The University of Illinois System is enhancing coordination and consistency in procurement by aligning the purchasing offices at the three universities under System Procurement Services, led by Assistant Vice President for Procurement and Payment Services Aaron Carter in the Office of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
This transition reflects our commitment to building stronger, more coordinated procurement services while recognizing the distinct mission, culture, and needs of each university. By bringing these teams together under a shared structure, we can create a more consistent and efficient procurement approach that better supports our faculty, staff, and students across all three universities.
This realignment will help modernize procurement practices, strengthen governance and oversight, and improve consistency in processes and compliance. It will also allow us to better leverage the university’s collective purchasing power to achieve greater value and improve service across the system. At the same time, this structure ensures strong university-level representation, so each institution continues to receive responsive support aligned with its mission and operating environment.
The transition of the university purchasing offices to the System Office will occur by July 1, 2026, and procurement services will continue without interruption throughout the process. As the transition moves forward, we will focus on improving transaction times, enhancing customer service, and making processes easier to navigate.
We will introduce additional changes, including university advisory boards, more standardized processes, and improvements in how requests and support are submitted and managed. These steps are intended to improve efficiency, strengthen shared governance, and ensure university voices are heard in decision-making across the system.
As we move forward, we encourage open, thoughtful, and constructive engagement across all levels of the organization. Productive collaboration will be essential to the success of this effort, and we are committed to fostering an environment where input is shared respectfully and aligned with our collective goals.
Transparency will remain a central priority throughout this transition. We are committed to keeping you informed, minimizing disruption, and ensuring our operations run smoothly. We deeply value your partnership and collaboration, which will be essential to the success of this work. Additional information will be shared in the coming weeks.
Paul Ellinger
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Comptroller
U of I System
