It is with mixed emotions that we announce that Lori Tannyhill has decided to retire from UC Berkeley as of July 1, 2022 after 22 years of service. "I am deeply appreciative of the many opportunities for professional growth that I have experienced here at Cal. Prior to my role as RD, I was fortunate to hold leadership positions in CSS, Housing and Dining, and at International House. I am a proud UC Berkeley alumna, and I consider Cal both my educational and professional home. UCB will always hold a special place in my heart. It has been my pleasure and honor to lead the BEARS region these past three years" says Lori.
In collaboration with campus partners, BEARS has continued to raise the bar on service, efficiency and financial stewardship. Upon taking on the RD role, Lori established the BEARS Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) to collaborate with BEARS departments to improve delivery of HR/APS, RA and HR services. The SAB identified key pain points in business processes and BEARS took steps to improve upon those processes. A performance dashboard was created to track progress towards regional goals. Campus' collaboration and input on process improvement efforts and reporting have been invaluable.
Together, a great deal was accomplished.
BEARS accomplishments in HR/APS include:
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Processing an unprecedented volume of new appointments - 4793 - from June-November, 2021, even while being understaffed by eight (8) positions for most of that timeframe.
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First region to operationalize multiple process improvements and innovations, including “Template First”, Repeatable Process Automation (Bots), mass upload for student concurrent hires, and mass upload for new student hires.
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Campus-wide positive impact through our support of the campus response to COVID; we played a vital role in the planning and implementation of staffing plans for UHS surveillance test sites, as well as the Student Ambassadors program (in collaboration with Cal Performances).
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BEARS offers HR/APS services at the highest efficiency metrics (lowest cost per headcount supported) of all the regions.
BEARS accomplishments in Research Administration include:
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Support of departments that had not had prior Contract and Grant proposal support from BRS or CSS.
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Year over year, the number of proposals submitted almost doubled (from 64 in 2020 to 122 in 2021) with the highest success rating of all the regions - 60.1% of proposals submitted were funded.
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BEARS has the highest efficiency rating of the regions in terms of proposals supported and C&G dollars managed per BEARS RA staff member.
BEARS accomplishments in Purchasing and Reimbursement include:
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P&R workforce maintained service levels and developed new role competencies after staffing was reduced by 29% due to COVID-related budget cuts.
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BEARS has the highest efficiency rating of all the regions in terms of the number of requisitions managed per team member.
These accomplishments are a testament to the collaborative, can-do spirit of the BEARS regional teams and campus partners. Many thanks to the stellar BEARS staff and leadership team; we are fortunate to work with such a talented team of professionals. Thanks to all of our campus clients for their partnership, collaboration and trust over the years.
Please rest assured that the BEARS region will remain intact; it will not be absorbed or combined with any other region. The search for the next BEARS Regional Director will launch soon.
Warmest Regards,
Lori Tannyhill
Regional Director, BEARS Region
Marc Fisher
Vice Chancellor Administration
Note: A related CALMessage was sent to all staff in the Vice Chancellor for Administration Division on 2/24/22.