OREANDA-NEWS. July 04, 2016. Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie has appointed John A. Sejdinaj vice president and chief financial officer of the university. Sejdinaj’s appointment is subject to formal approval by the IU Board of Trustees at their meeting in August.

Sejdinaj is currently vice president for finance at the University of Notre Dame, where he has demonstrated effectiveness as a leader in higher education and finance. He succeeds MaryFrances McCourt, who left IU to become vice president for finance and treasurer at the University of Pennsylvania.

“For more than two decades, John Sejdinaj has been an apt financial steward at one of the nation’s top private universities, showing strong fiscal leadership through both the longest period of economic growth in American history as well as the recent recession,” McRobbie said.

“John’s understanding of the complex finances in higher education will serve Indiana University well, particularly as we look ahead to our bicentennial in 2020 and pursue our goal of strengthening IU’s standing as one of the world’s great public institutions.”

McRobbie also thanked Joan Hagen, associate vice president and university controller, who has served as acting CFO since March 21.

As vice president and CFO, Sejdinaj will be the university's top fiscal officer and oversee budgetary and financial issues across seven campuses.

At Notre Dame, Sejdinaj managed a budget currently at \\$1.4 billion and implemented capital planning processes and financial strategies that included the issuance of more than \\$800 million in long-term debt and \\$650 million in short-term liquidity while maintaining the university’s AAA rating.

He worked on teams that identified scholarship resources to meet the needs of undergraduates -- growing from \\$10 million in 1994 to more than \\$130 million annually today.

Sejdinaj joined Notre Dame’s staff in 1994 as director of fixed income and cash management in its investment office. From 1996 to 1999, he served as director of finance and budgeting. Under his leadership, the office modernized budget models and processes and evolved into a service team that assists academic and administrative units with budgeting and other financial planning issues.

In 1999, Sejdinaj was promoted to assistant vice president for finance and became vice president for finance three years later.

Sejdinaj earned his bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame and a Master of Business Administration degree from DePaul University. Before returning to Notre Dame, he enjoyed a successful career in banking and investment banking at First Chicago Corp.

Sejdinaj’s wife, Jeny, received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in education from Notre Dame. The Sejdinajs are the parents of one son, Alex, who is a graduate of the IU Jacobs School of Music and a co-founder of the South Bend Code School.

“I look forward to this new opportunity and working with the strong financial team that is currently in place to continue to help Indiana University achieve the aspirations that have been outlined in the plan for 2020,” Sejdinaj said. “I am fortunate to have worked with a wonderful team at Notre Dame and to be moving to another top-tier institution with a strong leadership team that is dedicated to providing a premier education for many across the globe.”

His appointment as vice president followed a nationwide search by an 18-member university committee. Idalene Kesner, dean of the IU Kelley School of Business and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management, chaired the committee appointed to identify candidates for the position.

“John’s skills and experience are incredibly well-rounded," Kesner said. “He’s worked across a broad spectrum of financial areas, both in the corporate world and for higher education. He’s also worked and lived in Indiana, so he’s familiar with the important issues that face the state’s academic institutions, and he brings a fresh perspective from working at a private university. We are fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and experienced senior administrator join the IU leadership team.”

The Office of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer is responsible for most business functions of the university. It provides financial expertise to promote effective stewardship of resources, mitigates financial and operational risk to ensure long-term financial health and flexibility, and performs other tasks essential to the fiscal well-being of the IU community.