Welcome!
The Controller's Office is responsible for providing processes, systems, controls, and procedures over financial functions so the University of Minnesota has timely, accurate, and complete financial information for use in decision making. In addition, the Controller's Office strives to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and maximize value for the University.
Eleven service/support units and two administrative groups make up the Controller's Office.
System-wide service and support units
- Accounting Services
- Accounts Receivable Services
- Disbursement Services
- EFS Customer Support
- EFS Module Support
- Internal/External Sales
- Inventory Services
- Purchasing Services (includes Travel Services and Procurement Card programs)
- Risk Management and Insurance
- Sponsored Financial Reporting
- Treasury Accounting
- Controller's Office administration
Special projects or initiatives
Enhancements to the financial system, business process updates or changes, and other efforts are coordinated by using a standardized project process. When major initiatives are underway, information about them will be distributed to the University community and posted on this website.
Financial policy philosophy
The Controller's Office is responsible for a suite of University policies related to financial activities. Policies are not generally established to cover every specific eventuality, instead they are built to serve as a foundation to help units comply with laws or other regulatory requirements and assist in mitigating risk to the University.
Compliance issues
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) requires the University of Minnesota to implement safeguards to insure the security and confidentiality of certain non-public customer information. Read more here...
PCI DSS (payment card industry data security standard)
University of Minnesota departments that accept payment cards as payment for goods and services are contractually obligated to follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Read more here...
Identity Theft Prevention Program (Red Flags Rule)
The Red Flags rule requires many businesses and organizations to implement a written identity theft prevention program designed to detect the warning signs (or "red flags") of identity theft in their day-to-day operations. Read more here...
Organization
Administrative groups
- Controller's Office Administration (housing the Controller, Associate Controller, and CO human resources/finance staff)
- Controller's Office Technical Support (desktop support for CO staff)
About each system-wide service and support unit
Accounting Services
Accounting Services maintains the General Ledger of the University, develops accounting standards, controls asset, liability and fund balance accounts and manages all comprehensive audits, financial statements, federal awards and taxes. Accounting Services coordinates the annual fiscal year end business process.
Room 660 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-625-5298
Email: controller@umn.edu
Sherrie Kutzler, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Accounting & Financial Oversight
Accounts Receivable (non-sponsored)
Non-sponsored accounts receivable is a recently established (2008) function that continues to be phased in. Accounts Receivable Services (ARS) will work with departments to transition their billing and accounts receivable activity into the enterprise financial system. ARS will be responsible for many functions that are currently distributed, including customer maintenance, printing invoices, handling payments, collections, and billing related correspondence, e.g., statements, dunning letters. Non-sponsored billing entry will continue to be located in departments and clusters. Financial clusters began to key in miscellaneous and small volume billing into the financial system on July 1, 2008.
Accounts Receivable Services will also be responsible for applying inbound Electronic Funds Transfer (wire transfers) payments and the recording of bank card transactions. These functions were formerly handled by Treasury Accounting.
This unit is also sometimes called "non-sponsored accounts receivable services".
Room 295 WBOB
Phone: 612-625-2392
Fax: 612-626-3969
Email: acctrec@umn.edu
David Laden, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Accounts Receivable (non-sponsored)
Disbursement Services
The Disbursement Services department is part of the Controller's Office and is responsible for a variety of functions associated with the process of making non-payroll payments to suppliers and employees. Disbursement Services performs the following functions:
- Maintains the vendor file utilized for making non-payroll payments.
- Administers travel advances.
- Issues emergency checks and foreign payments.
- Initiates payments for withholding to the State and reports 1099 Miscellaneous Income payments to the IRS.
- Data entry of payment and financial transaction document.
The department provides customer service regarding all facets of the payment process, including assisting with corrections.
