Welcome to the Fall, 2009 edition of the Finance, Administration &
Technology newsletter. F.A. & T. is a division made up of the following
departments:
(Index)
Human Resources
Student Financial Services
Facilities
Financial Operations
IT
Procurement
Athletics
Facilities Schedule
http://www.lhup.edu/finance-admin-tech/
Human Resources
Ms. Deana Hill, Director
New Faces
This link connects you to our new administrators and tenure track faculty:
http://www.lhup.edu/HR/faculty/faculty/faculty/TTFaculty%20-%202009-2010.htm
Self Serve
Employee Self
Service (ESS) allows LHU employees to review various benefits and payroll
information specific to you through a secure online portal. The ability to
directly view your human resource and payroll data in the Human
Resource/Payroll System provides an excellent opportunity for you to ensure
that the information is correct and kept up to date. One of the major
advantages of the ESS system is having real-time data at your fingertips
24/7.
The following web site provides 6 easy steps to access your personnel
information online today!
http://www.lhup.edu/HR/ESS/ESS.htm
Paperless Hiring Process
The Human Resource office is reviewing a software program by PeopleAdmin, an
employment and position management systems for Higher Education
Institutions. The PeopleAdmin Applicant Tracking Module eliminates the need
for paper internal forms, paper applications, and identifies qualified
candidates quickly by using job specific questions to determine minimum or
preferred qualifications. This software could reduce the turnaround time by
creating a flexible online workflow and approval process for all of our
personnel transactions. On September 24, 2009 we will be having a live
demonstration by Clarion University, one of many State System schools that
are already using this program. Stay Tuned!
Vendor Fair
The Office of
Human Resources and University Days planning committee were happy to
continue the vendor fair event held in Bentley Hall during the annual
University Days event. This year an exciting change to the event was the
registration for door prizes supplied by the vendors and business
presenters. In all, more than 175 LHU employees registered to win something.
Additionally the vendors present were excited with the turn-out and response
from the registrants wanting to learn more about the organizations present.
The office of Human Resources and the UD planning committee would like to
say thank you to the LHU community for their support and look forward to
doing all we can to support the LHU workforce this academic year.
LHU Employee Health Fair
Please join us for the LHU Employee Health Fair which will be held on
Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. in Roger’s Gymnasium.
We will have door prizes, healthy snacks, drinks, screenings, and the latest
health information. There are over 35 vendors participating this year.
PASSHE Healthy U Phase 3 (Faculty, Managers, Coaches & SPFPA Covered
Employees enrolled in the Indemnity and PPO Plans)
Phase 3 of PASSHE’s Health Care Management Program, Healthy U, began July 1,
2009. With this new phase of the program, many resources and options are
being made available to help you successfully complete the requirements and
qualify for the lowest health plan contributions for the next plan year.
The Phase 3 version of Healthy U has been designed to allow a significant
amount of flexibility and choice. Participants will also have more time to
complete the steps of this phase, since it runs from July 1, 2009 thru May
31, 2010.
Phase 3 participation is based on a point schedule. During the 11 month
time frame noted above (July 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010), you and your
covered spouse/same-sex domestic partner need to accumulate a minimum of
70 points each to qualify.
In Phase 3, there are only two required activities (completing the
pledge and wellness profile) - participants can choose from a wide
variety of other activities and programs with which to earn their other
remaining points including the 10,000 Step Challenge. The LHU Wellness
Committee will also be offering other programs throughout the 2009-2010
Academic Year. Participants will be able to enroll in these programs to
earn points toward their 70 point requirement.
LHU Wellness Committee
The LHU
Wellness Committee has started their Fall programming with the 10,000 Step
Challenge. The 10,000 Step Challenge is a 12-week program designed to help
you increase your physical activity by using a pedometer to track the number
of steps you take each day. Participants receive a state-of-art pedometer
and log book as well as newsletters with valuable and supportive information
to help them on their journey to wellness. PASSHE Healthy U Participants
can earn 25 of their required 70 points by enrolling in this challenge. Be
on the lookout for other programs the LHU Wellness Committee will be
offering throughout the 2009-2010 Academic Year.
Student Financial
Services - Dr. James Theeuewes, Director
LHU Students Receive Pennsylvania State Grant Funding Despite Budget Impasse
Eligible LHU students are receiving most of their fall 2009 PA State Grant
funds, despite the fact that the state budget has not yet been passed. The
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), the agency that
administers the PA State Grant program, announced in August that it would be
unable to finalize and disburse awards until a final budget is approved.
