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PM magazine | SPRING 2015
Achieving A Balanced Bottom Line by Daniel Janak
Daniel Janak met with Mr. Sidney Evans, Morgan’s Vice President for Finance and Management to talk about various projects that his division is undertaking and to learn about his management approach. How does your division help faculty/staff to improve student success?
A number of student related activities report to me. Mr. Sidney Evans In the facilities management area, one of the goals of that organization is to provide a safe and healthy learning environment. We must do this successfully in order to help student’s succeed. The bookstore reports to me through auxiliary enterprises and our goal there is to provide textbooks and other goods and services that would help the instructional and learning environment. We try to have competitive book prices so that students are inclined to buy books here rather than other retailers. The dining facility is another area, where we hope to provide healthy food options for students. This is critical when students are trying to study.You don’t want to study on an empty stomach. Finally, since the university’s budget is under my purview, our goal is to maximize the financial resources of the university and to allocate resources to the appropriate areas.
Doing this successfully has a definite positive impact on student success. What period of the fiscal year does your division experience the most pressure to achieve the University’s strategic priorities?
Given the fact that tuition is one our largest source of revenue. It is paid in the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Consequently, a significant amount of money comes in. During May, June, and July summer school is in session, but it is not as financially robust as the fall and spring semesters. I would say those would be the most difficult times. It takes very precise planning to get through those months.
has that affect faculty. I have only been with Morgan State University for four months and I hope to quarterly meet with the different Deans. I have given one presentation to one of the schools during their annual workshop. I would like to meet with the Deans and the faculty on a quarterly basis. Right now we do not directly have a way to measure this means of communication. We use a lot of matrix in my area because it’s finance, accounting, and budgeting. We use a lot of benchmarks with other institutions such as the state of Maryland and the University of Maryland System. I am still researching a tool to effectively measure these communication methods.
What do you think are the best means to communicate with your team in accomplishing your division’s goals and objectives?
Communication is very important, I have a staff meeting with my direct reports every two weeks. I use that form to communicate information from the president and the president’s cabinet; and we have a round table session during that meeting which gives everyone a chance to hear what the other departments are hearing. Secondly, I have one-on-one meetings with my direct reports to address confidential issues and things we need to address in terms of what that individual is doing for his or her job. I am doing these once a month.Those are the two major ways that I communicate with my team. I also contact everyone via email throughout the day. What are your best means of communication to assist faculty/staff with information, and is there a measurement tool you use to measure the success of these means of communication?
I have an open door policy to meet with faculty, staff, and students. I meet with the Provost on a monthly basis to see what issues she
Have you had to adjust your approach with communication with certain team members/ faculty/vendors/cabinet members/Board of Regents, etc.? What did you do, and is it currently working for your division’s best interest?
Yes, I think each constituent needs a communication strategy. I communicate with the Board of Regents and the university president in person. I meet with the cabinet members on an as needed basis. Another activity I’m putting in place is to meet with my departments (physical plant, auxiliary enterprises, budget office along with the comptroller, etc.) quarterly. This method is currently working because I can see productivity improving and opening the lines of communication. So far this has been the most effective way to successfully accomplish our goals. n