As an integral part of the University of Minnesota's Controller's Office, it is the mission of Disbursement Services to work as a cohesive team to provide best in class service and support to the University of Minnesota community. It is the department's mission to process financial documents in a timely and accurate manner, provide best practices and fiscal controls through our policies and procedures and interactions with our customers. Our mission includes providing accounts payable expertise in (1) resolving problems, (2) adopting and using advanced technology, (3) determining the most cost effective and progressive means for the University community and the Controller's Office to meet its goals.
Disbursement Services is responsible for or coordinates employee expense reimbursement (travel), vendor maintenance processes, financial document imaging in ImageNow, foreign drafts/wires, and many other business processes related to accounts payable.
645 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-624-4149
Email: disbsvcs@umn.edu
LaCretia Bell, director
Organization chart (pdf)
EFS Customer Support
The EFS Customer Support team is responsible for serving those who use the enterprise financial system or are affected by the financial system, policies, and procedures. The EFS Customer Support team provides:
- Help desk services for University staff and faculty, vendors to the University and customers of the University with regard to financial systems, policies, procedures, and forms.
- Active, supportive, consistent communication through this Web site and various email listservs.
- A single point of contact and a standard process for problem reporting, issue identification, and resolution.
The Customer Support group is responsible for providing service desk support for the financial system and its related policies and procedures, coordinating the processing of financial system access request forms, providing reports for managers/departments of financial system access held in each unit, Controller's Office communications and website, and support for the Financial Systems User Network (FSUN).
Room 660 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-625-9841
Email: controller@umn.edu
Carrie Meyer, interim manager
Organization chart (pdf)
EFS Module Support Teams
Most employees of the University will not interact directly with staff in this area. The group exists to provide direct support to the process owners of the enterprise financial system. Calls to the University Financial Helpline are sometimes referred to a business analyst for more in-depth investigation, problem resolution, and so forth.
The Module Support Teams are responsible for serving the needs of the business process owners of the enterprise financial system. The Module Support Teams are committed to providing leadership in the evolution of an automated financial management system that is reliable, cost-effective, and easy to use. In order for providers of financial data to make effective business decisions, the Module Support Teams recognize the need to deliver:
- Simple tools which provide data integrity.
- Timely, cost-effective management alternatives.
- Active, supportive, reliable, consistent communication.
- A standard approach to problem identification and resolution.
- Technological and functional, proactive problem-solving skills.
Room 50 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-626-6111
Email: controller@umn.edu
Dan Hemauer, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Internal/External Sales
The External/Internal Sales department consults with University departments or units wanting to sell goods or services to other University units or to customers outside of the University. Sales include such things as: consulting services, speaker presentation fees, training, testing, lab services, etc. The Sales group reviews approval forms, business proposals, contracts and assists in rate development for units selling to other departments or to customers outside of the University.
Internal Sales facilitates the review of, and gives approval for, all internal sales to other departments. University colleges and departments are encouraged to utilize academic expertise and institutional resources on a ongoing basis that are unique, convenient or are not readily available from external resources to other internal customers.
External Sales facilitates the review of, and gives approval for, all external sales related contracts and documents. University colleges and departments are encouraged to utilize academic expertise and institutional resources to generate additional sources of revenue from external customers in a commercial and competitive manner.
What does Internal/External Sales do?
- Assists departments or units in submitting approval forms.
- Accept approval forms and assures they are administered consistently with External/Internal Sales and Board of Regents policies and procedures.
- Mediates the approval process to include subject matter experts.
Why External/Internal Sales does what it does?
- Serves the mission of the University consistent with normal activities of the unit.
- Helps ensure compliance with internal and external requirements: IRB, Regents Policy, Conflict of Interest, Tax, Risk, Safety, and so forth.
Room 295 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-624-7384
Email: extsales@umn.edu
Jane Pribyl, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Inventory Services
Inventory Services is responsible for establishing and maintaining the equipment property control system for the University of Minnesota. Equipment is defined as tangible, movable, non-expendable personal property items and can be classified as either capital or non-capital equipment assets. The property control system consists of policies and procedures related to the acquisition, identification, management, and disposal of equipment owned by, or controlled by, the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.