This, however, has not significantly affected Lock Haven University
students, because the university is providing special assistance to PA State
Grant recipients who are entitled to financial aid refunds, by advancing
most of their state grant funds until those funds are available. To date
over 1,000 LHU students have received fall semester refunds that included an
advance of state grant funds. No action is required by students to receive
this assistance. For more information about the State Grant Delay and LHU’s
response to the situation, please click
here.
Student Account Information Available Online
The Student Financial Services (SFS) Office is pleased to announce
that LHU students now have the ability to view student account information
online via the LHU Student Information System (SIS). Once logged into the
SIS, students may click on ‘Student Account Information’ to view their
Session Fee Statement, which provides a summary of tuition, fees, and other
charges, as well as financial aid, for a selected enrollment session. SFS
would like to extend sincere thanks to our friends and colleagues in the
Computing and Technology Center for their expert assistance in making this
new functionality available to LHU students.
Pennsylvania Financial Aid Professionals Visit Capitol Hill
In May, while attending the annual Eastern Association of Student Financial
Aid Administrators (EASFAA) conference in Washington DC, a group of
conferees were invited to visit Capitol Hill. The group, consisting of
Pennsylvania financial aid administrators and employees of the Pennsylvania
Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), met with Congressional staffers
to discuss President Obama’s proposal to eliminate the Federal Family
Education Loan (FFEL) program and to have all federal Stafford and PLUS
Loans originated by the Direct Loan (DL) program beginning July 1, 2010.
This initiative would require more than 4,000 colleges and universities
nationwide to transition from the FFEL program to the DL program in a very
short period of time. Jim Theeuwes and Cindy Heaton from LHU’s Student
Financial Services Office were among those who visited Capitol Hill to
discuss the proposal and the challenges a sudden move to Direct Lending
would undoubtedly present to schools and, more importantly, to students and
families.
Lock Haven University
Institutional Help Scholarship Program
An April 2009 amendment to PASSHE Board of Governors Policy 1996-01-A,
entitled “Sources of Funding for University Scholarships”, has enabled Lock
Haven University to establish the LHU Institutional Help (LHIH) Scholarship
program. With these scholarship funds, the university will be able to
assist a number of students who would otherwise be unable to pay their
student account balances and continue their enrollment. The BOG policy
requires that eligible students be domiciled in Pennsylvania and have
financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). In addition, eligible students must be enrolled in an
undergraduate degree program and meet the requirements of LHU’s federal
financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Because these
scholarship awards are “last dollar”, only students who have exhausted all
federal and state sources of aid and still have remaining need may be
considered. LHIH scholarship recipients will be identified by the Student
Financial Services Office. No application is required, and the scholarship
is non-renewable.
Facilities -
Mr. David Proctor, Director
ESCO - Guaranteed Energy Savings for LH
All
lighting changes have been made and over 9,000 lighting fixtures were
replaced or updated. Boiler replacements are now in progress in 6
buildings with a completion date of October 15, 2009. The remainder of the
buildings will be addressed next year.
Inclement Weather
Weather
conditions such as these are just around the corner. Get all information on
possible delays or cancellations by viewing the link below via our lhup.edu
website:
http://www.lhup.edu/LHU/inclement.htm
Saving Energy & Saving Money
All of us have
the ability to save energy simply by turning off the lights after using a
facility. Turn off equipment no longer being used and let computers power
down into “sleep mode” until they are needed by the next person.
Adjust the thermostat in your offices (if you have one) to a cooler
temperature when you leave each day or before the weekend.
Recycling
Working to
become a greener Campus with many recycling initiatives! What can
be recycled and how???
Office Paper- White or Colored, Magazines, All Books without covers (Only
exception is the golden yellow envelopes)
Newspapers, Cans (all except aerosol), Plastics (bottles & containers)
Glass (bottles & containers), Computers and Electronics (cd’s, dvd’s &
videotapes also!)
Cardboard (should be broken down & put next to recycling container)
All recycling should be sorted by you and put in the appropriate
recycling containers that are located in the hallway of your buildings.
If you find that there the containers are not available in your building
please contact Colleen Meyer
cmeyer@lhup.edu , and we will get you set up. Thanks for all your
cooperation to make our planet a little greener! PLEASE remember to
recycle properly.
