Finance and Administration
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March
1, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In This Issue Announcements by ·
Facilities
Planning and Construction ·
Property Management and Inventory ·
Special Events, Facilities &
Services Important Dates ·
Effective Immediately ·
Effective Immediately ·
Effective Immediately ·
Effective Immediately ·
March 1, 2011 For an Online copy of this and
previous newsletters, visit the Finance and Administration Web site |
From
the desk of Sharon Meyer, former Vice President of Finance and Administration
I cannot leave, however, without
recognizing all of the wonderful people that I have worked with over the
years. If I don’t specifically mention your name, it is not because I don’t
value our friendship or recognize your contribution. It would take far too
much space to mention everyone. First, I want to thank Dr. Limbaugh
for his friendship and collegiality. Working as a team is much more fun and
successful for the institution than working in a silo. He allowed us to do
that during his interim appointment as Provost and I am very thankful for
that. I have to thank my immediate office staff, Justina Stark, Arlene
Freatman, Maggie Pepper and my right hand, Angie Wright. All of these folks
have done what was necessary to get the job done. I can never thank them
enough. In addition all of the direct reports to the VPFA are probably among
the most professional, hard-working people I have ever worked with in my
career. They are James Adams, Denise Brodnax, Skip Bolding, Bill Cullins, Jay
Halbert, John Russell, Greg Pecina, and Jennifer Lennon. They respond when
necessary and always have the interest of the University in mind. They all
bleed blue and gold. I also want to thank the IT staff.
Finance and Administration is heavily dependent on a good working
relationship with IT. Doug Fox and his team (Brian, Jeanne, and Jeff) have
always been there for us. I appreciate their work and their friendship. I
don’t want to forget Curt who has put up with my lack of technology knowledge
and fixed my phones, computer, and printer many, many times. ASU is a dynamic institution that
faces many challenges in the next few years. Working together I truly believe
there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. My replacement, Mike Reid, is a
very competent CFO. He will bring strong leadership to the university. Please
welcome him. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Announcements
Latest Legislation and University
Budget The 82nd Legislative Session of
Texas officially began on January 11, 2011. The Budget Office is responsible
for coordinating analyzing and tracking bills that may affect Angelo State
University filed in the House or Senate. As of February 4, 2011, we were
tracking 213 of the 1,670 of the bills that had been filed. This is our
chance to let legislatures know how these bill will
affect our university. If we send you a request to provide an analysis of the
bill, we appreciate your quick reply so that the university can respond in a
timely manner. If you are interested in learning more about this process, you
can access the Texas Legislature online at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/. Electronic Forms In addition, the Budget Office, the
Department of Human Resources, and the Office of Payroll Service are working
with the Project Office to implement the final phase of the electronic forms
project. We are working on implementing electronic time gathering for all
benefits eligible staff who are still currently
turning in a paper time sheet. The target for Go-Live is December 2011. Watch
for more information on this project. Contract
Administration Office
Contract Requirements at a Glance Written contracts should be executed
whenever ASU enters into a binding agreement with another party that involves
any amount, and for any purpose between ASU and other parties. Other parties
include but are not limited to: ·
Federal
Agencies ·
State
Agencies ·
Local
Agencies ·
Non
Profit Organizations ·
Private
Businesses ·
Partnerships ·
Individuals Following are some examples of
provisions that ASU, as a state institution, does not have the authority to
agree to. In these instances, the Contract Administration Office must contact
the other party to negotiate contract terms: ·
Attorney’s
Fees ·
General
Liability Insurance ·
Confidential
Information ·
Indemnification
of any party ·
Arbitration
·
Workers
Compensation ·
Warranties An individual executing a contract
on behalf of a state agency without the authority to do so or agreeing to terms
that ASU as a state institution does not have the authority to agree to may
be personally liable for damages flowing from repudiation of the contract. Please refer to the Contract
Administration Operating Policies 30.01 to 30.04 for more information and
review the PowerPoint presentation on the website.
