Click on photo above to view group shot

On two beautiful spring days at the end of May in Seattle, six members of the Vice Chancellor’s Office for Business and Administrative Services from the University of California at Berkeley, joined Financial Management (FM) staff to talk “quality”. Tom Holdford, Denise Cronin and Shana Amenaghawon from Business and Administrative Services, Seamus Wilmot, from Recreational Sports, Eric Anglim, from Property Management, and Kira Stoll, from Parking and Transportation met with the FM Dashboard Team to share how performance measures and reports are developed and used by our respective areas. 

The Bears demonstrated how their web-based dashboard measures for recreational sports are color coded and displayed. The Huskies discussed the Strategy Map, the FM Operational Performance Dashboard, and how some measures from department dashboards roll-up into the FM-wide dashboard. We also demonstrated how The Wiki is used to share information throughout FM such as charters, meeting minutes, reports, and presentations to the FM Executive Improvement Team. Prior to sitting around the campfire to exchange ideas, both groups had sent copies of program initiatives, organizational charts, and website links to issues of New Directions.

The Bears then joined up with a group of Purchasing and Stores and new FM staff to hear from V’Ella Warren, Ruth Johnston, Shawna Litterski, Vincent Lau, Jeanne Semura, Joe Kerchen, and Lisa Read about FM’s journey, values, and culture of continual quality improvement. After the first half of the Quality Awareness class, the Bears joined available members of the Executive Improvement and Dashboard teams at an evening reception of informal sharing and networking.

After class, they joined Ruth, Charles Bennett, Cheryl Hawley, and Jeanne for a working lunch and a question and answer session.

Kyra Worrell, Student Fiscal Services, tour guide extraordinaire, provided a quick main campus tour before our guests rode off into the sunset promising to continue our collaboration someday.

Comments from our guests:

“I wanted to thank you and your team for taking such good care of us during our visit last week.  I found your QI training very beneficial and plan to employ your sense of "community" in my operations.” .Eric Anglim, Assistant Director for Property Management.

“I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time I had last week. You were the perfect hosts. You have something special happening there that we are still feeding off of. Although your classes covered a lot of territory, they were fun and at no time was I bored. We are all looking forward to collaborating with you in the future.” Tom Holdford, Administrative Analyst, Office of Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Administrative Services

“The discussions pertaining to the Operational Performance Dashboard and our strategic approach using pbviews were very useful and merit future discussion. The team (Strategy Management Team) also briefed me about your excellent training sessions and the value they provide for staff awareness of your efforts in Quality Improvement.

Especially noted by the team was the sincere and skillful manner in which each of you conducted your individual training sessions and the message it sends to your employees about your commitment. It has opened a discussion here of how we can communicate our approach to Strategy Management to our staff.

… I am looking forward to more future collaborations between us.”  Ron Coley, Associate Vice Chancellor, Business and Administrative Services

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May 15th’s Traveling Treats give a quick glimpse of the “Sites of Seattle”. Visitors could feast on Mike’s Chili, tour the Pike Place Market, and check out all the exotic animals at the Woodland Park Zoo.  What other historic Seattle landmarks made it? Well, before we get to that, let’s look at the purpose behind the fun of Traveling Treats.

Traveling Treats is the annual event that everyone here in Financial Management looks forward to. The event brings fun and excitement to an often busy office environment. Not only does it bring together food and entertainment, Traveling Treats also allows participants to learn more about the departments that make up FM and meet people that they may have only e-mailed or talked to over the phone. The goal is to connect an ever-expanding group of people who all work hard to contribute to the productive FM environment.

The “Sites of Seattle” themed Traveling Treats featured Student Fiscal Services’ depiction of the Pike Place Market, Payroll’s tasty Bite of Seattle and Payables and Travel’s busy waterfront. Management Accounting & Analysis, Decision Support and Controller’s Office peeked into the International District while Grant and Contract Accounting got wild with the Woodland Park Zoo. Risk Management displayed their version of the long time favorite Dick’s Drive In, while Financial Accounting and Equipment Inventory cooked up Mike’s Chili and Treasury kick-started Seafair. New to Traveling Treats, Purchasing started off with a bang, bringing the Seattle Center to life with a realistic dinosaur and rock exhibit similar to what you would see at the Seattle Science Center and also gave guests the opportunity to practice their basketball skills.

Hard work, good food and creative minds all made the event a big hit. Traveling Treats 2007 left many looking forward to next year’s event while this years party left a lasting impression on staff for years to come.

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It all began in the waning sunlight of a San Antonio evening; and like many of the stories you may hear in these parts, it all started after one of those national conferences. The PDG/ Professional Development Conference to be exact. We were sitting around, sampling some quality Tex-Mex grub, relaxing with our fellow conference attendees; networking, real nice, like. I was sharing chow with the President of the Florida Association of Bursars and Student Accounts Administrators, or FABSAA. His name was Hiram Sem, and he hailed from the University of Miami. We were just sitting around, debriefing as the sun stated to set on that three day shindig, and he says to me, “I heard tell that you’ve got something special going on way out west, partner, and I think y’all might mosey on over to our neck of the woods and tell us how y’all do it. We got this show-down, this competition, you see, like the O.K. corral; except it’s colleges instead of cowboys, practices (best or otherwise) instead of guns…”

Well, it didn’t go down exactly like that; but that’s the gist of it.  Both Diane Cooley and I have spent the last few years as Student Fiscal Services (SFS) Outreach ambassadors to the world, traveling to national conferences showcasing the SFS Outreach program and how we are able to get our messages about financial literacy and UW financial responsibility out to the students. I met the President of FABSAA on one such occasion, at the PDG conference in San Antonio, Texas. SFS has long had ties with the Florida Bursars Association, which is well on its way to becoming a nationally know and renown organization. Hiram Sem had seen our presentation about SFS Outreach and was impressed by our ability and the methods we used to reach out to students. He suggested we enter the FABSAA Best Practices competition.

The FABSAA Best Practices competition is a yearly event, open to institutions of Higher Learning across the country. There are three categories: Best Practices in Public Institutions, Best Practices in Private Institutions and Best Practices in Community Colleges. We entered the Best Practices for Public Institutions. The entries are reviewed by the FABSAA Executive Board, which draws it membership from high level officials in various Bursar and Student Account Offices. We were being judged by a panel of our peers and the people who were managing our peers.

We were directed to outline the problem we were addressing and solving in abstract and real life terms.  Then we were to indicate how we combated the stated problem, laying out both the design and implementation of the solution. We were looking at different gaps in the financial literacy of our students and customers. We laid out the programs we had created and coordinated to combat the difficulties students may encounter: Money 101 & 102, Managing the UW Financial Maze, and the student tax classes. We talked about maintaining contact and partnerships with various members of the university community and, in particular, the academic advisers who talk directly to students. We outlined how the Outreach unit itself was developed. A link to our initial proposal can be found here:

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Under “proposal07.ppt”

We were honored when we were awarded FABSAA Best Practices for Public Institutions 2007 for our “Financial Literacy” programs.  The Award consisted of a $1000 check for the UW general scholarship fund and the opportunity to present our winning PowerPoint at the conference.

Our East Coast colleagues were very interested in the ways we’ve managed to teach our students and customers about financial literacy while educating those same student and customers about different ways they can manage their own business. They were impressed by the high number of students we are able to reach during freshman orientation (over 5,000) and the fact that SFS is able to devote two full time staff members to Outreach work exclusively.  Not only were able to highlight our successes, but we got to receive a “really big check” for $1,000 on behalf of the University of Washington’s general scholarship fund! A link to our PowerPoint presentation can be found at:

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Under Outreach-FABSAA.ppt

So get on little doggies; SFS Outreach is blazing that financial literacy trail! Yee Haw!

Click on Photo above to view slideshow

Talent AND diversity. Both were in abundance on May 24th at the Ethnic Cultural Center Theater as the Second Annual FM Talent Show kicked off. A packed house was treated to a blast of classic rock, an African storytelling song, “French” poetry, and even a dog show! It was great fun to see all the talent on display and to be a part of FM’s home- grown version of Bumbershoot.

Diane Cooley presided over the event as the Master of Ceremonies. She looked the part in a shimmering purple jacket and black slacks. Diane kicked off the show with an overview of the diversity program and how the wide variety of cultural backgrounds within FM strengthens the division and makes this such a great place to work. Then, without further ado, the purple and green floods came up and the Barstool Pigeons took the stage.

The Barstool Pigeons are a newly formed local band. Its members include Michael Deshazo (vocals), Norm Englund (bass), Bill Christensen (guitar), Wayne Sugai (guitar), and the youngest member, Ryan England (drums). They rocked the house with a powerful cover of “Johnny B. Goode”, a rendition of “Proud Mary” that would make John Fogerty tap his toes, a bluesy “Mustang Sally”, and a four voice version of “Bye, Bye, Love”. As the “Birds of the Barstool” left the stage, the crowd went wild.

Toning it down a notch, the Bard of FM, Kyra Worrell, took the stage next with a selection from her canon of “Princess” poetry. In verse, Kyra examines the lives of princesses after the story ends. The poem she selected “The 12 Dancing Princesses”, had a lyrical sensibility, strong visual imagery, and good humor.

Next, Kari Le, accompanied by her brother Thanh on guitar, performed a traditional Vietnamese folk song, “The Song of the Banyan Tree”. The simple melody and the beautiful vocals of this wonderful piece kept the audience engaged and excited. During her performance, Kari wore a traditional Vietnamese hat, called a “cornical”.

Ann Guss was next on the program with a French poetry recital. Those of us not fluent in French (maybe most of us!) weren’t sure what to expect of this performer, but no one was disappointed by her erudite humor. Ann, speaking in a pitch perfect French accent, introduced and read common nursery rhymes… in English! Once the audience caught on, the hall was filled with laughter.

Cute animals can make any show better, and Michael Lanham’s Sussex spaniel, “Moose”, elicited many “ooh’s” and “aah’s” from the canine loving crowd. Along with his partner Stephen, Michael introduced FM to the fascinating world of purebred dog shows. At the end of his performance when Moose rolled over, it made a dog lover out of everyone in the auditorium.

Bret Mulholland is a craftsman, a songwriter, a guitarist, and a singer. He played and sung “Sailed”, a song he wrote on a guitar he made himself. “Sailed” is a song that Bret wrote about life’s journey. Bret’s folk stylings are reminiscent of the singer-songwriter era of the early 1970’s and harken back to the likes of James Taylor, Cat Stevens, and Jim Croce.

Wearing a traditional African dress Agnes Acholonu lifted spirits and caused us to think as she gave the multimedia treatment to the African storytelling song, “Ugelle”, about two brothers that attempt to capture an animal called a ugelle. It is a song with a message that hard work and commitment are the key to success in life. She even got some of us to sing the song “Ugelle” with her!

To close the show, the remarkable vocalist Michael Deshazo (of the Barstool Pigeons) did an encore performance of “Amazing Grace”. Those of us that heard Michael perform this song will not soon forget the heart and soul that he put into it.

Jeanne Semura closed the show by thanking the performers and recognizing FM’s commitment to diversity. The variety of acts and talents in the show put an exclamation point to the fact that FM is an exciting and diverse place to be.

High noon. The town’s deserted. In the shadows, the women folk are rounding up the children and battering down the hatches; the men folk are hiding behind barrels and on rooftops; cautiously pulling their guns out of holsters, ready to spring into action. Tumbleweeds are a blowin’ down the center of the empty street; a horse whinnies nervously and then stomps and pads the dirt ground. There’s complete silence for a few tense moments, and then, strangely, without warning or explanation, that silence is broken.

The children hear it first, and then all the townspeople, and it gives them pause, though no one can hear where it’s coming from: the simple notes of a strangely haunting song. All eyes turn towards the hills, and then they see him … the one they’ve feared, the one they’ve been waiting for all this time. He is a lone cowboy off in the distance, just out of the line of the horizon; it’s impossible to tell for sure if he’s wearing a black hat or a white hat.

The town folk can feel change comin’ in on the wind. The whole town is tense; they’re all watching the mysterious stranger. He’s coming into town now; he tips his white hat in greeting. Before you can say “For a few dollars more”, he’s right there, and has got his gun out of his holster pointed and ready.

“It’s time.” He says in a low, quiet voice. He looks like a man of few words; a man of action. He starts to aim for a point in the distance that none of the townspeople can see; they’re tense, trigger ready; and that’s when it happens…Out of gun comes a streamer that says “S.T.A.R”, followed by another one that reads, “Team Spirit Award” and then another with “Coffee card now $3” emblazoned across the top.

The townsfolk slowly creep out of their hiding places. The Stranger speaks, his words carrying on the wind like a coyote’s howl. “Now a S.T.A.R. – that’s “Successfully Taking Another Route” – some folks might have called it a T.O.P.S., years past– long term, measurable improvement, from a team or individual – yesssss,” He draws the ‘s’ out, like a thirsty man taking a long and well deserved drink of the last drop of his canteen. “And the “Team Spirit Award”, why, that’s a party – even a pizza party – a little hoedown when you’ve met that goal you’ve been trying to reach. And the Coffee card/Recognition Treat – I know you know that one.” His voice sounds raspy from misuse. He sounds like he hasn’t talked to anyone in a long, long time. He looks real real old.

The townspeople are all surrounding him now, falling all over themselves to thank him; young girls are giving him bouquets of flowers and weeping men and woman are sobbing, “You saved us! You saved us!”

He waves them away. “Don’t thank me,” he says, “I’m just the messenger. Thank the Recognition Quality Team members, and those Purchasing and Stores Gentlemen and Ladies; they banged their heads together and took two recognition teams and came up with new and improved recognition matrix for us all.”

And then the Mysterious Stranger looks at them with a half smile on his face. “See, these changes in the RQT ain’t so scary…” He turns on boot heel and tips his hat to the women folk, but not before they see his true face: it’s RQ Teasdale, the Wandering Troubadour of Quality, come again to the rescue. He’s come to “school” these folks right, green newbies and old timers alike. Off in the dusty distance, they can see him climbing into his solar powered RV.

And then they all hear that song again coming from both somewhere and nowhere; their heads turn as one to seek its source. When they look back, he’s gone, as silently and as secretly as he came.