2024 Fall Workshop Concurrent Sessions 3

October 31, 2024 | 1:10 PM - 2:00 PM

Accounting Track 3  |  Concurrent Session 3A  |  Concurrent Session 3B
Concurrent Session 3C  |  Concurrent Session 3D

Accounting Track 3: 2024 Uniform Grant Guidance Update and Compliance Reminders, Trends & Issues

Description 

Institutions that received Federal awards subject to single audit will need to understand the various changes in order to ensure proper compliance with new 2024 Compliance Supplement. Additional information will be presented upcoming Uniform Grant Guidance changes. This session will also provide a discussion on various compliance reminders, trends and common issues.

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify key changes included in the 2024 compliance supplement
  2. Identify information specific to upcoming Uniform Grant Guidance changes
  3. Identify various compliance reminders, trends and common issues

Speakers

Brian Liffick, Partner, Cherry Bekaert

Brian is an audit partner with over 13 years of public accounting experience. Brian serves as an external auditor for his clients which includes services to more than 100 higher education, not-for-profit, and government-funded organizations. Brian, who is located in Orlando, received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance from Manchester College in Indiana. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida, Virginia and Indiana and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA), and the Indiana Institute of Certified Public Accountants (INCPA).

Concurrent Session 3A: Haunted Harmony: Navigating the Challenges of Building a Collaborative Leadership Team Through Cultivating Connection

Description 

In the shadowed corridors of organizational existence, we know that effective communication and collaboration are key to successful leadership teams, yet many teams are doomed to never meet this potential. Join the Business Affairs leadership team from The University of Texas at San Antonio and the ghosts of leadership past as they share their journey as they first developed their own "BATCAVE" to support executive team development, and later as they formed the "NEST" to support next-level leader growth. Don't worry, this spooky tale has a happy ending and key takeaways for anyone interested in creating stronger teams, building connections, and increasing communication with colleagues.

Learning Objectives

  1. Participants will be able to recognize the role that individual leaders play in building effective leadership teams.
  2. Participants will be able to explain how creating effective teams supports communication and collaboration.
  3. Participants will be able to design strategies to successfully support next-level leaders.

Speakers

Veronica Salazar, Executive Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Enterprise Development Officer, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Veronica Salazar serves as the Executive Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Enterprise Development Officer at San Antonio (UTSA). With over 20 years of experience in higher education, she provides leadership in finance, real estate, administration, urban development, and strategic business initiatives. Ms. Salazar provides oversight of the university's financial resources and helps advance UTSA's vision to become a student success exemplar, nationally competitive research university and Hispanic-thriving institution. She works to ensure the success of ongoing initiatives, including the Campus Master Plan and Downtown Campus expansion. Previously, Ms. Salazar served as the Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer at the University of California, Merced, where she made significant contributions to the Merced 2020 Project.

Mary Hernandez, Senior Associate Vice President for Administration and Operations, University of Texas at San Antonio

Mary G. Hernandez, M.B.A., serves as the Senior Associate Vice President for Administration and Operations at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). In her current role, Mary oversees critical administrative units, including People Excellence, Campus Services, the Business Affairs Business Service Center, Risk and Emergency Management, and Pandemic Operations. Since joining UTSA in 2019, she has been instrumental in implementing numerous institutional initiatives and programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she orchestrated the university's comprehensive operational response and recovery, ensuring the well-being of the campus community while maintaining the continuity of essential operations.

Sheri Hardison, Senior Associate VP Financial Affairs & CFO, The University of Texas

Sheri Hardison, C.P.A., serves as Senior Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs and Chief Financial Officer, and is responsible for overseeing all areas of UTSA Financial Affairs, including the functions for budget, Incentivized Resource Management (IRM), accounting and financial reporting, supply chain, financial services, and all financial transactional areas.Sheri joined UTSA in 2014 as Assistant Vice President for Financial Affairs and University Controller. She previously served as Associate Vice President of Finance and Assistant Treasurer for The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. from 2004 to 2014. Prior to that, Sheri worked at PwC for eight years in the audit function, where she served in a variety of progressive roles up to senior manager in the District of Columbia office.

Stephanie Schoenborn, Chief of Police, University of Texas at San Antonio

Chief Stephanie Schoenborn has been with the University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department since 1993, first serving in an administrative role before becoming a police officer in 1995, graduating from the 60th UT System Basic Police Academy. She is a proud two-time alum of the University of Texas at San Antonio, having earned both her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and her Master's Degree in Public Administration. She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 238th Session. Serving as a member of the executive board for the Texas Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates from 2012-2020 and appointed President of the board in 2019. She also serves as chairperson for the Alamo Area Council of Governments Regional Law Enforcement Academy. In 2016, she was promoted to Captain and assumed responsibility for the administrative operations of Public Safety, including management of the police department budget, employment, internal affairs, background checks and other critical functions. Prior to this assignment, she served in areas of the department to include Patrol Operations, Training, Quartermaster, Fleet Services, Criminal Investigations and Administrative Services.  She is very proud of her service as the commander of the department Honor Guard team. Schoenborn served as Interim Assistant Chief of Police at UT Medical Branch, Galveston for a period in 2018. She received the Distinguished Command Award from the UT System Office of the Director of Police for her service. In April 2021 she was named Interim Chief of Police for the UTSA Police Dept. and then in February 2022 she was permanently appointed as Chief. In her free time Chief Schoenborn spends time with her two sons traveling and supporting their school and work activities.

Concurrent Session 3B: Change is HARD! Academic Portfolio Review at UNC Greensboro

Description 

Hear from former UNC Greensboro Provost Debbie Storrs and current CFO Bob Shea as they highlight lessons learned from taking on third rail topics as UNCG is facing significant enrollment decline.

