Initiatives & Outreach is committed to providing professional services to both our internal teams and to our partners, helping them achieve the strategic goals of the university. We assist in evaluating business processes and advise on the effective use of our systems with our campus community. Our objective is to provide a collaborative approach to identify, prioritize, track, and successfully execute initiatives and projects that support the strategic goals of the university as prioritized by Financial Services leadership.
If your department needs assistance with UAccess systems, Business Analysis, or Project Management services, please submit an Outreach Request to contact Initiatives and Outreach with your specific needs.
We also assist in designing, building, and scheduling employee training in UAccess Learning. Please see the Instructor Links section for all course building and class scheduling resources.
Our project managers will...
Project List
Current Projects
In support of the UAccess Financials Strategic Committee’s decision for staying as close to current code as possible, automate the financial system’s functional test deck to ensure accurate, timely testing for upgrades and releases.
Jan 2019 Jan 2020| Goals | Develop an automated functional test deck for the financials system. Onboard the Business Systems Analysis and UITS Enterprise Business Analysis teams to ensure shared knowledge for maintainability. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Akhil Kanakkassery |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, UITS Enterprise Business Analysts |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | In Progress |
| Timeframe | January 2019 through January 29, 2020 |
Implement a process/solution that will centralize Financial Services business process and procedures documentation.
Jun 2020 Dec 2020| Goals | Create efficiency for Financial Services units to access business process and procedures documentation. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Judy Miranda |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | In Progress |
| Timeframe | June 1, 2020 through December 23, 2020 |
In order for the University to report our COVID-19 related expenses to governmental agencies, our campus constituents need a way to categorize expenses by specific groups. Outreach is working with Financial Services IT to develop an application that allows campus business officers to categorize their COVID-19 related expenses for reporting purposes.
Jun 2020 Dec 2020| Goals | Provide campus a solution for categorizing COVID-19 institutional expenses. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Mary Baum |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, Campus |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | On Hold |
| Timeframe | September 1, 2020 through December 11, 2020 |
Coordinating the plan and timeline for the efforts leading up to the negotiations for the facilities and administrative cost rate.
May 2019 Feb 2021| Goals | Ensure project tasks are completed on time to meet deadline for indirect cost proposal submission. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, Planning and Design Construction, campus constituents |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | In Progress |
| Timeframe | May 1, 2019 through February 26, 2021 |
Coordinating the redesign and update of the Financial Services website.
Jun 2020 May 2021| Goals | Consolidate and make customer centric updates to our Financial Services website. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | On Hold |
| Timeframe | June 24, 2020 through May 28, 2021 |
Financial Services is committed to supporting and ensuring the optimization of our financial system. We assist and lead upgrades and releases of new code.
Jul 2020 Jun 2021| Goals | Ensure teams effectively carryout the strategic direction given for the financial system. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Mary Baum |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, UITS, Campus Community |
| Leadership | UAccess Financials Governance and Strategy Committees |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Timeframe | July 2020 through June 2021 |
Financial Services Intranet content is being migrated to a SharePoint Hub. The goal of this project will be to launch a secure, user-friendly employee resource site.
Aug 2020 Dec 2020| Goals | Implement a new Intranet for Financial Services. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services units |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | In Progress |
| Timeframe | August 14, 2020 through December 23, 2020 |
The University transitions in April 2020 to JPMC as the provider of bank services. Due to COVID-19 and campus working remotely we have delayed onboarding our Outlet campus sites and BDEX solution until we are back on campus.
Oct 2020 Dec 2020| Goals | Transition Outlet campus sites to BDEX solution and complete the bank transition to JPMC. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Mary Baum |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, Campus |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | In Progress |
| Timeframe | October 5, 2020 through December 23, 2020 |
Completed Projects
Our UAccess Learning administrators provide support for our instructors and learners related to the enterprise system. We administer and manage Financial Services trainings as well as participate in upgrades and releases to production.
Jul 2020Jun 2021| Goals | Ensure the optimization of the enterprise learning management system. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Alexa Rohr |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, UITS, Campus Community |
| Leadership | UAccess Learning Governance |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | July 2020 through June 2021 |
The University of Arizona is working toward implementing a new Learning Management System for campus. Saba was the vendor awarded the RFP and we are branding the system EDGE Learning. Outreach is participating as a project member and is leading User Acceptance Testing for our internal units.