Form
1098-T information available for students The
2010 Form 1098-T Tuition Statements have been mailed. They are also available
online. For more information, visit http://www.angelo.edu/services/controller/1098T.html,
email mailto:1098t@angelo.edu,
or call the Controller’s Office at (325) 942-2014. Please be advised that
Angelo State University cannot give legal, tax, or accounting advice or
determine if students qualify for a tax credit or deduction. Please consult a
tax professional, the IRS at (800) 829-1040, or the IRS Publication 970 Tax
Benefits for Education. Did
you know about Student Outreach? The
Student Accounts Office has implemented Student Outreach as of December,
2010. Student Outreach is an automated program which sends a voice message to
the student’s permanent phone number reminding them of bill availability,
drop schedule, and installment due dates. Students will still receive an
email to their ASU email address but postcard reminders will no longer be
mailed to the students. Students are encouraged to contact the Student
Accounts Office if they would like to update their permanent phone number or
if they have a new permanent mailing address. Have
you checked in RamPort? The
Controller’s channel in RamPort has helpful information about Banner forms
and instructions on how to use them, as well as, a link to the online Chart
of Accounts. Check back often for more additions! Facilities
Management
After Hours/Weekends/Holiday
Emergencies Business operations for Facilities
Management are Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm. For emergencies for
after business hours/weekends/holidays, please contact the University Police
Department at (325) 942-2071. A Little FYI About How Facilities
Management Maintenance is Organized Facilities Management services are
organized in four areas: Mechanical Services, Building Services, and
Grounds/Custodial/Special Services, and Locksmith. Mechanical Services
includes Energy Controls, Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC),
Utility, and Plumbing. Building Services includes Building Maintenance,
Electrical, and Paint. Grounds/Custodial/Special Services includes Groundskeeping, Mechanic Shop, and Custodial. Our
Locksmith shop controls and manages keys that allow access to buildings and
space on campus. Why Should I Use FAMIS? Facilities Management has a software
system called FAMIS that allows you, our customer, to enter information
regarding the service you require quickly and accurately. It also allows you
to track and check the status of your request. For any issues regarding the
services mentioned above, we strongly suggest that you first submit your
request online through self service. This can be done by clicking on this
link, FAMIS Self Service Login. Our administrative service
continuously monitors and immediately schedules every request during our normal
business hours. Using self service is the most effective and reliable way to
make your request so that we can meet your need. Facilities
Planning and Construction
Construction on Plaza Verde ASU and the design team have
scheduled 2 phases of construction for new student housing at this northeast
section of campus. In this first phase, the contractor will construct four
dorms with 416 beds and a clubhouse. This initial phase is scheduled for completion
in July of this year. The steel framework for the first dorm is now in place
at the Plaza Verde Student Housing project. The second phase is being
coordinated with the planned abatement and demolition of Concho Hall. These
dorms will add an additional 505 beds for the ASU Residence Life department. CHP Update The new recreation addition to the
Center for Human Performance will provide students, faculty and staff with a
new 22,000 square foot exercise facility with a 30’ climbing wall that will
be located on the west end of the addition. A new jogging track will go
around the perimeter of the facility on a second level. Construction began
Spring 2010 and will be completed late Spring 2011. In addition, the baseball
locker room will be completed this summer. The exterior finishes for this
addition should be completed ASU Lake House Modifications The architect has completed design
and plans for a renovation at the ASU lake facility. ADA upgrades for the
existing bathrooms are planned as well as new sidewalks that connect the
building, boat house and basketball area. The contractor has completed
pricing and this project will be scheduled with University Recreation because
of down time needed during remodeling. Norris Baseball Clubhouse The metal structure is complete and
the contractor has interior walls framed at this time. Mechanical units have
been set and all ductwork is installed. The plumbing and electrical rough-in
work will be finished this week so that drywall work can commence.
Subcontractors have installed sidewalks and mowstrips
along the outside. The electric provider set power poles to the building last
week. The project is scheduled for completion in March. Campus Green Last year, ASU and the design team
began working on plans to create an improved recreation area near the
remaining high rise dorm and east end of the mall. The scope of work includes
new exterior lighting and sidewalks at the mall, relocated volleyball courts,
a dry creek bed, a jogging path, outdoor Wi-Fi and
seating areas. At this time, the contractor is forming and pouring the south
mall sidewalk. The north side was finished during the Christmas break.
Electricians are trenching and installing conduit for the new mall lighting. The concrete subcontractor has
formed and poured the last handicap ramp adjacent to Van Buren. They also
placed concrete for the curved sidewalks that will intersect at the
pedestrian bridge. Site and landscaping work will be ongoing through
February.
Training If
your department needs assistance with understanding the operating policies or
processes for the Offices of Purchasing, Contract Administration, Travel, or
Property Management, please contact Jennifer Lennon at extension 2591 to
set-up a training session. Please give us the opportunity to tailor a
training session to meet your departmental needs.
Performance Reviews The Staff Performance Reviews are
scheduled to begin on March 1st, 2011 and end on April 1st, 2011. Staff
employees are reminded that your supervisor will schedule time with you to
review your performance during the calendar year 2010. Please take some time
to write down your performance, accomplishments and areas for improvement
prior to your review. This will give you and your supervisor an opportunity
to reinforce performance that meets expectations and to identify performance
areas that need improvement. The performance review process is key to reviewing and ensuring that work performance is
within your supervisor’s expectations. It is also an opportunity for you and
your supervisor to discuss performance and future plans for your career
development. Supervisors will have the opportunity to attend training on the
theory and application of the performance review process, as well as the
specifics of the performance review process at Angelo State University prior
to March 1st, 2011. Communication pertaining to the schedule and sign-up
process for this training will be sent to supervisors later this week. The electronic version of the
performance review can be found on the HR Website at http://www.angelo.edu/services/training_development/manager_toolkit.html. Please note that the date at the
top of the review is for 2010. This date indicates the review period and not
the current year. Print Shop
The Print Shop has recently won Gold
and Silver in the ADDY Awards, which are awarded by the American Advertising
Federation. To use they’re award winning services, please visit the new
website at http://www.angelo.edu/services/print_shop/index.html. Property Management
and Inventory
Surplus
Furniture Pick-up The
yearly inventory is coming up during the beginning of March. If departments
have items that need to be transferred or sent to salvage, please do so soon
so these changes will be reflected on the ending inventory. Purchasing
Department
The following provides details on
some of the purchasing processes that have been modified as a result of the
strategic sourcing approved by UBAT to be effective January 1, 2011. 1.
Office
supply ordering: The Purchasing Office will be submitting the online orders
for office supplies to the following vendors; West Office Supply, Longhorn
Office Products/Concho Business Solutions, PDME and Total Office Solutions on
the 6th and 20th of each month. If these days fall on a weekend then the
orders will be placed the next business day. To make the process run smoothly
each office coordinator may place only one request for office supplies by the
4th and 18th of each month. This will allow us time to get purchase orders
and invoices processed before the end of the month. The $250 dollar threshold
per request will not apply for office supplies since the Purchasing Office
will be combining requests to create purchase orders over the designated
limit. An online request can be expensed to more than one Fund/Org., as long
as it is detailed in the “Notes” section of the request. 2.
Copier
paper, Promotional Items, Printer Toner: The Purchasing Office is in the
process of gathering information on these items so that Requests for Pricing
can be obtained. We will work diligently to gather this information as
quickly as possible but the process does take time. The plan is to have all
of the ordering instructions for these items in place so that the new
ordering methods can begin March 1st, if not sooner. 3.
Office
furniture approval: The following months have been designated for the
purchase of office furniture that has been approved by the appropriate vice
president after consideration of all office furniture available within the
surplus warehouse: January, April, July and October of each fiscal year. The
third week of each of these months will be the designated ordering time. More
information will be forthcoming on the approved furniture brands Special
Events, Facilities and Services
Reservation Services Remember all reservation requests
for space on campus are submitted through the online ASU Reservations system.