Learning Objectives

  1. How to build a data enterprise that supports managerial and strategic decision making.
  2. How to engage the community in an open and transparent process that actually cuts programs.
  3. How to prepare yourself for courageous decision making that you know will result in votes of no confidence.

Speakers

Debbi Storrs, Retired Provost, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Debbie Storrs served as Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor at UNCG from July 2021-May 2024. Storrs has held many leadership positions at previous institutions including department chair of the Department of Sociology/Anthropology/Justice Studies and the Department of Languages & Literature at the University of Idaho, Associate Dean of the College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences at the University of Idaho, Dean of Arts & Sciences Senior Vice Provost, and Interim Provost at the University of North Dakota.Storrs earned a number of awards for her excellence in teaching and commitment to student learning. She embraces the teacher-scholar model and has conducted research on the scholarship of teaching and learning, community action, and on STEM education and the experiences of students of color in higher education. She has engaged many undergraduate students in the discovery process and co-authored conference papers and peer reviewed publications with students.Storrs earned a BA in sociology from the University of Alaska, and a MS and PhD in sociology from the University of Oregon. During her career, Storrs was committed and focused on ensuring students of today and the future experience the transformational power and promise of higher education made possible by committed faculty, staff, and administrators.

Bob Shea, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Bob Shea is the University of North Carolina, Greensboro's Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, a member of the chancellor's senior staff. He is responsible for finance, administration, budget, endowment management, auxiliary enterprises, risk and emergency management, human resources, planning, construction and campus police. UNCG has 18,000 students, a $450 million annual budget, a $400 million endowment and 2,700 employees. Prior to joining the leadership team at UNCG, he served in similar roles at NACUBO, Elon University and the Community College of Rhode Island. Bob has presented on strategy, leadership and the business model of higher education at many leading symposia both nationally and internationally. He currently serves as a trustee for the State of North Carolina Supplemental Retirement Board with $14 billion assets under management and as chair of the Service Academy Nominating Committee for the Sixth Congressional District in North Carolina.A veteran, Shea retired in 2007 from the US Navy as a captain.  He served for twenty-five years with postings around the United States and the world, culminating his naval career with three years on the faculty at the Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the College of William and Mary, a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and an undergraduate degree from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Concurrent Session 3C: NACUBO Student Success HUB: Connecting Resources, Stakeholders, and Student Success

Description 

Effective budgeting is essential for fostering campus success and ensuring financial sustainability. In this session, discover how Chief Business Officers (CBOs) have enhanced budget development processes at their institutions using free resources available through the NACUBO Student Success Hub. Attendees will hear compelling case studies showcasing innovative approaches to optimizing the use of funds earmarked for student success, aligning budget proposals with key outcome metrics, integrating grant budgets, and ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of grant-funded initiatives.

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain effective strategies for improving budget development processes using no-cost tools from the NACUBO Student Success Hub.
  2. Identify ways to better leverage funds dedicated to innovation and align budget submissions with student outcome metrics for maximum impact.
  3. Define methods for integrating grant budget development into institutional systems for long-term financial viability of grant-funded projects.

Speakers

Randy Roberson, Vice President for Leadership Development, NACUBO

Bio coming soon.

 

Peter Elliot, Vice President for Administrative Services, South Florida State College

Peter S. Elliott - South Florida State College (SFSC) vice president for Administrative Services. Elliott, who is a certified public accountant (CPA), earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Accounting from Florida State University. He earned his Associate in Arts from Santa Fe College. Prior to coming to SFSC, he was vice president for Administration and chief financial officer at Polk State College for 14 years. Previously, he worked at Broward College as associate vice president of financial operations, director of financial operations, and adjunct instructor in accounting. For 11 years, he served as an auditor with the State of Florida’s Office of the Auditor General.

Concurrent Session 3D: Effective Practices in Pre-Award and Post-Award Grant Processes for Small Institutions

Description 

This session offers a detailed exploration of the entire lifecycle of charitable grants within small higher education institutions, from securing funding to managing it effectively. Participants will gain valuable insights into each stage of the grant process, including: Grant Management Overview: A guide to navigating pre-award and post-award processes. Key Stakeholder Engagement: Identifying crucial stakeholders and building strong internal and external partnerships. Aligning Grants with Institutional Goals: Strategies for finding funding opportunities that support your institution’s mission. Enhancing Proposals and Reporting: Practical tips for strengthening grant proposals, improving reporting systems, and achieving successful outcomes through stakeholder collaboration. This session will explore practical solutions and institutional resources that can help mitigate challenges in securing and managing grant funding.

Learning Objectives

  1. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the pre-award and post-award phases.
  2. Identify and Engage Key Stakeholders and align funding opportunities with institutional goals.
  3. Enhance Proposal Development and Reporting, reviewing methods for strengthening grant proposals, improving reporting processes, and maximizing outcomes through collaboration with institutional stakeholders.
Speakers

Lea Sutherland, Assistant Director of Advancement Services & Gift Processing, John Brown University

Lea Sutherland is the Assistant Director of Advancement Services and Gift Processing at John Brown University, where she has served since 2021. With over a decade of experience in higher education, primarily in student support services, Lea transitioned to Advancement to expand her skills and professional knowledge. In her current role, she collaborates with grant writers and the business office to manage grant data, process receipts, and provide assistance with stewardship reporting. Additionally, Lea oversees gift processing, and helps the team with data integrity, data reporting, and supports Directors of Development and our Donor Engagement teams.

Lanya Carson, Director of Advancement Engagement, John Brown University

Lanya Carson has worked in higher education advancement since 2012. At John Brown University, where she has been serving since 2016, she holds the position of Director of Advancement Engagement. Her responsibilities include managing grant operations, the annual fund, and the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement.