon, University Bursar, set off on a new adventure this summer. She and her family moved to California after she accepted a position at Stanford University as their University Bursar. A farewell reception was held in the Wrubel Lobby of the CIB and staff from across IU attended to wish her well. Her expertise and team spirit will be missed, but we’re excited for her to conquer this new role! Dina Adkins has stepped in as Interim University Bursar while the search for Amanda’s replacement takes place.
University Bursar also collaborated with University Communications and Marketing (UCM) to refresh their student-focused email communications. The refreshed messages were sent before the start of Fall semester and resulted in a big increase in engagement with parents and guardians and significant progress with outstanding bursar bill payments!
While many IU employees and departments experience some downtime during the summer months, INLOCC’s activity ramps up with Fire Pump Tests and Rental House Inspections. Inspector Greg Jeffers oversaw the annual fire pump testing which concluded in June. For over 35 years, Greg has been instrumental in ensuring IU meets or exceeds national standards for fire pump and sprinkler system safety. Keeping these systems in check requires hundreds of hours from the Loss Inspector Teams across all IU’s campuses.
On the home inspection front, INLOCC partnered with IU Real Estate Management to conduct annual inspections of all IU-owned residential properties. Each property’s smoke detectors are tested, batteries replaced (if needed), and the team ensured fire extinguishers were both present and operational. The team’s efforts have resulted in 600 new smoke detectors and 150 carbon monoxide detectors being installed across IU properties which is no small feat! INLOCC and each of our inspectors are dedicated to protecting students and staff where they live, learn and play.
Kylee Harding was promoted to Associate Director of Treasury Operations in May. She’s been with the university since 2015, and her primary responsibilities include leading the Merchant Services team within Treasury. The Merchant Services team maintains all credit card merchant accounts, helps setup third party vendors, and is responsible for PCI DSS compliance. Congrats, Kylee, on your promotion!
Capital Finance within the Office of the Treasurer manages IU’s relationship with credit rating agencies. On June 12, 2025, Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) affirmed IU's Aaa long term credit rating and P-1 short term credit rating on its commercial paper (“CP”) program. These relationships, and the ratings IU receives from these agencies, finance capital projects and help maintain IU’s low cost of borrowing.
IU is one of only seven public universities with the highest credit rating from Moody’s and S&P Global (formerly Standard & Poor’s). IU’s credit rating reflects its high total cash and investments and strong liquidity. Moody’s stated that, “IU's prudent management team will execute multi-faceted plans to reduce expenses and drive revenue to offset budget headwinds over the next several years.” It takes everyone’s finance-related efforts to warrant this feedback and earn these ratings. Thank you for your strategic and savvy work!
Office of the University Controller (UCO)
Summer is one of UCO’s busiest times of year! The summer starts with the lead up to fiscal year-end. After the fiscal year is successfully closed internally, teams switch gears and prepare IU’s annual consolidated financial audit report. Both tasks take an enormous amount of teamwork and effort – thank you to everyone for your hard work so far, and another big thank you to our colleagues across Finance who respond to our requests for information.
In addition to the recurring year-end/annual report activities, University Accounting & Reporting Services (UARS) has published a plethora of Accounting Standards this year. Accounting Standards are published in IU Pressbooks and, as the name implies, set the standard for accounting and financial reporting at IU. Existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are incorporated into the Standards as they’re reviewed and revised. This year, the team has published standards on payroll and timekeeping, procurement card program management, stale and negative balances, and many more topics. You can find all of these Standards on the IU Accounting Standards page.
