Advancing Preeminence

Across Texas A&M University, core business functions will be centralized September 1, 2022 to include finance, business administration, and human resources (HR). In anticipation, a standout team of women from Mays business administration have spearheaded early adoption of centralized functions and identified key benefits of newly streamlined organizations.

Led by Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration, Barbara Bayer, the team is poised to maximize practical gains from reorganization. Working behind the scenes to ensure a seamless transition, these women are advancing preeminence, underwriting the critical functions that allow Mays constituents to thrive.

A Deliberate Divide

Although centralized within their respective areas, HR and finance roles are now more effectively bifurcated, with dedicated team members assigned to either HR or finance functions. Previously, Mays departments housed their own business administrator, each with a cross-section of HR and finance responsibilities. “Where past business administrators split their time between HR and business finance, restructured teams can provide targeted client support without competing duties,” shares Assistant Director of Human Resources, Kimberly Syptak.

In the new structure, the finance portion of business administration will transition from ten to three centralized teams, each including collaborative and cross-trained business administrators and business coordinators. Each team will serve several Mays departments.

Mays HR will comprise four HR generalists, centrally located at Mays and reporting up through one of the university’s central HR hubs (part of the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness – HROE). HR generalists will serve as concierge and liaison, charged with meeting the HR needs of their designated Mays departments and facilitating access to specialists.

Anticipated benefits include greater camaraderie, idea sharing to improve processes, strategic redundancy for consistent service, and expedited timelines. “Mays business administration team members will work seamlessly within the university centralization model, while better serving Mays faculty, staff, and students,” shares Bayer. “It’s a true team approach.”

Optimization and Strategic Backup

Beyond collaboration and efficiency, the new system also provides ‘backup’ in the event of absence or heightened workload. By cross-training and working in tandem with peers in like roles, absence of a single team member won’t create a backlog. In the past, if a department’s designated administrator was out, projects could stall. Now, with nested teams working together, processes will be streamlined and uniform, providing strategic redundancy to ensure uninterrupted, consistent service.

Mays Business Administrator III, Diane Johnson is encouraged. “I’ve been on campus 23 years and I’m still learning. Now we are centralized instead of siloed, sharing strategies and everyone is learning.” Johnson elaborates, “We are discovering untapped and underutilized resources— in the expertise and experience of our peers.”

Also new—professional development opportunities for team members. “This structure allows us to carve a career path, boost learning and mentoring, and conduct succession planning,” notes Johnson. “We can grow business coordinators into business administrators with several grade levels for each role. Similarly, HR team members will have the opportunity to rise through five levels of HR generalist and specialist, in addition to central HR opportunities.”

Organizational Excellence

Streamlined, consistent processes will mean easier finance and HR training for faculty and staff. Another key metric is expediency—the new organization structure promises greater efficiency. “For example,” shares Johnson, “if a faculty member or student needs to utilize a particular database for research, the more quickly we can process the approvals for access, the faster they can advance their project.”

HR generalists provide a single point of contact, liaising with specialists for everything from classification and compensation to benefits services, payroll, and talent management. “The impact of efficiency for our constituents is tangible. Getting people on payroll—hiring and filling positions quickly—is a major priority, particularly for high-turnover roles like graduate and research assistants,” Syptak states.

Mays took their organizational updates live July 1, ahead of the September 1 mandate. “Our staff is navigating these structural changes well in advance of the deadline, positioning Mays for a smooth fall semester,” Bayer says.

Ultimately, streamlined service allows faculty and other university staff to focus on excellence in teaching, research, and adjacent services. Additionally, standardized procedures and processes should improve compliance and audit, ensuring continued excellent stewardship of the funding Mays receives. “When we operate at our best, they are equipped for preeminence,” states Bayer, “and that’s really the goal.”