News Release

IOA Centralizes Business Operations

August 11 , 2011

The UNC Institute on Aging (IOA) is responding to a significant budget cut, which is part of the extensive budget reductions felt throughout the University and statewide. As a result, the IOA is looking for ways to reduce costs and better use existing resources. The consolidation of the IOA’s business operations is one solution.

Effective August 1, 2011, the IOA consolidated its business operations with that of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. The action took place without laying off staff. The Sheps Center Business Office will provide business office support, human resources support, facilities support, and pre and post grant management support for the staff and researchers at the IOA.

Other departments at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have also consolidated business operations to reduce the size of the university’s administrative staff and to save money. These consolidations, named Unified Business Clusters, or UBCs, handle human resources, accounting and finance operations for various operating units rather than each unit having its own administrative staff.

Despite the challenges, the IOA will continue its mission to prepare the State of North Carolina for an aging population. “The IOA will continue to be a leader in education, research, and service to the university, state, nation, and world,” said Mary H. Palmer and Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Interim Co-directors at the Institute.