CLA NOW -- September 26, 2007
Faculty and Research
During this period of transition in the college, all matters related to faculty or intended for the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research should be directed to John Blair (j-blai@umn.edu; 4-2594) or Gayle Gabrielski (gabr0074@umn.edu; 5-1805). Mail should be addressed to the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, 212 JohH, 3774. This includes, but is not limited to, faculty searches and offer letters, tenured hires, internal awards, promotion and tenure, leaves, immigration, etc.
Faculty Search Expenses
For each faculty position authorized for search during 2007/08, the college will provide a total of $1,000 in funding to support the travel expenses of candidates brought to campus as finalists for regular faculty positions. The college also will provide supplementary funding totaling $300 per candidate for those traveling internationally. All other search-related costs will be the unit’s responsibility, including advertising and mailing, travel expenses in excess of those specified, lodging and meals, dinners with finalists, faculty travel to attend professional meetings to recruit and screen candidates, and any other expenses incurred in the course of conducting the search. Faculty and Research will authorize the supplementary funding at the time of final pool approval. Fiscal Administration will transfer funds following completion of the interviews.
FFI: Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, 624-9839
Important Payroll Reminders
Remember to run the report found in Management Reports entitled "Graduate Students Hired on Higher Tuition Fringe Rate Who Qualify for the Lower Rate" to make sure your department is not paying a higher fringe rate than necessary. If you find a student on this report who qualifies for the lower rate, prepare a new HRMS entry worksheet with the lower fringe job code and sent it to the CLA Payroll Office in 209 Johnston Hall so that the information can be updated in People Soft. REMEMBER, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO SAVE ON FRINGE EXPENSES FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.
There is also a report in Management Reports entitled "Employed Students with Unused Work Study Awards". AS OF 9/26/07, THERE ARE 56 CLA STUDENTS ON THIS REPORT. Please make sure to look at this report and then talk to the students employed in your department who are listed on the report about using their work study funding for their appointment in your department. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO SAVE ON SALARY EXPENSES FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.
If you have students who want to use their work study funds and already have an appointment in your department, email the person in the CLA Payroll Office who does your appointment entry about setting up work study for these student(s).
Civil Service Professional Development Fund The Civil Service Professional Development Fund was originally established by the generous support of friends and coworkers in honor of retired University civil service staff members. The CSC has elected to continue the program and sets aside funds from its budget. At the beginning of each fiscal year, July 1, $2,000 in grant money is available from the Civil Service Committee budget for distribution to civil service staff members who wish to enroll in a professional development program. The allocation and distribution of this fund will be the responsibility of the Civil Service Committee, which will serve as the review board, apply the guidelines, and make interpretations and exceptions when appropriate. Preference will be given to applications from employees who are not receiving reimbursements from their department for professional development program expenses. The purpose of the fund is to reimburse employees for out-of-pocket expenses. Funds may be requested by any non-bargaining unit University civil service staff member who is employed at least 75% time.
For more information, please visit Civil Service Committee
EFS – Service Teams Q&A:
The following is the fifth in a series of Q & A’s that the CLA Project Team will address as part of its regular communications concerning the Enterprise Financial System through CLA NOW.
1) Is there an assumption that my current accountant will still provide service to our unit?
Yes. It is planned that the majority of accountants who currently serve a unit will remain servicing those units for the designated clustered activities. There may be a few situations where this is not the case (i.e.: an accountant who currently supports units that will be on different teams).
2) Let’s say an accountant from West Bank Team 1 decided to leave. What kind of input would we have in hiring of the new person?
We would want representation from the units when going through the hiring process for Accountants and Senior Accountants on the Service Teams. For service teams serving a large number of units, it is possible that staffing of the search committee would be rotated between departments.
3) How will communication happen?
Information and updates that pertain to all CLA units will continue to be communicated through CLA now. Communication between the service team and departments will be maintained through regular contact with the accountant assigned to your unit.
4) What about the HRMS worksheet? Currently the accountant prepares it and the administrator approves it. Will this change?
This will not change. The appointment information will be communicated by the department to the service team so that they can prepare the HRMS document. While we have not yet investigated work flow for this particular transaction, we will have a facilitated discussion to identify how this task will be accomplished between departments and service teams.
5) Whom will the Team leads report to?
