The Office of the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration has recently initiated a staff development program designed to improve the “bench strength” of the division and to cultivate opportunities for staff to advance within the organization.
Two of the programs, F&A Fellows and leadership training through the university’s training and development department, are beginning this fall. A third program, Leadership F&A, will be implemented in 2006-07.
“The work environment of finance and administration is becoming more complex every day,” says Hank Huckaby, senior vice president for finance and administration. “To attain our goals for excellence in the delivery of business and administrative support services, we must ensure that our staff members possess the knowledge, technological skills and leadership abilities they need to succeed. Our new staff development programs are designed to address that need.”
Three finance and administration employees were recently selected as inaugural participants in the Fellows Program. As F&A Fellows, they will spend six months working in two F&A divisions (three months in each section). During this experience, participants will broaden their knowledge of the myriad functions of finance and administration; build their individual knowledge, skills and abilities; and forge connections for potential career growth and advancement.
The first class of F&A Fellows includes Kim Thomas, communications coordinator for the UGA police department, whose fellowship placements will be in administrative and auxiliary services and budget. Chris Kwiatkowski, application analyst associate with financial systems department, will have fellowship placements in physical plant and controller/business services. Kim Eberhart, senior accountant with auxiliary services, will have fellowship placements in human resources and budget. Also, finance and administration will offer one section each of the Front Line Leadership and Managerial Leadership series exclusively for finance and administration employees. In addition to the courses in the existing training and development programs, the F&A leadership courses will also include segments on workplace legal issues and maintenance of a respectful workplace.