CofC Business Affairs News, Highlights and Updates

The Division of Business Affairs (BUAF) comprises various offices, departments and services supporting the campus community. BUAF includes:

• Campus Services: Campus Housing, Charleston Culinary Group, parking and transportation, vending, Cougar Card, George Street Box Office, Sottile Theatre, Campus Services HQ and insurance and lease management
• Facilities Management: capital project management and space management 
• Fiscal services: accounts receivable/accounts payable, controller/accounting, Office of Budgeting and Payroll Services and the Treasurer’s Office 
• Office of Human Resources 
• Procurement and contracting: warehouse and inventory management 
• Public Safety/Fire and EMS 

The dedicated staff in these departments have been busy making 2025–26 another successful academic year. Below are some updates from a few of the units making up the business affairs team.

Procurement and Contracting

In fiscal year 2025, the eight-member procurement staff processed 8,824 requisitions, resulting in 7,987 purchase orders worth $106.48M. They also oversaw a total of $7.5M in purchasing card spend and awarded 171 contracts valued at $21.36M.

Traci Tokarczyk earned her NIGP-Certified Procurement Profession (CPP) certification, and Casey Bassett and Cynthia Washington earned their IOCP-Certified Purchasing Card Professional (CPCP) certifications.

RELATED: Find out what Facilities Management has been up to lately!

Campus Services

Campus Services includes seven offices, from Campus Housing to Sottile Theatre, all dedicated to enhancing the College of Charleston experience.

Campus Services HQ  is one of those offices. Located at 162 Calhoun St., Campus Services HQ is your one-stop shop for information about the Cougar Card, meal plans and dining, Campus Housing, vending and campus parking and transportation. The HQ team can also help with other Campus Services programs, including the College of Charleston Bookstore, the George Street Box Office, Mail Services and the Sottile Theatre. 

Campus Services is in the planning phase of upgrading to mobile credentials on campus. Mobile credentials are a digital version of identification that, instead of living on the physical Cougar Card, are stored in users’ phones.

At the College of Charleston Bookstore, we’re excited to introduce Levin Coe, general manager, and Mena Shalaby ’25, course materials manager. The College Corner (327 King St.) is bringing the Faherty brand to store, with a launch event Nov. 15. Be on the lookout for their trailer! Finally, don’t forget that employees get a 10% discount using their Cougar Card for personal purchases and a 20% discount for departmental purchases (use an IDT or P-card) at the College of Charleston Bookstore! 

As for dining services, the Charleston Culinary Group has set up shop on College Way with Clyde’s Snack Shack, open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students and employees can use meal taps or credit cards for a rotating menu of delicious sandwiches and more. Einstein Bros. Bagels got a refresh over the summer, and has expanded ordering options through Transact mobile ordering.

The Charleston Culinary Group has partnered with Fill it Forward, a company that encourages reuse. You will now find a QR code on our reusable to-go boxes, which you’ll check out using the Fill it Forward app. It’s a great addition to the College’s zero-waste initiatives.

The George Street Box Office welcomes Lauren Boye in the role of box office manager. Boye and the GSBO team continue to provide ticketing services for all non-athletic events on campus. You can find tickets for numerous events at a variety of our fantastic College venues, all at charleston.edu/gsbo.

The Office of Mail Services added another student locker bank, Wando, in its lobby. Students now have three locker banks where they can pick up their packages 24/7. Don’t forget that employees can ship or mail personal packages (think pesky returns) for multiple carriers (FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS) in the Office of Mail Services. 

Campus Housing and Facilities Management wrapped up two big residential projects over the summer: Buist Rivers Residence Hall reopened to students this fall after a major renovation, and the lobby of Berry Residence Hall has a whole new look and feel, as does the first floor space for the Honors College. 

RELATED: Read more about the newly renovated Buist Rivers Residence Hall.

Visit Campus Services HQ in person at 162 Calhoun St., email [email protected], call 843.953.1100 or text 843.825.1323. You can also get answers through the maroon Campus Services assistant tab on any of their pages. 

Fiscal Services and Budgeting

The Controller’s Office has been busy this fall, and is excited to welcome Rosiland James as a new grant accountant and Kylie Lombardi as the new administrative assistant. They’ve made some updates to make things easier for campus users: The Self-Service Banner and Index/FOP Access forms are now available through DocuSign, and they’re working on converting additional forms soon.

In Accounts Payable, the team processed 16,653 invoices in FY25 – a 6% increase from the previous year. Thank you to everyone across campus who helped keep payments moving smoothly.

The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) was submitted to the state on time, and the College received an unmodified (clean) audit opinion. Next, the team will turn its attention to the NCAA Agreed-Upon Procedures and the Single Audit.

Human Resources

Benefits and Wellness: We have several upcoming benefits and wellness events to help you make the most of your coverage and plan for the future!

