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The consolidation is needed to allow UB to become more effective and efficient, he said, and offers a number of benefits.

While emphasizing that "this is not a 'tomorrow' activity," Wagner outlined the advantages of such a consolidation.

He noted that UB's business operations have evolved over the past 50 years, and "we find ourselves in an environment of enormous managerial complexity."

UB's business operations, Wagner explained, are conducted through a number of managerial entities: state operations, the Research Foundation, the Faculty Student Association and the UB Foundation, Inc., each of which conducts its business operations separately.

"Our goal in streamlining is to have one business office for the university," to meet the needs of university "customers" who include research faculty, principal investigators, staff and administrative units, Wagner said.

The four entities would remain separate. Their business operations would be combined and supported by a single administrative system, he explained.

By putting such an administrative structure into place, "the quality of service and information will be better than what we're doing now," said President William R. Greiner.

Wagner said the advantages of streamlining UB's business operations include:

- UB's separate business offices would be centralized in one location.

- Service would be tailored to individual customer needs.

- The streamlined operation would provide a simplified, common way to process transactions, as well as uniform implementation of "best practice" strategies.

- There would be a university-wide focus on providing administrative services, as well as increased collaboration and coordination among operating units.

- The streamlined operation would provide a standardized budget process and eliminate duplicate data entry and reconciliation.

- There would be consistent, accurate data classification across entities.

Streamlining UB's business operations is not only doable, Greiner noted to the council, it proves that "one more time the University at Buffalo is providing a leadership model within the state university."

He added, "No matter what source funds a paycheck, we are all part of the UB family," and UB's business operations should reflect that unity.

In other business, Greiner asked for the council's support of a plan to appoint four volunteer-based commissions that would provide information and advice to the council.

The commissions would advise the council on facilities, finance, regionalism and student life. Greiner and Council Chair Lawrence Castellani will recommend volunteers to be named to the commissions at the council's next meeting.

Greiner also told the council that the university is in the early stages of a major fundraising campaign. Details of the campaign, including financial goals, will be announced later this year, he said.