Historical
Data from 1996 - 2009
| |
LHU Recycling Quantities for 2004 thru 2009 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
YTD |
|
Date |
|
2004
Gross |
2005
Gross |
2006
Gross |
2007
Gross |
2008
Gross |
2009
Gross |
|
By
Type: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Brush/Yard Waste |
|
|
|
|
|
2.43 |
2.27 |
|
Aluminum Cans |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.93 |
|
Office Paper/Newsprint |
|
37.59 |
40.21 |
17.5 |
23.0 |
23.58 |
12.57 |
|
Corrugated Cardboard |
|
27.8 |
20.52 |
12.9 |
15.0 |
14.09 |
6.12 |
|
Commingled |
|
10.8 |
5.46 |
6.1 |
3.3 |
5.64 |
0.99 |
|
Plastics |
|
1.7 |
2.01 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
5.23 |
3.37 |
|
Electronics |
|
|
|
|
6.6 |
11.72 |
1.91 |
|
Bi-Metal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.73 |
| |
|
77.89 |
68.2 |
38.1 |
49.3 |
62.69 |
28.89 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Yearly Rate: |
57.78 tons |
Toner Cartridge Recycling
Larger (laser) toner cartridges can be recycled through the LHU Central
Receiving. Simply put the used cartridge in the box the new one came in and
drop it off at Central Receiving at Hursh-Nevel. The smaller ink jet
cartridges can be recycled at Wal-Mart for free. Please do not throw them
in the trash.
Science Center Update
The Department of General Services has chosen the Architect, Highland
Associates. We are presently working with this firm in the preliminary
stages of the design process, and have met with them twice to date. The
schedule for the project is:
Design complete – November, 2010
Construction Contract award - April, 2011
Construction compete – August, 2012
The new Clearfield
classroom building is completed and now in use. We are anticipating
certification of the building at the level of LEED Gold.
Temperature Check
Reminder….over
the Christmas break (December 25 – January 1) all electrical should be
turned off. During this time, we will be setting back the heat in all
buildings to 55 degrees except in buildings where employees are scheduled to
work. Please remember to remove any temperature sensitive items during that
time. If you have any events scheduled during this time, please be sure to
contact
Marchal Rote, Facilities Coordinator to schedule use and temperature of
location.
Financial Operations - Ms. Julie Kimball, Director
The Business Office is excited to announce on-line SAP budget reports that
are user-friendly through Business Intelligence (BI). These reports are
designed to work for each individual user’s needs and are able to be
customized. Another great feature is that the passwords do not expire every
couple weeks, as they do in SAP. Susan Blesh has created individual
departmental operating budget reports, Cindy Ohl has created project
reports, and Glenda Feidler has created Grant reports. These reports have
become available at a great time since, as we are all aware, budgets are
tight and need to be closely monitored. For departmental budgets, for
everyone who has attended a training session, you will receive an email
bi-monthly reminding you to check your budget along with a link. You are
able to save this link and the budget information will be updated each time
you click on it. If you have a question or idea for a report please contact
our office so that we are able to accommodate each individual need. We hope
you like the reports as much as we do!
Fiscal Management Committee
The Fiscal Management Committee meets periodically throughout the semester.
Their meeting dates and information on the state of the LHU budget can be
found at their website at the following address:
http://www.lhup.edu/finance-committee/
Information Technology -
Mr. Donald Patterson,
Director
Cutting Printing Costs
We use a
software package called “Papercut”. When a student wants to print a job
they have to go to a webpage to actually release the print jobs. This
prevents accidental printing and duplicate print jobs. Students are also
given a quota on the number of pages they can print (currently set at 300
pages per semester). Once the quota has been reached the student must come
to the Technology Support Center to have the page count reset. In the data
center we are virtualizing the majority of our servers using “VMware”. This
reduces greatly the number of actual physical servers thereby reducing
energy cost.
Helpdesk
The
Computing Center Helpdesk can now be reached at
helpdesk@lhup.edu to accommodate the most common reference the service
desk. The old address of
hotline@lhup.edu will still be in service as well. The Computing Center
Helpdesk can now be reached at
helpdesk@lhup.edu to accommodate the most common reference the service
desk. The old address of
hotline@lhup.edu will still be in service as well.
Backing up personal folders in Outlook
Backing up your personal folder in outlook is a fairly simple file
operation. The biggest hurdle most people face is locating the folder
itself. The following steps should help out.
Locate the
folder. If you aren’t sure where your personal file is located, start by
closing Outlook (you can’t copy the file if it’s in use) and going to your
control panel in Windows. Find the ‘mail’ icon and double-click on it.
Click the ‘E-mail Accounts’ button on the resulting screen.
Select the ‘Data Files’ tab and note the location under the ‘Filename’
heading. You can expand this column if you can’t read the entire path.
Browse to the location of the file and copy it to wherever you would like
to back it up to.
Note: If you backup your personal folder to a CD, you have to copy it to a
writeable media (flash drive, network drive or hard drive) in order to read
it again. For some reason, Outlook needs to be able to write to the file in
order to open it. It is better if you do backup to jump drive or CD to
avoid taking up space on your C or H drives.