• PEBA On-Site Visit: George Hazin from the PEBA Retirement System will host two retirement information sessions at the Beatty School of Business, Oct. 28, 2025, 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. Whether you’re nearing retirement or just beginning to think about it, this is a great chance to learn more about your options, ask questions and feel confident about your next steps.
• Special Enrollment Period: November 2025 will bring a special enrollment period to introduce our new Group Life Insurance with Aflac, along with enhanced Aflac Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity policies. This period will also include the Short-Term Disability benefit, providing additional protection for you and your family. Be sure to review your options and take advantage of these expanded coverage options.
• Worksite Health Screening: Don’t miss this convenient opportunity to check in on your health goals, March 10 (location TBD).
• Blue Smiles On-Site Dental Clinic: Get preventative services such as X-rays, exams and cleanings March 12, 2026, performed on site and billed to the State Dental Plan. Optional services such as professional teeth whitening will also be available.
• Mobile Mammogram: The College will host a mobile mammography clinic March 20, 2026.

Stay tuned for additional details and registration information for each of these events – we look forward to seeing you there!

Employee Experience and Success (EES): HR is excited to announce that several of their employees have been recognized for all seven core values of the College through The Cistern Standard. In addition, the office is pleased to welcome Delaney Biester to the EES team as the new assistant director of employee experience and success.

The Employee Experience and Success team led workshops on the Six Types of Working Genius across campus – from the President’s Cabinet to the Student Affairs Leadership Team to individual departments – helping teams and individuals enhance productivity, collaboration and satisfaction in their work.      

Recognizing the importance of healthy workplace dynamics, the team developed training on High Stakes Communication and Maximizing Success: Professionalism in Higher Education.

It also launched Cougar Coffee, a program designed to encourage campus members to have meaningful conversations, build connections and step outside of their comfort zones. The inaugural Cougar Coffee was a success, and the program will continue.

HR, in collaboration with other campus areas, led the process and communications about the College’s Employee Tuition Assistance Program (ETAP) and the new doctoral programs at the College.

RELATED: Read about the success of ETAP among CofC Employees!

In another collaborative effort, HR led the development and launch of the inaugural President’s Leadership Institute (PLI) and graduated the first class. The second cohort of the PLI started earlier this month.  

Looking ahead, we will be reaching out to department heads with resources and to ask for their support in reminding supervisors about the staff Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) process, including goal setting. Additionally, we will relaunch the EES newsletter later this fall, offering more opportunities for new staff employees to connect through the HR-led Cougar Connections program and creating additional development opportunities for supervisors.

Employment and Recruitment: The employment team has been busy expanding its reach by building connections within the community and increasing its participation in hiring events both locally and beyond the Charleston area. This past year, the team represented the College for the first time at the Charleston Black Expo Career Fair and took part in S.C. Works Workforce Development Month recruitment activities, meeting applicants from diverse backgrounds and encouraging graduating high school seniors to consider the College as a great place to work. The team also connected with career counselors at colleges and universities across the country to share information about employment opportunities at the College of Charleston, strengthen relationships and encourage them to share our openings with their students and alumni. 

To connect with even more potential candidates, all College job openings are now featured on HigherEdJobs and Indeed.com. Looking ahead, the team is focusing on supporting managers with their recruitment efforts, preparing to host a recruitment workshop in the spring and enhancing the onboarding experience for new hires through a collaboration with the Office of Marketing and Communications to roll out updated welcome correspondence. 

The team is excited to build on this momentum, strengthening community connections, exploring new opportunities and attracting talented individuals to join the College.

Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (EOP): Congratulations to Leya Nelson, director of EOP and Title IX coordinator, for her participation and graduation from the inaugural President’s Leadership Institute!

Key EOP team leaders are participating in the inaugural Leadership in Title IX/Prevention Course (hosted by the South Carolina Institute for Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses), led and moderated by Laura Johnson, Title IX coordinator at Baylor University, along with over 40 participants representing nearly 30 institutions in South Carolina. 

In collaboration with a former student-athlete, the EOP launched a novel four-year training course on sexual harassment and violence prevention that will also teach important professional and social skills throughout their college experience.   

In collaboration with the Center for Disability Services, the EOP developed an online training module on Professor Notification Letters (PNLs) for faculty to enhance understanding of disability-related student academic accommodations. The module guides faculty through their responsibilities, effective student engagement and support contacts – addressing concerns raised by deans about faculty confidence in navigating student academic accommodations. 

The EOP has partnered with other campus offices to lead the campuswide Digital Accessibility Initiative. This effort includes auditing existing web and digital content, providing training for content creators and collaborating with the Division of Information Technology, Office of Marketing and Communications and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to ensure all digital assets meet WCAG standards. The College will also host workshops and offer training and support to departments seeking to improve accessibility in their digital communications. This is an ongoing effort at the College, and there will be many upcoming opportunities to get involved. 

Looking ahead, the EOP will be reaching out to department heads with resources and asking for their support in reminding employees about the College’s non-discrimination policies, reporting and support that is available for those who have experienced discrimination or harassment.

HR Operations: Over the past year, the HR Operations team has made significant accomplishments in advancing efficiency, collaboration and service excellence. Operations continued its efforts to digitize forms and streamline workflows, resulting in faster processing times and a more seamless experience for employees across the College. Together with the employment team, operations also improved the onboarding process, culminating in a highly successful faculty onboarding for the fall semester.

The HR lobby space has also been upgraded to better welcome and meet the needs of the College’s new employees and all guests.

Finally, the College had a very successful biannual state HR audit in January, as we continue to coordinate with the state to ensure ongoing compliance. 

In the coming year, the team will continue to collaborate with our on-campus partners to implement efficiencies, provide guidance and training and enhance the experience of our employees.