The Target Spend Initiative is another of UCO’s areas of focus. The initiative is an effort to encourage and educate IU departments on how they can use available IU Foundation (IUF) funds. This results in donated funds getting used the way the donor intended and helps ensure a higher rate of funds utilization. In support of this initiative UCO has focused on developing a 1:1 account relationship between IU and IUF accounts. Upon completion of the project every IUF account will have a corresponding account in KFS. UCO’s Gifts & Grants Accounting team continues to collaborate with IUF to create training resources and work with Fiscal Officers across IU to finalize the account linkages
Procurement Services
Procurement continues to look for ways to streamline how IU purchases goods and services and books travel needed to support its mission. Linda Blair, Denzil Cotera, and Vanessa Freeman have been working with their commodity teams to consolidate contract information across IU. The goal of these efforts is to create a single contract database faculty and staff can review to see what contracts should be used before engaging other suppliers. On the Travel front, Priscilla Vincent reviewed content on the Travel website to ensure it’s up to date. These updates are the first step towards redesigning the website with the traveler audience in mind, making it easier to see how travel should be booked.
This spring, UPS CampusShip will be replaced with eShipGlobal, a platform that allows you to enter the details of your shipment and choose the right carrier – including UPS, FedEx, and others – based on your needs. Team members from Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Financial Training & Communication, UCO, UITS, and the Office for Research Administration (ORA) will continue to meet and discuss the configuration of this new tool along with the implementation strategy. More information will be shared soon.
Last but not least, Kristin Brand continues to do an enormous amount of outreach to IU faculty, staff, and their Fiscal Officers. She’s notified these expense owners and financial staff of prepaid travel and P-Card transactions that need to be reconciled as soon as possible so the individuals avoid being taxed on these transactions. Thanks to her efforts, the number of outstanding transactions has been reduced by over 90%! This is a huge win for the individuals who would have been taxed and for IU’s financial compliance.
University Budget Office & Finance Shared Services (UBO and FNSS)
Phase 1 of the Budget Redesign Initiative finished earlier this year. In Phase 1, campus and university-level finance leaders reviewed the “University Administration (UA) assessment.” The UA assessment is the percentage of each campus’s budget that is allocated to UA to support units like Finance, HR, UITS, and Public Safety so those groups can provide services used by all campuses. When budgeting for fiscal year 26 (FY26), campuses built their budgets using both the traditional and redesigned methods. Over the course of FY26, they’ll compare both processes and identify any changes needed before budgeting for fiscal year 27.
On top of implementing an updated budget model, UBO contended with last minute requests and changes from the State which impacted the amount of funds available and how they could be used. The group’s leadership through these turbulent times resulted in fiscal year 26 budget that was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Finally, Brett Dunn joined UBO and FNSS as the AVP of Budget and Planning at the end of June. Brett brings with him more than 20 years of financial management and leadership experience, particularly working with large, complex organizations. We’re excited he’s here, and if you’d like to learn more about him visit his Meet Your Leaders profile above.
Kudos, Service Milestones & Celebrations
Take a moment to celebrate your colleagues' professional and personal accomplishments!
Kudos
Jamie Inman (Purchasing) received two shout-outs! Kudos to Jamie for taking me under her wing and training me, all while continuing to juggle her own workload AND grad school!!
Jamie has truly stepped up by working closely with three new Category Associates (CAs), helping them learn both her and Linda Blair's commodity areas. Her initiative and teamwork during training the CAs have been outstanding and appreciated. Thank you, Jamie, for your dedication & leadership!
Bryce Adair (UCO) represented University Tax during all nine of our Accountable Plan webinars. He attended every single one and was attentive and helpful each time. Thank you, Bryce, for giving up so much of your time to our webinar efforts and helping to make them great! – Sarah Chavez, Financial Training & Communications
Meredith Coots from the Payroll Operations team is always super helpful and knowledgeable with anything that comes up. She is instrumental in keeping the payroll process running smoothly for all of us!
As someone transitioning to the role of Fiscal Officer, Kristi Jones's (FNSS) teaching and support have proven unfathomably helpful. She has spent extra time with me to go over the inner workings and intricacies of higher-level IU finance, so I cannot express my gratitude enough to have her as a mentor. Not many would be given the same level of support she has provided, and I am truly thankful. IU has limited capacity to teach someone the role of Fiscal Officer and Kristi has proven time and time again to be a driving force of success in our small but mighty team. – Cody Hines, FNSS
Thank you, Juliet Roberts (Financial Training & Communications, pictured right), for all the effort and heart you put into the development of the Travel Expense Reporting course. I'm so proud of how it turned out and appreciate you working the weekends leading up to its release to put the finishing touches on it. We're lucky to have you! – Sarah Chavez, Financial Training & Communications
INLOCC's Loss Control Team has done tremendous work to complete inspections over the summer in addition to working several events not originally on their schedule. Their dedication and professionalism on behalf of IU is greatly appreciated. – Kutina England, INLOCC
Michelle Dugger (Purchasing) is an amazing director. She is supportive, provides helpful guidance and very responsive. I truly value and appreciate all that Michelle contributes.
