ABA NEWS

ABA Offices on the Move

Several of ABA's offices are soon planning a change of scenery. Beginning the week of March 21st, Procurement & Contract Services, Accounting Services, and Accounts Payable/Travel are moving their offices from their current location, in Sequoia Hall, to their new offices in Modoc Hall.

The move is important as space currently occupied by all three offices in Sequoia Hall will be converted into much needed labs for students.

Employees of AP, Accounting, and Procurement are ready for the challenges and adjustments due to the move. Relocating eight years of paperwork is quite a task, and employees are looking at how best to serve their customers once the move has been completed. "We have been reviewing all of the contact points we have with the campus community and looking at ways to maintain our customer service from a more remote location," said Kendal Chaney-Buttleman, university controller.

However, benefits for the offices are expected to materialize: "Procurement and Accounts Payable & Travel will be working side by side in the same office space. Many of their processes are interrelated, so working closely together may result in some efficiencies," said Chaney-Buttleman. "We will also have a dedicated conference room for meetings that we don’t currently have. This will be more convenient to hold training and other events for the departments."

Surplus Furniture Available

In need of office furniture? The Property Management office has many surplus items currently in their warehouse. Some of these items include: desks, filing cabinets, wall shelves, tables, as well as office/task chairs.

Considering surplus furniture first helps divert waste as well. In 2015, 26 tons of materials were auctioned off or reused, which prevented those 26 tons from being sent to a landfill.

Many items do not get posted to the furniture surplus website immediately, and may be available to offices in need. To view the furniture available, visit the property surplus warehouse by contacting the Property Management office to make an appointment. They can be reached at 278-6015, or atproperty@csus.edu.

Auditing Services Expands Reach

Recently, Auditing Services has been working with Financial Services to provide advisory services to departments on campus. "We really want colleges and departments to know that we are here to help," said Gina Curry, interim associate vice president of financial services. These additional services aren't new to auditing, but their collaboration with Financial Services and outreach are.

Auditing Services has begun working with both academic and non-academic departments to review their financial processes in a greater advisory role. This helps ensure a process or procedure would stand up to an external audit, and improvements, controls, or training are suggested to help ensure an office is in compliance with all Federal, State, and University rules and practices, according to Kaye Milburn, director of Auditing Services.

"Any college or department can benefit from a review," said Curry. "Sometimes processes and procedures are best reviewed by someone who does not do them every day. An auditor’s 'eye' is going to be looking for specific adherence with rules and best practices." In addition, according to Milburn, the University benefits by having departments that are less likely to have an audit finding.

The end result is focused on efficiency, explains Curry: "If we can help departments be more efficient doing the business of the University, the better chance that they won’t need to call or have work sent back to them. It helps us be more efficient by having departments be more efficient."
If you are interested in having a financial process evaluated, contact Auditing Services at 916-278-3561.