Finance & Business: FAQs

FAQs


What is Finance & Business’s mission statement?
Finance & Business is a service organization that provides support to students, faculty, staff, and the public. It is responsible for the planning, management, and accountability of the University’s financial, physical, and human resources.

What units comprise Finance & Business?
Finance & Business encompasses nine administrative areas units and affects every aspect of the University.

These units and their responsibilities are:

Auxiliary and Business Services (ABS) - A&BS provides hospitality, event management, student residence services, and business and support services for the University community and the public at large. A&BS employs approximately 1,200 employees and 3,000 part-time employees across the University system. A&BS is directly responsible for the operation and maintenance of The Bryce Jordan Center, The Nittany Lion Inn, and The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. A&BS also oversees Housing and Food Services, which offers services at University Park and nine other Penn State locationscampuses. Transportation Services, also underanother unit of A&BS, oversees parking facilities and parking permit distribution, as well as providing vehicles for official University travel and overseeing an intra-campus transportation system. The divisionTransportation Services has two subdivisions: Fleet Operations and the Parking Office.

The Office of the Corporate Controller - This unit is responsible for receiving and disbursing all cash and maintaining appropriate accounting records for these transactions. The controller is also responsible for establishing, promulgating, and enforcing guidelines and controls established for receiving and expending all funds, ensuring that expenditures do not exceed budgeted resources, or budget parameters, and developing necessary programs fto protect or protection of the assets of the University and the insurance of these assets.

The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center - The Finance & Business role at the Penn State College of Medicine and The Milton S. Hersheythe Penn State Hershey Medical Center is multifaceted. Members of the Finance & Business organization are responsible for providing financial and human resources services to the College of Medicine. In addition, this group is responsible for the oversight of the 3 million square feet of facilities and 546 acres of land that comprise The Milton S. Hershey the Medical Center, which is located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Finance & Business organization also provides on-campus housing, fleet services, and mail services, and operates the University Fitness Center at the Mmedical Ccenter.

The Office of Investment Management (OIM) - OIM oversees the day-to-day management and administration of University investment funds. OIM developssubmits policies and practices as appropriate for achieving investment and spending objectives and submits them to the Penn State Investment Council (PSIC) for its approval.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) - OHR is a service organization that supports and enhances the University’s vision to become one of the nation’s preeminent public universities. OHR s and is responsible for integrating administrative divisions into the framework of the institution, providing expert advice and counsel to colleges, departments, faculty, and staff, and strengthening positive efforts to attract and retain quality faculty and staff.

The Office of Physical Plant (OPP) - OPP is responsible for the stewardship of all the University’s physical assets. Theseis includes facilities at all the campus locationses of the University as well as at University Park. OPP is responsible for facilities planning, design, and construction, capital budget management, utility engineering, real estate, and environmental health and safety for the University, and maintenance and operations at University Park.

The University Budget Office (UBO) - UBO assists the President and the Budget Task Force in developing, implementing, monitoring, and controlling the University’s annual operating and capital budgets. The office serves as principal staff to the Budget Task Force, preparing all agenda materials and implementing budgetary decisions. The officeUBO also supports the University Planning Council's strategic planning and budget process through by participatingon in deliberations of committees and hearing panels, presentation presenting of essential institutional data, and preparation preparing of various analyses and reports. UBO also serves as the primary office for complying with the University’s central external reporting requirements. The office continues to develop and produce institutional databases to provide the source of official data for both internal and external reporting.

University Police - Thise department is responsible for the protectionng of and service serving to Penn State’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors. In addition, University Police is charged with the protectionng of property and , maintenance maintaining of order, as well as theand enforcement enforcing of both the laws of the Commonwealth and University regulations. University Police has full law enforcement authority.

How many square feet of space is Finance & Business responsible for throughout the entire University?
Penn State's total physical plant includes 1,642 buildings comprising 24 million square feet of space, with a plant replacement value of $3.5 billion on almost 19,000 acres across the sState of Pennsylvania.

What are the goals of the organization?
Finance & Business strives to:
  • lead University-wide efforts to increase revenues and improve the efficient use of resources;
  • develop a high-quality, diverse work force in Finance & Business to meet current responsibilities and maximize future opportunities;
  • provide first-rate Finance & Business services that are efficient, meet budget constraints, and satisfy University service requirements.
What are the current Key Initiatives of the organization?
The 2005-2008 Key Initiatives include:
  1. Diversity
  2. e-Business
  3. Enterprise Risk Management
  4. Environmental Stewardship
  5. Focus on People
  6. Physical Assets
Budget Office Announced its Biggest Loser
Steve Neeper shed almost 22 lbs. over eight weeks to become the University Budget Office’s “Biggest Loser.”
Amaechi, QS/QP Awards Headline Annual Spring Retreat
This year’s F&B Spring Retreat featured a talk from keynote speaker John Amaechi, four new Quality Service, Quality People Awards , and thorough discussions regarding F&B’s key initiatives.
Penn State Continues Commitment to Green Construction
Penn State is building one of the greenest law schools in the country. Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s two locations will feature modern green building methods that will aim to conserve resources and promote environmental awareness.
F&B Improvements Noted in Latest Diversity Climate Survey Results
As part of its Diversity Key Initiative, Finance and Business is continually developing new ways to improve the diversity climate in its units and maintain each office’s progress. A major step in that improvement is the 2007 Diversity Climate Survey.
New Videoconferencing Program Saves Time and Money
Thanks to a videoconferencing program, meetings at Penn State don’t have to be a long drive or walk away anymore. You can sign on to Adobe Connect and experience your meetings without leaving the office.
Ask and Learn…There are No Dumb Questions
One way to get answers is to ask questions. The short film “No Dumb Questions” sits in on three sisters and listens to their probing questions about their Uncle Bill’s transformation into a woman.
Employee Ethics and Compliance Hotline
Address your concerns about workplace issues anonymously with the Ethics and Compliance Hotline. This service will assist you with problems including financial matters such as fraud, theft, conflict of interest, and other violations of University policy, including research compliance matters, discrimination, athletics-compliance issues, and more. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-560-1637.
Finance & Business Senior Leadership Signs Commitment Statement on Diversity. (pdf)
F&B Newsletter
View current and past issues online.
Help F&B Save Money
Have you ever looked around at work and thought, "If I were the boss, I'd do things differently. We could save a lot of time and money if only we'd...." Well, the F&B Expenditures Team wants to hear your ideas for changes that will result in saved time, resources, or money. Send your suggestions to expenditures@psu.edu.
F&B Approves Statement on Acts of Intolerance
As part of its Key Initiative to Foster Diversity, Finance & Business has adopted a Statement on Acts of Intolerance, outlining behavior and actions that are deemed inappropriate and harmful in the workplace. To view the Statement, visit the following page: FBIntolerancePolic(final).htm.