The service team leads will report to Peggy Buckley in CLA Fiscal Administration.
6) What will the principal accountant (service team lead) be doing?
The service team leads will be supervising, training, mentoring, hiring and directing work flow of the service teams in collaboration with the department. They will be the customer service lead between departments and the service team and will be the Certified Approver for grant activity for units serviced by the service team. Team leads will also provide backup if anyone on their team is out or when the need arises.
7) Where will the work pertaining to external sales be done?
External sales activities will be a partnership between departments and service teams. Transactions will continue to be initiated at a department level who know the specifics of the business activity. The primary accountant assigned to a unit will be able to assist the department in interpreting the questions on the External Sales business plan. If the external sales activity requires a Contract for Professional Service, that will be processed by the service team based on information provided by the department.
For future questions please send an email to claefs@umn.edu. The questions that you submit will be reviewed by a team member and a response will be sent.
Reminder: CLA has set the deadline of the end of September for completion of the Basic Accounting online course and assessment.
If you missed the breeze presentations, they are available on the EFS website for you to view at your convenience. The website also contains a large amount of information about the EFS project.
Grants Management User Network Fall Meeting
The Grants Management User Network (GMUN) is holding its Fall General Meeting on Thursday, September 27th, from 10:00-11:30 am at the Coffman Theatre. The agenda includes
- Self Introduction & Federal Update by Pamela Webb, Associate VP
for Research, SPA - Summarization of GMUN Survey Results
- Faculty RCR (Responsible Conduct for Research) Continuing Ed by Carol Foth
- ECRT Updates
- Key Sponsored Policy Changes resulting from EFS
- EFS Grants, Projects & Contacts Update
UMConnect will be used to broadcast this meeting. To join the on-line.
Workshop for Faculty-led Short Term Study Abroad Programs.
The Learning Abroad Center invites faculty members planning on leading a study abroad program during 2007-08 or 2008-09 to the attend one of the following workshops.
Monday, October 8: 9:00 – 11:00a.m. (Continental breakfast provided); 100 Skok Hall, St Paul campus
Thursday, November 29: 11:30 – 1:30 (lunch provided); 110 Heller Hall, West Bank campus
Please note that if you did not attend a workshop last year, attendance at one of the workshops this year is required. RSVP to laurelj@umn.edu.
Financial Service Team Lead Positions
A requisition (#150594) has been posted to hire the remaining principal accountant positions that will serve as CLA Financial Service Team leads. The college will look first to CLA staff who meet the listed qualifications before considering candidates external to CLA, so please check it out! If you have questions about the position please contact Peggy Buckley (mab@umn.edu/6-9812)
Faculty and Research - Fall Semester 2007 Submission Dates
Sabbatical Supplement & Single Semester Leave
Applications for the 2008/09 sabbatical supplement and single semester leave competitions are due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research no later than Friday, 5 October 2007.
Scholarly Events Fund
Requests for scholarly events funding to support events scheduled during 2007/08 are due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research no later than Monday, 15 October 2007.
Promotion and Tenure
Dossiers for promotion and tenure cases being considered during the 2007/08 academic year are due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research no later than Friday, 19 October 2007.
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
Sept. 27
- Financial/HR meeting, 8:30 a.m., 102 Fraser Hall
- GMUN, Fall General Meeting, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Coffman Theatre
Oct. 5
- 10/1-10/14-07 Pay Period CLA Payroll cut off 4:30 p.m. for the 10/24/07 pay date.
- Applications for sabbatical supplement and single semester leave due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research (212 JohH)
Oct. 8
- Workshop for Faculty-led Short Term Study Abroad Programs, 9:00 a.m. 100 Skok Hall, St. Paul Campus, RSVP to laurelj@umn.edu
Oct. 15
- Requests for scholarly events funding due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research (212 JohH)
Oct. 19
- 10/15-10/28/07 Pay Period CLA Payroll cut off 4:30 p.m. for the 11/7/07 pay date.
- Dossiers for promotion and tenure cases due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research (212 JohH)
Nov. 29
- Workshop for Faculty-led Short Term Study Abroad Programs, 11:30 a.m. 100 Heller Hall, West Bank Campus, RSVP to laurelj@umn.edu
You can find past issues of CLA NOW at: http://www2.cla.umn.edu/admin/now_archive/default.html.
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