The shortcut to the site is reservations.angelo.edu. We’d like to welcome Anna Martinez
to our scheduling team, and either Anna or Shayna are happy to help you with
any reservation needs! We will offer a series of Reservations
Workshops in May for anyone who is interested in attending. Watch incoming
everyone emails for the upcoming dates and times and instructions for signing
up to attend! Also new this year, we will offer a series of Facilities
Inventory Workshops in the month of May! More information is soon to come. Should you have any questions or
need additional information, please feel free to contact Special Events
Office at (325) 942-2021. Special Projects
Administrative Services Survey This is a major annual assessment
that measures customer satisfaction related to the services provided by
Finance and Administration departments.
The goal of this assessment is to determine how well we are supporting
the academic mission of the university, based on feedback from ASU faculty,
staff, students, and community members.
Data from the survey are currently being evaluated and compiled into a
summary report to be presented to F&A managers and the University
community. Areas needing improvement
will be identified, and action steps will be recommended for the next year to
insure that the division is on a continuous improvement track. The report
will be completed in early March 2011. Business Resource Center (BRC) Special Projects has provided
technical and project management support for the BRC project beginning with
the initial planning in 2007. This economic development project is now moving
forward, with an estimated completion date of January 2012. When completed, the 17,000 square foot BRC
will be housed in the former Coca-Cola building in downtown San Angelo, and
will house ASU’s Small Business Development Center, the city’s Development
Services staff, and multiple related partners representing the Chamber of
Commerce, Downtown San Angelo, and the Workforce Development Board. Fitness and Wellness (ASUFit) Special Projects staff
manage all aspects of the ASUFit program, to
include fitness activities, Brown Bag luncheons, health fairs, a
comprehensive web site, weekly email updates, and a monthly newsletter. Thus
far in FY 2011, ASUFit has organized five weekend
fitness events, a health fair, and multiple Brown Bag luncheons with
speakers. Staff are currently collaborating with student groups to plan
additional events, and working with community organizations to bring fitness
and wellness activities onto the ASU campus. A draft wellness policy for ASU
based on HB 1297 has also been developed and submitted to HR for review. Community Engagement projects Department staff are involved in
several community projects to include economic development activities with
the Chamber’s Economic Development Council and the continued implementation
of a P-16+ Educational Partnership.
The role of Special Projects in these community initiatives is to
support efforts and to provide technical expertise where applicable. Strategic Planning Special Projects staff continue to
support strategic planning and related initiatives, to include the Strategic
Planning On-Line portal (SPOL) efforts, the development of the annual
operations plan for the F&A division, the University’s Strategic Planning
Council, and efforts to help prepare for the next SACS accreditation cycle. F&A marketing Currently, the Special Projects
Department has facilitated Web site enhancements for 5 F&A departments.
If your F&A department is looking to revamp their
Web site, please let us know by contacting katherine.garrison@angelo.edu. Technology Support and Training At the beginning of the fall
semester, Special Projects purchased equipment to record and edit video for
F&A events and training. The purposes of this technology have already
been used to record all of this year’s ASUFit Brown
Bag events, but also to create video tutorials, using screen capturing
software, to discuss SPOL and Microsoft SharePoint.