Inventory Services is also responsible for maintaining the University of Minnesota’s official record of capital equipment assets. Capital equipment asset records are maintained in the PeopleSoft Financials Asset Management module. The record of sponsor-owned equipment, which meets the University’s definition of capital equipment assets and is in the possession of the University of Minnesota, is also officially maintained by Inventory Services.
Room 4 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-626-8220
Email: controller@umn.edu
Luke Madsen, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Inventory/Capital Asset Management
Purchasing Services
Purchasing Services provides management oversight and facilitation of all University of Minnesota purchasing processes. It's mission is to insure integrity, economy, efficiency, and accountability; to provide sourcing, bidding, and troubleshooting assistance to University of Minnesota colleges and departments; and to ensure that responsibility to the University of Minnesota stakeholders (e.g., general business community, targeted group businesses, citizens of Minnesota, etc.) is considered in all purchasing policies and practices.
The Travel Services program and the Purchasing Card (PCard) program are part of Purchasing Services.
Room 560 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-2828
Fax: 612-624-3410 NEW NUMBER JUNE 2012
Email: purchase@umn.edu
Tim Bray, interim director
Organization chart (pdf)
Risk Management and Insurance
The Office of Risk Management and Insurance strives to protect the assets of the University from various sources of loss or damage that could affect overall financial stability. Responsibilities include directing insurance programs and loss control activities, identifying exposures, recommending solutions, and promoting loss prevention. This office manages most of the insurance programs at the University with the exception of the University Employee Benefit Program (employee life, health, and disability insurance) which is managed through the Human Resources Department.
Room 208 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-5884
Fax: 612-625-7384
Email: orm@umn.edu
Steven Pardoe, director
Organization chart (pdf)
Sponsored Financial Reporting
Sponsored Financial Reporting (SFR) is responsible for submitting all financial reports and invoices to sponsors to fulfill award requirements. SFR staff accountants prepare sponsor-required financial invoices and reports with assistance from Principal Investigators and Department Administrators. Invoices and reports are prepared based on the frequency and due date requirements established by the sponsor and written in the award documents.
Sponsored Financial Reporting receives all revenue on behalf of the University for sponsored grants and contracts. SFR collection representatives follow up with the sponsor on all past due invoices to ensure receipt of payment on invoices and work with both sponsors and academic departments on quality or quantity issues related to non-payment.
Sponsored Financial Reporting is responsible for closing all sponsored awards in the financial system once the award is over, all spending complete and all payments received.
Sponsored Financial Reporting is responsible for coordinating sponsor, state and federal financial audits including the A-133 audit of expenditures of federal awards. They provide information for the University's annual reports, supplemental schedules and consolidated financial statements.
450 McNamara Alumni Center
Phone: 612-624-4313
Fax: 612-626-0321
Email: controller@umn.edu
Sue Paulson, director
SFR staff list (pdf)
Treasury Accounting
Treasury Accounting is part of the Controller's Office and is responsible for accounting functions related to the University's endowment fund and other investments, in addition to the University's long-term debt, which consists mainly of bonds and commercial paper. The Treasury Accounting department is also responsible for the University's over all cash procedures and bank reconciliations.
Room 295 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-624-7384
Email: controller@umn.edu
Jane Pribyl, director
Organization chart (pdf)
About the administrative support groups
Controller's Office administration
The administration team consists of the controller, the associate controller, and unit support staff. The unit support staff provide these services for Controller's Office units: human resources, payroll and vacation/sick recording, financial transaction processing and reporting for Controller's Office units, and general administrative support.
Room 205 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-625-7384
Email: controller@umn.edu
Michael Volna, associate vice president and controller
Organization chart (pdf)
Controller's Office Technical Support
The technical support team provides local desktop and server support to units within the Controller's Office only. Employees of other colleges or administrative units should contact their own administrative offices for guidance on receiving desktop support.
Room B70 WBOB
Phone: 612-624-1617
Fax: 612-626-6111
Email: co-tsd@umn.edu
Al Bryl, manager
Organization chart (pdf)