Effective, August 4, Dina Adkins became Interim University Bursar. Dina and the Bursar team have been doing tremendous work in re-imagining communications for students and families in preparation for the fall semester. – Don Lukes, Treasurer
Ali Piovesan (Accounts Payable) earned her Six Sigma Green Belt through the Kelley School of Business. She is eager to apply what she learned to improve processes in AP!
Thank you, Margot Burke (UCO), for your patience answering off-the-wall tax questions, clarifying procedures (even if you've been asked the same question many times before), and just being a great person to work with. We appreciate your collaborative spirit and all you do for IU!
Kaelie Dobson (Accounts Payable) has been tackling consistent invoicing issues from the same supplier and has gone above and beyond in handling it while still being present and supportive of her team.
I want to take a moment to recognize how helpful Cody Bunn (UCO) has been for me and my team. We came into this year with a long list of messy items to clean up, and Cody has repeatedly stepped in to help us strategize and resolve them. His guidance has created real efficiencies and streamlined our processes, and we’re truly grateful for the time, effort, and expertise he’s shared with us. – Keenan Mumma, FNSS
Delaney Littlejohn (FNSS, pictured left) was recognized in the IU Bloomington Staff Council's Staff Spotlight feature. Her nominator had this to say about her:
Delaney leads our auxiliary services group for UITS, overseeing two full-time staff members. Following a recent leadership transition, the expectations for her role and team have significantly increased. She has risen to the challenge by developing multiple business plans and successfully stabilizing financially struggling auxiliary groups—all while maintaining clear communication and fostering collaboration. Additionally, she has initiated efforts to streamline consolidated billing for our partners. Delaney's leadership, expertise, and communication skills have been instrumental in driving progress, and our team would not be where it is today without her contributions.
Delaney also graduated with her MBA in August. The team decorated her desk (pictured right) to celebrate! Congratulations, Delaney, and thanks for all you do!
As part of my special project, I'm working with the Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance (HEFWA) and putting together an analysis about different directions that are possible for HEFWA, pros and cons, etc. Part of that is a financial analysis. Ali Kissee (FNSS) was assigned to help us with the financials - and I have to say, she has done tremendous work making sense out of something that has taken us forever to figure out. She turned around a first pass in less than a week, and in two weeks’ time, will have a more detailed approach ready. Just thought I'd pass along some good news and sincere thanks for one of your team members. – shared on behalf of Julie Payne Kirchmeier, Student Success
Dawn Bodle (Purchasing) is incredibly smart, organized, and focused. If she (somehow) doesn't know the answer to your question, she'll dig into it and find it for you. She's also somehow super quick to respond even though she's juggling so many things at one time! And honestly, I appreciate her ability to say "no" to a request if it isn't the best use of resources. We're all better for it!
Patty Cole (Travel & Card Services) is just a great person to work with. She cares about her team, she cares about the betterment of IU, and she also realizes that we're all people and systems and processes should account for that. Thanks for being here and being great 💗
Katherine Kane and Tyler Nichols (SDM), Jack Wetnight, Lelah Fletcher, Sara MacMorran, Mary Byrde, and Ali Piovesan (AP) met for several weeks to analyze, update, and streamline the Accounts Payable portion of the Procurement Support Form. Extra shout-out to Sara MacMorran and to Luc Sinex (UITS) for their work in re-building the form.