Just
a reminder to all Angelo State athletic fans that both baseball and softball
seasons have started! As usual, we expect to have outstanding teams this year
and hope to see you at some of their games. Baseball will be played at Foster
Field and softball is played at the ASU Softball Complex located on Victory
Lane. Single
game ticket prices are: ·
Adults:
$6.00 ·
Students/Seniors
(65+)/Military/ASU Alumni Association Members: $4.00 Upcoming
games: ·
Baseball:
ASU vs. Southeastern Oklahoma March 4th at 7pm and a double header March 5th
at 1pm ·
Softball:
ASU vs. Texas A&M International double header March 6th at 1pm If
you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to
contact the ASU Ticket Office at (325) 942-2583. Travel
Office
It’s
a New Year and the Travel Office is ready to help our travelers plan ahead,
prepare for trips, and SAVE MONEY! Please check out our website at http://www.angelo.edu/services/travel_office/
for helpful tips on planning your travel and step-by-step instructions for
completing your pre and post-travel paperwork. Some
things to be aware of concerning travel: ·
BTA/Travel
Cards: JP Morgan Chase will be terminating their existing contract with the
State of Texas effective February 28, 2011. We are hoping to already have
Citibank cards in place by that time, however there
is a possibility that BTA services might not be available during the
transition period. Also, the Travel Office will notify those of you with
travel credit cards when your new Citibank card has
arrived. ·
VP
Approval Required on ALL TARs: To help avoid delays, please acquire all
necessary signatures on Travel Authorization Request (TAR) forms prior to
sending them to the Purchasing/Travel Office. Keep in mind that all travel
now requires appropriate Vice President approval in
accordance with the current UBAT initiatives. ·
New
Rental Car Procedures: Enterprise now offers a direct bill method for renting
vehicles (in and out-of-state). Please contact the Travel Office for more
information. NOTE: When dropping rental vehicles off at the University Police
Dept., it is the responsibility of the traveler to contact Enterprise and let
them know the vehicle’s location (extra charges may be applied at the expense
of the traveler if Enterprise is not notified of the drop-off location). ·
Hotel
Overage Memos: Please remember that all Hotel Overage Memos require
appropriate VP approval prior to travel. It is the responsibility of the
department to acquire all necessary signatures prior to sending documents to
the Travel Office. Easy
ways to trim your travel budget: ·
Hotels:
Visit the Hotel Directory at http://portal.cpa.state.tx.us/hotel/hotel_directory/index.cfm to
find out which hotels are under State of Texas contract to help avoid hotel
overages. Click on the current fiscal year, state you are traveling to, first
letter of the destination city, and then select the city in which you wish to
stay (or try a nearby city to save money as well). If you are able to share a
room with another employee – please remember to keep your costs separate and
have the hotel split the bills showing each person’s individual payments. ·
Airfare:
Plan ahead! Airfare gets more expensive the closer to the departure date that
you purchase it. It is best to purchase airfare at least two weeks prior to
departure for US travel, and six weeks for International travel. Be sure to
start your paperwork well in advance to ensure the lowest possible price.
(When flying in-state, compare mileage and rental car rates to see which is most cost-effective). ·
Cars:
Compare mileage vs. rental car when deciding which method to use. The current
mileage rate is $0.50 per mile – visit http://www.randmcnally.com/
to calculate mileage (remember to do round-trip mileage). For state contract
rental car rates you can visit the travel website and click on the “Car
Rental Rates” link at http://www.window.state.tx.us/procurement/prog/stmp/stmp-rental-car-contract/vendor-comparison/
– remember to keep in mind fuel cost when pricing rental cars. ·
Meals:
Be aware that “per-diem” is the maximum allowed rate for reimbursement – it
is not a given amount. Meal reimbursements should be based on actual expenses
not to exceed the maximum allowed amount. Only claim what you actually spend
on meals and it will save you’re your department money.
Decreased Crime Rates The University Police Department is
committed to providing the best service possible. The police department’s effectiveness
is broadly measured by annual crime rates, calls for service, clearance rates
and special programming provided. Overall crime rates have fallen 2%
over the last five years. Likewise, overall calls for polices services have
also decreased. The decreases can be attributed to stronger partnerships with
campus departments like residential programs and increased proactive
patrolling of the campus by police officers. Despite all technological
advances in law enforcement, visible uniformed police officers remain the
best deterrent to crime. The criminal investigation division
logged an overall clearance rate of 47.6% in calendar year 2010. The
clearance rate for the FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) was 26.2%. According
to the Department of Justice, the national average UCR clearance rate is
18-21%. The police department’s clearance rate for crimes reported and
investigated is well above the national average. In addition, the police department
has increased its crime prevention programming and outreach by 62% since
2008. The police department remains committed to maintaining a campus
environment that makes ASU a great place to work, learn and live. |