University Business - May 2006 - (Page 21)

VIEWPOINT What Academic Affairs Wants from the Business Office A former provost and colleague make a case for integrating academic and business affairs. By Louis V. Paradise and Kimya Dawson Smith A experienced as a result of Hurricane Katrina M E R I C A N COLLEGES AND are the least bit instructive, the need for universities usually are organized leadership in all areas of planning and op- with an office of Academic Affairs erations has never been more apparent. and an office of Business or Financial Af- As a provost for 11 years with exten- fairs. Typically, Academic Affairs is man- sive academic experience, but initially with aged by the provost or chief academic offi- limited business office experience, I Louis cer and Financial Affairs is managed by the Paradise had worked collaterally with the chief financial officer. These two offices and business office, and then had that office their leaders are at the operational core of reporting directly to me. Over those 11 the university. Thus, it is critical to the suc- years, it was always a challenge to get what cessful operation of the university that these was needed easily from the business office. two individuals have a seamless interface The people in the business office spoke fi- and highly positive working relationship. nancialese and I spoke academicese. It While the overarching goal of each of- Often one office assumes was obvious from the start that a lot was fice is to enable the mission of the univer- what is needed for the lost in the translations. sity, often the intricacies of one office are a other, but not what is As any good anthropologist would sug- mystery to the other. Those from the aca- gest, the best way to learn a language of a demic side tend to have little or a superfi- really wanted. foreign people is to live with them. It was cial understanding of the business side of challenging and sometimes frustrating but the operation. The opposite is true for those the best way was literally to spend the time joined at the hip for successful strategic from the business side of the operation. to learn each other's language. long-term and tactical short-term plan- For successful planning at all levels as ning and operations. This is even more well as the smooth day-to-day campus TWO FUNCTIONS, critical when one considers the likelihood, operations, these two offices must work SINGLE MISSION however remote, of a major crisis or catas- with a seamlessly integrated approach. Ac- The central or core mission for any post- trophe occurring, such as Hurricane Ka- tivities that occur regularly include such s e c o n d a r y institution is education/in- trina that struck New Orleans. things as: getting bills paid on time, order- struction. In recent years, the university's Think that possibility is remote? Con- ing equipment expeditiously, managing teaching mission has received increased sider the range of potential crises, man- grants appropriately, readying classrooms, attention from all constituencies, and ex- and nature-made from computer hacker issuing paychecks promptly, and complet- pectations of the importance that all attacks, malfunctions on your business or ing maintenance and repairs quickly to academic registration operations, weather- name just a few of the myriad operations related problems, terrorism, mischief or that must be completed daily for a univer- Louis V. Paradise is professor of educational lead- ership, counseling, and foundations at the Uni- mayhem by disgruntled students, etc. sity to function properly. These activities versity of New Orleans. He has served more than Disaster planning, disaster management, cannot be accomplished without an effec- 20 years as a program coordinator, department and disaster mitigation become academic tive working relationship between the two chair, college dean, provost, and executive vice and fiscal planning priorities for any suc- senior leaders of these offices. chancellor. Kimya Smith Dawson is a doctoral cessful institution. If the outcomes already In fact, we recommend that they be research associate at UNO. www.universitybusiness.com May 2006 | 21 Vwpt.indd 21 4/24/06 12:58:56 PM http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - May 2006

Contents
COLLEGE INDEX
COMPANY INDEX
ADVISORY BOARD
EDITOR'S NOTE
STATS WATCH
SENSE OF PLACE
PEOPLE WATCH
Viewpoint
Human Resources
Marketing
Community Colleges
State of Affairs
2006 Higher Education Consultants Guide
Where's the Beef?
Big Picture AV Planning
Gifts with Strings Attached
Internet Postage Is Here
Enrollment Management Grows Up
Steve Wozniak: Education Technology Champion
Business Technology
WHAT'S NEW
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DIRECT CONNECT
END NOTE

University Business - May 2006