The Office of Financial Affairs created a financial innovators award known as the Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award to recognize those throughout the university who make significant and lasting contributions to the university through bold, innovative and creative approaches to common, everyday university problems.

The award is open to any university faculty, non-faculty, academic, administrative or skilled crafts/service/maintenance employees who bring forward fresh ideas that lead to process efficiencies, cost savings and/or increased productivity. Each quarter, one employee will be selected to receive the award, and then at the end of the calendar year, an annual award winner will be selected from the four quarterly winners.

We are pleased to announce the second quarter 2022 award winner as:

• Jeremy Battjes, associate vice chancellor for finance and administration, Division of Student Affairs

Battjes was nominated for the Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award by several of his Division of Student Affairs colleagues, all of whom spoke highly of his exceptional, purpose-driven leadership that promotes collaborative involvement. After 12 years as executive ddirector of University Recreation, Battjes joined the Division of Student Affairs in May 2021 where he quickly demonstrated a profound attentiveness to efficiency, productivity and knowledge sharing in all areas of finance, budgeting and human resources. In the fast-moving, spontaneous area of student affairs, Battjes oversees a portfolio of areas, which include housing, dining, UREC, the Pat Walker Health Center, student affairs’ budgeting and human resources, and the Career Development Center.

Battjes is not satisfied with the status quo. As an innovative force in student affairs, Battjes is always willing to invest time to develop improved procedures, drive learning opportunities and promote the achievement of goals and priorities, both short-term and long-term. The gratitude of those who nominated Battjes for the FASI award is summed up by the comment of one nominator who said, “Jeremy’s impact has many wondering how the division functioned prior to his keen sense of efficiency, productivity and creativity.”

Battjes’ bold problem-solving and creative efficiency in financial decision-making has yielded significant benefits. He has redesigned the division’s financial and budget processes with an emphasis on education and unit participation. The “Boot Camp” training sessions implemented by Battjes are lauded for the depth of information they provide on the nuances of Workday, budget planning and overall division finances. As a direct result of his relentless hard work, more financial and budget data is readily available for division planning, and directors are actively engaged at unprecedented levels.

Battjes has a true commitment to students and their families. The university’s unprecedented enrollment growth has created a tight squeeze on University Housing. Battjes encouraged solutions that prioritize access and care for students, particularly those vulnerable to attrition due to financial or other hardships. He is a financial leader who is culturally sensitive and responsive regarding the diversity of the Division of Student Affairs’ responsibilities and the communities served.

Battjes’ dedication, innovative problem-solving abilities and impactful service make him very deserving of the second quarter 2022 Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award. Please join us in congratulating Jeremy Battjes!

If you know of an employee deserving of recognition for our next FASI award, we would love to hear about them. Please email your FASI nominations to either Sandy Sturgeon at sandras@uark.edu or Susan Slinkard at sslinkard@uark.edu.