July 1, 2026 Transition Milestone

July 1 marks an Important Milestone

July 1, 2026, marks an important milestone in the HR & Finance Alignment Initiative. On this date, HR and Finance professionals across the university will begin operating within the provisional organizational structures developed in partnership with colleges and divisions. The provisional organizational structures are not the final future-state organization, but a major step in the journey. 

A provisional organizational structure defines the reporting lines, roles, and responsibilities that will take effect July 1, 2026, the start of FY27. Each structure will include a lead HR and lead Finance position and ensure HR-to-HR and FIN-to-FIN reporting. These organizational structures do not reflect the final future-state design. This step helps prepare the university for phased implementation of future-state elements.

Provisional organizational structures were developed through a collaborative process between college and division leaders and the HR and Finance Alignment Initiative project team. The Alignment project team established alignment principles, confirmed positions in scope, provided facilitation, and ensured consistency across the university. Local leaders provided operational context, evaluated options, identified unique local needs, and recommended structures and reporting relationships that would work best for their teams. Together, local leaders and the project team worked through role complexities and operational considerations to develop structures that support the long-term goals of the initiative while providing stability on July 1, 2026.

Updated as of 6/30/2026


What Changes on July 1?

Beginning July 1:

  • HR and Finance employees will begin operating within the provisional organizational structures.
  • Budget lines for in-scope positions will align with the new HR or Finance organizations.
  • Interim Senior Business Officers will begin supporting their assigned finance portfolios.
  • Employees will continue working in their current locations with the teams they support. 

What Is Not Changing on July 1?

For most employees:

  • Daily responsibilities will remain largely the same.
  • Physical work locations are not changing.
  • Existing services to colleges and divisions should continue.

The focus during the coming months is on supporting a smooth transition while continuing to provide excellent service.


Workday Changes & Other System Access

To minimize disruption during fiscal year-end and payroll processing, Workday organizational changes will be implemented over the course of July, rather than on July 1. 

  • July 1: Teams begin functioning under the provisional organizational structures.
  • Throughout July: Workday reporting relationships and supervisory organizations will be updated.
  • By August 3: Workday organizational changes associated with the provisional structures are expected to be complete.

The Alignment Project Team is coordinating these updates centrally. No action is required for most employees. 

Access to Systems

Most employees should not experience changes to their existing system access as a result of the July 1 implementation.

  • Existing Workday security roles will remain in place during the transition.
  • Core Workday functionality is expected to continue without disruption.
  • Financial systems such as Kuali and ODS are not expected to be affected by reporting line changes.

Looking Ahead

Work over the coming year (FY27) will include:

  • Supporting employees and supervisors through the transition.
  • Assessing vacancies and workforce needs.
  • Continuing to assess and improve service delivery.
  • Evaluating future organizational opportunities.
  • Planning for the exploring opportunities to preserve and strengthen research administration, collaboratively lead by VPUO and VPR.

Future-state implementation is a journey and will occur over time. Not all future changes will require new positions, and where permanent new roles are created, they will be filled through appropriate university hiring processes.


Questions?

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