Jennifer Burns (FNSS, pictured left) was also featured in Bloomington Staff Council's Staff Spotlight! Her colleague in FNSS, Cody Hines, nominated her and had this to say:
Jennifer has been with IU since 2019 and consistently proven herself time and time again by not only being willing to assist others but pushing herself above and beyond the call of duty. She has been of huge impact to training and the success of our small, but mighty, team of fiscal staff as we continue to blossom and strive for excellence. I don't have the ability to thank her enough for the work she has done but I am hoping to give her a moment in the spotlight and say a formal 'thank you' on behalf of myself and the rest of our team.
Mary Byrde (AP and SDM) received the Brent D. Reuben Award from the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation (NCCI) for her work supporting the organization’s goals of excellence and innovation in higher education through presentations, her work as a board member, and being a champion of continuous improvement in higher ed.
Angus Burke (Financial Training & Communications) was instrumental in producing three Canvas training courses before a July 1 launch. He quickly got to know a new AI audio program and jumped right in, expediting the video production process to allow us to meet our deadline. His team spirit and motivation make a huge difference and we're so lucky to have his talents. – Juliet Roberts, Financial Training & Communications
Another huge shout-out to Angus for all his help leading up to the launch of our three training courses. He jumped into learning how to update a Canvas course and use a brand-new tool that no one on the team had tackled before. I really appreciate you putting in extra time to make our courses happen, and your willingness to jump in on whatever you could do to help! – Sarah Chavez, Financial Training & Communications
Service Milestones
Congratulations to the IU Finance staff who celebrated a service milestone last quarter or this quarter! Be sure to congratulate them the next time you see them 😄
| Staff Member | Department | Anniversary Month | Years of Service at IU |
| Christina Coffey | Finance Shared Services | April | 35 |
| Dan Nichols | University Budget Office | April | 15 |
| Dawn Cordray | University Bursar | May | 25 |
| Petra Bragt | Treasury | May | 15 |
| Margot Burke | Office of the Controller | May | 5 |
| Delaney Littlejohn | Finance Shared Services | May | 5 |
| Ali Kissee | Finance Shared Services | June | 20 |
| Jason Myers | University Bursar | July | 25 |
| Ha Nguyen | Office of the Controller | July | 10 |
| Jeffrey Martinez | Office of the Controller | July | 5 |
| Sarah Pike | University Budget Office | August | 10 |
| Meredith Coots | Office of the Controller | August | 5 |
| Jennifer Scott | Finance Shared Services | September | 15 |
Celebrations
Check out some sweet new additions to some Finance families!
Upcoming Events
All times are listed in Eastern Time.
Introduction to Lean Process Improvement
- Wednesday, September 17, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
- Do you ever wonder if there is a better way of doing things? Streamlining processes can help organizations and teams be more effective by focusing on valued added work. In this session, learn the basics of Lean process improvement which can help you increase efficiency, improve quality, and optimize resources.
IU Finance Town Hall
- Wednesday, October 1, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
- Online via Teams
- Join us for the next division town hall to hear updates from IU Finance senior leadership and get answers to your questions in real time. Please contact Karen Easter if you did not receive the Outlook calendar invite with this meeting information.
Lean Methodology and Tools
- Wednesday, October 1, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
- Ready to tackle process improvement with confidence? This session equips with the essentials of Lean thinking through the powerful Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle.
National Fire Prevention Week
- October 5 – 11
- The Office of Insurance Loss Control and Claims (INLOCC) invites everyone to celebrate National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s national theme focuses on the proper use, handling, and disposal of lithium-ion batteries. Please take a few minutes to read through these important safety tips and contact our office if you have any questions.
Fall Break (Bloomington)
- Friday, October 10
Lean Leadership
- Wednesday, October 15, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
- What makes a Lean leader? This inspiring session dives into methods that turn managers into coaching leaders and improves teams and team dynamics.
Fall Break (Indianapolis)
- Tuesday, October 22
Lean and Change
- Wednesday, October 29, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
- This session kicks off a multi-part series exploring Lean Change and the Change @ IU framework.
Don't forget to visit the Financial Training & Communications team events calendar for Office Hours and Info Sessions!
That's it for this issue! Looking for more? Check out The Socket archives.