New executive vice president for finance, administration reflects on first months in position

Just after commencing her new part on Jan. 1, Sarah Latham, executive vice president for finance and administration, has expended her very first months in the situation evaluating the departments she oversees and environment priorities, she mentioned in an interview with The Herald. 

Just after former Govt Vice President for Finance and Administration Barbara Chernow ’79 retired final slide, the University announced Latham’s hiring from the College of California-Santa Cruz in September, The Herald previously claimed. She now oversees divisions that encompass just about 1,000 team associates, together with personnel from economical affairs, human resources, eating, facilities, the Business office of Details and Technology and other auxiliaries these kinds of as the bookstore, according to a September push launch from the University. 

In her very first 90 days, Latham claimed she achieved with a range of people today who operate in her divisions and has begun to “build relationships” with them. One of the very first she fulfilled with was Brown Dining Services, the greatest division she oversees.

“We have fulfilled a person-on-a single numerous situations because (Latham) commenced at the University,” wrote George Barboza, vice president of Eating Services, in an e-mail to The Herald. “It has normally been a successful and supportive romance.”

A person superior precedence for Latham is guaranteeing that team associates are engaged and really feel supported, she explained.

“(If staff) occur to perform daily and they sense actually engaged and they experience element of the selection-earning approach, that goes a lengthy way,” she claimed.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Eating Services has skilled issues in staffing which Latham said she resolved in her meetings with the division. The Herald previously noted on the lack of Eating Companies personnel.

“We’re continue to in an adjustment method as we’re all adapting by way of the pandemic,” Latham explained. “We experienced (previously) had to ramp down specified services or reassign folks — we’re adapting to getting again in man or woman and ramping again up.” 

Latham reported she has also acquired “regular updates” about the ongoing bargaining procedure for a new union deal for Dining Companies employees — represented under the United Services and Allied Staff of Rhode Island — from the University’s bargaining team. Latham also mentioned she has experienced “some contact” with the union bargaining staff.

“It’s seriously crucial that I aid the established bargaining composition that is been agreed to by both the union and the campus. I do not want to interfere with that,” she mentioned.

As of March, Latham said that both equally sides of the bargaining approach had “made a large amount of progress” and are centered on the requirements of the campus neighborhood.

“I think they’re down to the last products that want to be fixed,” Latham mentioned. “I want to listen to their standard views of how we can aid them,” she additional. 

For her very first 90 days, Latham claimed she aimed to consider her divisions through four unique conditions: organizational society, operational health, communication and resilience. Her goal was to make positive that workforce customers have the teaching and the applications they have to have to alleviate “gaps in services,” along with good interaction avenues to really feel listened to, she added. From there, she appeared to “develop priorities” from the themes that appeared.

Barboza wrote in his e-mail that he expects to do the job intently with Latham on a five-calendar year strategic system to constantly boost the College eating encounter for staff and pupils.

“(Dining) is such an important functionality to support our entire campus but especially our students,” Latham explained. 

Vice President for Business enterprise and Monetary Expert services Beth Gentry, who oversees the University bookstore, mail products and services, transportation and a number of other divisions, also has standard meetings with Latham and is looking ahead to an “honest and open relationship,” she wrote in an electronic mail to The Herald.

“I will do the job along with her and the relaxation of our management team to collaborate in any areas she deems correct,” Gentry wrote, noting that Latham introduced herself to her section shortly following arriving at Brown.

Gentry also wrote that she hopes to do the job with Latham on implementing a “flexible parking model intended to greater in shape the demands of the College.”