Campus Text Message
Alert
LHU has a voluntarily text-message alert system that is available to all
students, faculty and staff. To keep these records updated and accurate
each year, the university removes all of last year’s phone contacts
and
requests that you re-enroll every year. For first time
sign-ups and re-enrollments that would like to be notified of an emergency
on campus -
you must voluntarily register by the
following process which started on August 31, 2009:
Go to the university homepage, current student, or faculty and staff web
pages and look for the cell phone icon or sign-in using your Domain1
username and password (email log-on) at this link:
www.lhup.edu/e2campus
Email Retention
Users can permanently delete their emails by emptying their "deleted items"
folder after deleting them from their mail folders. After the "deleted
items" folder is emptied, the information is retained on the server with a
"tombstone" designation in case the user accidentally deleted the item.
Items marked "tombstoned" are permanently deleted after 7 days. Backups are
run every few days on the mail server and the backup tapes are overwritten
every 30 days.
Long Distance Calling
Effective July 1, 2009, all long distance calls made will be charged
to department budgets.
Raub Lab
31 Lenovo Systems were recently installed in the Raub 106 computer lab.
Student tech fee monies were used for these purchases.
Jenzabar
Internet Campus Solution (JICS) is a Web portal upgrade to our current
Jenzabar CX (formerly CARS) modules for admissions, students, and faculty
advising which has been “on hold” for five years based on the expectation
that we would be converting to the SAP Student Life Cycle Management system
(since cancelled). In addition to replacing the current Web modules it
offers a powerful resource for connecting students, faculty, and staff with
our university databases. With it we will be able to have a common
Web-centric access to role-specific applications, content, communications,
and administrative records. Also, the Cognos reporting product will enable
reports to be pushed out to a Web browser for presentation and ease of use.
Implementation will occur over the next five to six months. Our first
priority will be to configure, modify, pilot test, and implement the
customer relationship management (CRM) module, Candidate, that will replace
the on-line admissions application. We will now have the capability of
having separate undergraduate, graduate, and international applications as
well as give prospective students more information and contact with the
university. Following the admissions CRM, we will be accomplishing the same
sequence of tasks for the rollout of the Student CRM and the Faculty CRM.
Finally, the Cognos reporting system will be installed in the
January-February timeframe.
Procurement -
Ms. Becky Proctor, Director
GTS-WELCO BLANKET CONTRACT FOR GAS CYLINDERS
As of July 1, 2009, LHU departments will no longer be able to take gas
cylinders to GTS to be refilled.
The University, in an effort to ensure campus safety, has put in
place a “Blanket Service Purchase Contract” whereby University departments
can call GTS to order new tanks or have tanks refilled for University use.
Those individuals who need these services will call GTS-WELCO at (570)
748-3294 and reference Blanket Contract Number: SP#4000017722.
GTS will schedule the delivery, either the same day (if time permits) or the
next day (except for Wednesdays). It is important to note that the person
placing the order with GTS “must” be available to accept the scheduled
delivery. Tanks cannot be left without being signed for. The delivery slip
you receive will need to be attached to the Contract Service Request Form
that is submitted to Purchasing. This will ensure that your department’s
cost center is appropriately charged for this service. The GTS contract is
for both LHU Main & Clearfield Campus.
Tax Exempt Status
Lock Haven University is an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and,
as such is exempt from Pennsylvania state sales tax, local sales tax, public
transportation assistance taxes and fees and vehicle rental tax. The
Department of Revenue regulations provide that exemption certificates are
not required for sales made to governmental entities and one will be
issued.
Such purchases by Lock Haven University employees are not exempt unless they
are on University business and are billed to and paid for directly by the
University. Employees are prohibited from benefiting from the University’s
exemption status and from vendor extended discounts and rebates to the
University for personal purchases.
Electronic Requisition Process
Lock Haven University is in the process of implementing
and utilizing an electronic requisitioning process within the SAP financial
system. The Division of Finance, Administration & Technology has agreed to
be the “pilot program” for this endeavor. Electronic requisitioning provides
increased efficiencies, cost savings, reduced processing times, and greater
campus access to procurement data.
To assist the University community in this transition, training is
anticipated to be offered beginning in the Fall of 2009. This training will
be available to those individuals who create requisitions and to key
personnel responsible for approving requisitions.
As with all new systems of this kind, changes in business processes will
occur, therefore, the training will include how to navigate within SAP, such
as logging in, setting up your profile, moving between screens, performing
other commonly used functions, and purchasing procedures including
requisition input procedures, requisition release procedures and purchasing
document tracking.
Keeping a Log
This is a reminder that each cardholder is required to keep a purchasing log
to record each PCard transaction. The log must be completed in
its entirety (Date Ordered, Card User, Vendor, