Financial Systems Replacement Initiative

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, and Vice Chancellors
 

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to you today to inform you of The Financial Systems Replacement Initiative, which will provide UCLA with an opportunity to streamline its administrative processes and replace its aging financial systems.  UCLA’s financial systems provide the backbone for our daily administrative activities and play a crucial role in supporting the advancement and accomplishment of UCLA’s goals and objectives.  Due to the importance of these systems, UCLA must begin the planning process to replace our aging current systems with an updated, flexible and modern system(s) that will keep pace with rapidly changing business and information needs.

For many years, UCLA has focused on enhancing existing systems and investing in them through targeted funding.  Although additional investments in the systems are worthwhile in order to achieve short-term improvements, it is time for the campus to begin development of a strategy and commit to a formalized campus planning effort for replacing the financial systems.  The IT Planning Task Force has developed a strategic plan for campus information technology spanning 2009-2018 that also recognizes the need for replacement of the financial systems during this same time frame.

The Financial Systems Replacement project is being led by Director Judith Freed who reports to Associate Vice Chancellor/Controller Sue Abeles.  The project team will receive direction and guidance from an Executive Sponsors Group whose membership includes Administrative Vice Chancellor Sam Morabito, Vice Chancellor of Finance, Budget, and Capital Planning Steve Olsen, Associate Vice Chancellor Information Technology Jim Davis, and Chief Executive Officer/Associate Vice Chancellor David Feinberg, and from a Management Work Group co-chaired by Associate Vice Chancellor Abeles and Assistant Vice Chancellor-Administrative Information Systems Andrew Wissmiller.  The project team is being formed now and will develop and implement a communications plan to keep the campus community informed about the project’s progress.  Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available.

The Chancellor and I consider this a high priority.  Your involvement and support are critical to this project’s success.  There will be many opportunities for your staff to share their knowledge and expertise by participating in interviews, focus groups, and process committees. Please encourage them to offer information, insight and recommendations whenever possible.

I thank you in advance for the contribution I know you will make to this important initiative.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost