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About Business Affairs

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Areas of Responsibility

The Business Affairs organization is led by Randy Livingston, Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Financial Officer. Randy reports to Stanford's President John Hennessy. Business Affairs includes many of the administrative organizations that support Stanford's academic mission: Controller's Office, Human Resources, Research Administration, Purchasing and Contracts, Administrative Systems, IT Services, Information Security Office, Internal Audit and Institutional Compliance, Risk Management, Business Development and Privacy, and Finance and Bondholder Relations. More information about some units is available through the links indicated below.

Descriptions by Unit

• Controller
• Human Resources
• Research Administration
• Purchasing and Contracts
• Administrative Systems
• IT Services
• Information Security Office
• Internal Audit and Institutional Compliance
• Risk Management
• Business Development and Privacy
• Finance and Bondholder Relations

Controller

The Controller's Office provides financial services to Stanford's distributed communities including university faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, donors, and suppliers. The primary mission of the University Controller's office is to be an impeccable fiduciary of the University's financial resources while providing the highest quality services to our customers in support of excellence in teaching, learning and research. The Controller's Office vision is to partner with the Stanford community to create seamless and efficient financial infrastructure and processes. For information and resources to assist with financial tasks, visit the Gateway to Financial Activities web site.

Human Resources

The Human Resources organization is responsible for ensuring that staff human resources strategies, programs and services are aligned with the academic mission of the University. This responsibility includes the development, implementation and administration of high impact/high value compensation, benefits, staffing, recruitment, employee relations and training programs. The purpose of these programs is to address staff recruitment, retention, motivation, and professional development at Stanford. Policies and practices are intended to be consistent and fair and promote a productive workforce and diverse work environment. Compliance with labor law and regulations is also overseen by Human Resources.

Research Administration

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) manages the lifecycle of sponsored research from proposal submission through award closeout. ORA submits nearly 3,000 new proposals annually and manages more than 4,500 active sponsored projects. In addition, the Office of Research Administration develops and negotiates both fringe and indirect cost rates with the government, monitors compliance related to service centers and sponsored research, and is responsible for the management of more than 100,000 pieces of University-owned capital equipment. Through their training and oversight activities, ORA encourages and supports a culture of compliance.

Purchasing and Contracts

The Purchasing and Contracts organization is responsible for the development and execution of policies and procedures for the acquisition, use and disposal of University goods and services. In support of the University's mission and in compliance with requisite polices, laws and regulations our mission is to:

• Provide value-added customer service and compelling results to our end-users.
• Develop purchasing strategies resulting in high value/low total cost solutions.
• Optimize the University's combined buying power through coordinated and collaborative purchasing initiatives.
• Streamline and simplify transaction processing through process and technology improvements.
• Cultivate an environment of continuous improvement.

Administrative Systems

Administrative Systems (AS) AS provides implementation and maintenance support for strategic administrative applications at Stanford. The core systems include Financials, Student Administration, Human Resources Management, Research Administration, Payroll, Registries, and Data Warehousing/Reporting. Users know these systems as Oracle, PeopleSoft, Axess, Kronos, ReportMart, StanfordYou, etc.

AS partners with university business offices, including the Registrar's Office, Controller's Office, Human Resources, Payroll, etc., to ensure that our systems meet Stanford's requirements. We provide technical support for the systems themselves and functional support for users. Our overall goal is to provide systems that enable smooth, seamless administrative support for the teaching, learning, and research efforts of the university.

Information Technology Services

IT Services manages the University's central information technology infrastructure and provides hundreds of services and applications for both academic and administrative use. Support is provided in four layers:

• Participation and client-focused leadership in institutional IT planning, including strategies for data center expansion, centrally managed storage and backup, and business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Applications and services for departments and end-users, from email and calendaring, to wireless connectivity and web authentication, to Windows and Linux server hosting -- all supported by a front-line help desk, contract-support consultants, online self-help, and training.
• Applications and services that support other campus service providers, including the help desk, change management, and network registration systems.
• A communications and collaboration infrastructure robust enough to support advanced network, voice, and web-based services.

Information Security Office

The Information Security Office oversees the Stanford community's efforts to protect its computing and information assets and to comply with information-related laws, regulations, and policies. In order to fulfill its mission, the Office provides information security training, evaluations and recommendations of best practices, and technology solutions for the campus network and computers. The Office also coordinates information security incident response.

Internal Audit and Institutional Compliance

The mission of the Internal Audit Department is to strengthen the control environment throughout the University by providing clients ongoing risk assessment, constructive recommendations, reliable opinions, and timely assistance. Department responsibilities include examining and evaluating the policies, procedures and systems that are in place to ensure:

• reliability and integrity of information;
• compliance with policies, laws, and regulations;
• safeguarding of assets;
• economical and efficient use of resources; and
• accomplishment of established objectives and goals for operations or programs.

The Institutional Compliance Program, which reports to Internal Audit, was created in 2001 to:

• coordinate the University's compliance assurance activities (laws, regulations, contractual requirements);
• ensure the institutional perspective is always present;
• assess existing programs against Federal Sentencing Guidelines' characteristics of "ideal" compliance program, and improve them as necessary;
• implement "early warning" program for emerging compliance issues; and
• carry out specific compliance support activities.

Risk Management

Risk Management evaluates risk from the standpoint of the entire University, rather than a single department or area; eliminates or modifies conditions or practices, wherever practical, which may cause loss; assumes risks whenever the amount of potential loss would not significantly affect the University's financial position; and purchases insurance from whatever source (agent, broker, or insurance company) is deemed to be in the best interests of the University.

Business Development and Privacy

Business Development evaluates and implements new business opportunities presented to the University, manages the policies governing use of the Stanford's name and trademarks, and completes the strategic assessment of business issues facing the University on behalf of the Vice President of Business Affairs.

The University Privacy Officer is responsible for compliance with the Health Insurance Portability Administration Act of 1996 (HIPAA), as well as facilitating a coordinated approach to privacy policies and practices across the University. The Privacy Officer is also responsible, in conjunction with the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Information Security, for developing and executing a plan of action when a privacy breach has occurred.

Finance and Bondholder Relations

Finance and Bondholder Relations manages the University's debt program, including: setting debt policy; monitoring debt capacity; managing the issuance and refunding of bonds and commercial paper; allocating debt, communicating with investors in Stanford debt securities and maintaining the Bondholder Relations website. Finance and Bondholders Relations also provides staff support to the Committee on Finance of the Board of Trustees and the Retirement Program Investment Committee (RPIC).