Jan 2020 Nov 2020| Goals | Adoption of a new Learning Management system. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Alexa Rohr |
| Stakeholders | Financials Services |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | January 2020 through December 2020 |
As part of Financial Services IT routine maintenance, the Application Access Component enables Financial Services application administrators to grant and maintain user access. This component will replace Gatekeeper and will function in many of the same ways, but will also be able to interact and manage users for server-less applications.
Sep 2020 Oct 2020| Goals | Implement a solution for managing users for server-less applications. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financials Services units |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | September 2020 through October 30, 2020 |
Upgrade the technical framework for the Tuition Calculator web application and develop a new administration dashboard to manage the tuition data.
Dec 2019 Jul 2020| Goals | Optimize the technical framework for the Tuition Calculator web application. Develop a new administration dashboard to allow the Bursar team to easily manage all the tuition data displayed on the Tuition Calculator. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | University of Arizona Students, Faculty, and Staff |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | December 2019 through July 10, 2020 |
Upgrade framework for current application and implement functional enhancements.
Oct 2019 Jul 2020| Goals | Optimize technical framework for the PCard Operation Center application and ensure requirements are met for both the PCard administration and Compliance teams. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Alexa Rohr |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | PCard Compliance, PCard Administration |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | October 2019 through July 20, 2020 |
Implementation team will form this Fall, JPMorgan Chase Bank will provide comprehensive banking services to the University that will not only save money but continue to provide excellent service to the University community.
Feb 2019 Apr 2020| Goals | Successfully transition the university from current bank to JPMorgan Chase. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Mary Baum |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, Campus Community |
| Leadership | New Bank Steering Committee |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | February 2019 through April 30, 2020 |
Modify existing application to include an option for distributing checks through the Bursar's Office.
Oct 2019 Dec 2019| Goals | Add functionality to allow checks to be signed for through the Bursar’s Office using already existing Special Handling Log application. Ensure documentation is updated for existing users and created for the new user unit. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | Financial Services |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | October 2019 through December 2019 |
Implement a Capital Physical Inventory solution that interfaces/updates our financial system of record.
Jul 2018 Mar 2020| Goals | Implement a solution that will meet Capital Finance and asset custodian’s needs for inventory purposes. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Alexa Rohr |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, UITS Enterprise Business Analysts, Campus Community |
| Leadership | Capital Finance |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | July 2018 through March 2020 |
Lead RFP for Budget and Planning tool. Provide support for the successful implementation of Axiom software. Work with the Budget Office to develop on demand training.
Nov 2018 Mar 2020| Goals | Work with the Budget Office stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation of Axiom and adoption from the campus community. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Budget Office, Financial Services, Campus Community |
| Leadership | Budget Office |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | November 2018 through March 2020 |
Upgrade framework and migrate current application to Portal.
Jan 2019 Oct 2019| Goals | Migrate application to a new server and take the opportunity to implement technical enhancements. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Phillip Valine |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | Accounts Payable |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | January 2019 through October 2019 |
Upgrade framework and migrate current application to Portal.
Dec 2018 May 2019| Goals | Migrate application to a new server and take the opportunity to implement technical enhancements. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Juanita McCune |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services |
| Leadership | Accounts Payable |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | December 2018 through May 2019 |
Select and implement new Identification Card vendor.
Jul 2016 Dec 2018| Goals | Implement a new IDMS software to create efficiencies within the CatCard office and our campus community. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Suellyn Caywood |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, Campus Community |
| Leadership | Bursar |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | July 2016 through December 2018 |
Upgrade current Kuali 3.0 code to target Kuali 7.0 code maintaining current functionality with minimal impact to campus.
Jul 2015 Aug 2018| Goals | Be as close to current Kuali code as possible with minimal impact to campus. |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | Suellyn Caywood |
| Stakeholders | Financial Services, UITS, UAIR, Campus Community |
| Leadership | UAccess Financials Steering and Governance Committees |
| Status | Completed |
| Timeframe | July 2015 through August 2018 |
Initiatives & Outreach Team
Mary Baum, PMP, CSM
Manager, Initiatives and Outreach
520-626-3050
maryb@arizona.edu
Alexa Rohr, CSM
Business Analyst, Principal
520-621-5802
arohr@arizona.edu
Akhil Kanakkassery
Business Analyst, Senior
520-621-0795
akhilashokk@arizona.edu
Phillip Valine, CSM
Business Analyst
520-621-8615
pjvaline@arizona.edu
Judy Miranda
Business Analyst
520-626-3090
ymiranda@arizona.edu