Do I sense a computer SNAFU?

Yours truly isn't sure why he received the email text below, but he senses a campus computer SNAFU:

Ascend 2.0 Program Pause

As you know, UCLA’s new procure-to-pay system, BruinBuy Plus, launched in January 2024. Since then, the Ascend 2.0 program team and University leaders have recognized the need to further assess the effectiveness of both our procurement processes and our broader finance organization operating model. As such, effective August 2, 2024, the Ascend 2.0 program will be paused, allowing UCLA to conduct an assessment to review our processes and technology. This exercise is estimated to take place summer through fall of 2024, with the aim of charting a clear path ahead for future business transformation. For more information, please review the BruinPost distributed to campus on June 26, 2024.

Resources 

Once the assessment is complete, we will reach back out to communicate relevant decisions and next steps with the research community. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us at ascend2@ucla.edu with questions. This mailbox will continue to be monitored throughout the program pause. We also encourage you to use the resources below:

• Access the BruinBuy Plus hub for helpful resources, including subaward/subcontract quick reference guides, trainings for PIs and fund managers, and research-specific FAQ.

• Join BruinBuy Plus office hours to connect with subject matter experts and get answers to your procurement questions. Subaward/subcontract-specific office hours continue to be held on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT.

• To request BruinBuy Plus support, please email help@it.ucla.edu, call 310-267-HELP (4357), or open a ticket directly in the ServiceNow portal.

• The Ascend 2.0 website will be largely decommissioned on August 2, 2024. However, the site’s homepage will continue to host several FAQs and will be updated once a decision about the future of Ascend 2.0 has been made.

• Continue to join monthly Research Administration Forum (RAF) meetings; access the Zoom link on the Office of Research Administration’s RAF webpage. Should the program restart in the coming months, an update will be shared with RAF.

We thank you for your partnership to date and for your patience as we strive to do what is best for UCLA and its research community.

Sincerely, 

Ascend 2.0 Team

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Source: https://view.its.e.ucla.edu/?qs=9fe804b922f8a2a8f6073b765facd970aa7016bbd23797bd87442ecdd3c644dc5fbfebfa72b56a58e70e668e7417b1c96cbdcde5d10e6406a790185ef1f2601b657cf6a4d3cb53e78a0b978298b57999.