A Message from Alan

I am thrilled to provide a message in the first blog post of The BA Chirp. My hope is that it will bridge the communication gap, serve as a platform to tell the stories of our work and celebrate our professional and personal accomplishments.  The work that we do would not be possible without each one of you. I am thankful for your dedication and hard work that supports not just our division but, ultimately the mission of the university. I hope you find the content to be valuable. This is just one of the ways we are working to improve communication within our division. Stay tuned!

With gratitude,

                                          Alan

Kudos

Congratulations to Dawn Rench on earning the 2023 Business Affairs Meritorious Service Award! We appreciate everything you and your staff do for us and Ball State University!

Dawn is very knowledgeable of all buildings within our department and looks at the big picture of what is best for the entire department rather than looking only at her own area.  She expects a lot from her employees, and they usually perform at a higher level in return.  She is always upbeat and open to new assignments.  She will tackle any new challenge without complaint. 

Have questions about the nomination process? Chat with your AVP.

Spotlight: The Story of Business & Auxiliary Services

Provide a summary of the work performed and services offered in your area.

Business and Auxiliary Services encompasses 60 percent of the Division of Business Affairs workforce including the following units: University Dining & Catering, Sports/Athletic Facilities, Recreation Services, Purchasing Services, Central Stores, Moving & Storage, Printing Services, Central Mail, University Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Risk Management, and Environmental Health and Safety. For the list of the leadership and management Team, visit Business and Auxiliary Services Staff Directory | Ball State University (bsu.edu).

What is the purpose of the work performed in your area and how does it tie into the larger work of the University?

The purpose is to provide innovative goods and services, sustainable operational excellence, and comprehensive business processes to advance the Ball State University 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, mission, and enduring values.

What are some new or existing initiatives in your area?

  • Chick-fil-A will move from the Atrium to North Dining where it will be expanded to a full-service restaurant with a separate cashier station/counter for extended hours. (Projected new location opening: Winter 2024)
  • Risk Management and Environmental Health & Safety will move into the former Elliott Dining location to offer on-site training and enhanced campus services. (Projected new location opening: Spring 2024)

What’s your favorite part about the work performed in your area?

The remarkable work and commitment of all Business and Auxiliary Services employees to enhance the student, employee, and guest experience on a daily basis, and the critical partnerships that they form and cultivate with all university divisions and departments in service to Ball State University.

What’s a fun fact about your area?

In the last academic year:

  • University Dining averaged 12,000 transactions per day;
  • University Catering served over 1,200 events;
  • Sports/Athletic Facilities managed over 5,300 Athletics and Burris practices and 365 Athletics, Burris, and student organization events with over 118,000 attendees in over 800,000 square feet of indoor activity space and 75 acres of outdoor space;
  • Recreation Services had 172,000 participation swipes, 330 Rec Fit classes, and 662 Sports Clubs athlete participants;
  • Central Stores Material Handlers processed over 1,650 B-450 Move and Excess requests
  • Central Mail processed more than one million pieces of campus mail;
  • Environmental Health & Safety inspected over 400 laboratories; and
  • BSU Trademarks and Licensing reviewed over 1,950 submissions.

Share any additional information that you feel is important to communicate.

Business and Auxiliary Services is grateful for any constructive feedback and acknowledgment of good work.  Please share your experience by emailing Julie Hopwood, Associate Vice President for Business and Auxiliary Services at jhopwood@bsu.edu.

 

 

 

 

News from Our BA Leaders

Ball State Sustainability – Margaret Lo

  • Ball State University was recognized for its sustainability achievements by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), a North American higher education organization dedicated to supporting sustainable practices. AASHE awarded Ball State a Gold rating as part of its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The STARS program measures and encourages sustainability in numerous aspects of higher education. Click here for more information.

Facilities Planning & Management – Jim Lowe

  • The Cooper Science renovation project is progressing. Cooper Physical has been demolished and east end is expected to be completed by Spring 2024. We’re so excited to see the completed work!
  • As part of the University’s revitalization plan for The Village, a new Performing Arts Center (PAC) will be built on the northeast corner of University and McKinley Avenues. The PAC will connect to a new select-service hotel. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fall 2024 and to be completed by Fall 2026. To read more, click here.

 

 

 

People and Culture – Darrell Clark

  • Open Enrollment for the 2024 calendar year will run through Wednesday, November 8th. 
  • Daylight Saving time is coming to an end! Clocks will ‘fall back” one hour at 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 5th. This time change happens automatically for most smartphones, computers, tablets, and digital devices.  However, if you have an analog clock, you will need to manually adjust the time.
  • As Veterans Day approaches, we want to take the time to honor those who have selflessly served in the armed forces. Thank you for defending our freedoms, and for the immense contributions you’ve made to our country and community. Happy Veterans Day!

 

Enduring Values

We’re very fortunate to have enduring values interwoven into the fabric of our university’s cultural DNA that guide our way of life at BSU. In the month of November, let’s take a moment to reflect on how gratitude is operationalized in our various work units and our personal lives.

Gratitude. We commit to express appreciation to others and to demonstrate our gratitude through our actions.

Each Monday in November, a gratitude prompt will be shared on our LinkedIn company page, Telus Health, and under the Enduring Values category right here on our blog. Let’s consciously pause to give thanks for all that we presently have as we actively wait for and work towards more. Tis’ the season to be grateful!

What’s New?

Recognition Preferences

Business Affairs would like to know how you prefer to be recognized.  We’ve partnered with IT to create a form in Service Now to capture your preferences relevant to your birthday,  workiversary (work anniversary), and life milestone events. Here’s how it works.  Visit the Technology Help Desk Portal>Request Services>Communications and complete the Business Affairs Recognition Form or click here.

Once the form has been completed, you will receive a notification. Business Affairs and your supervisor of record will receive a notification. If you’ve indicated that you’d like to be recognized for your birthday, you’ll need to provide your supervisor with your birthday month to be celebrated within your department. Business Affairs will use the information to celebrate you in The BA Chirp. We can’t wait to celebrate you!

Social Media

Business Affairs now has a LinkedIn company page. As a part of this initiative, we’d love to feature you. Keep an eye out for LinkedIn feature request emails. Be sure to follow for employee features and Business Affairs-related content.

(5) Ball State University – Division of Business Affairs: Overview | LinkedIn

In case you missed it

  • On September 19th we celebrated the grand opening of the Brown Family Amphitheater, an outdoor performance and gathering space for a variety of events and performances. Located between Park and Pruis Halls and between Noyer and Woodworth Complexes, the amphitheater adds to an already vibrant environment while enhancing an area of campus that contains several of the University’s housing facilities. The celebration included a backstage tour, the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a concert, and food trucks. 

 

  • Recycle! Recycle! The photos feature the reuse of limestone from the former LaFollette building and the names of the former halls engraved on the seats. The area is taking shape beautifully. Stop by, take a seat, and enjoy the colors of Fall.

 

Good Reads

Fall is the perfect time to cozy up to a good book. Looking for a good read? Check out Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brene’ Brown. This New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller provides courageous leadership insights. For more from Brene’ Brown, visit BreneBrown.com or TED.com.

 

Quote of the month

Reflection moment:

  • What self-imposed limitations are you ready to overcome in your personal or professional life?

Questions & Feedback

Do you have quotes, recommended books, or an exciting life event you’d like to share, or just want to provide feedback? Send your contributions or comments to Kcwebb@bsu.edu.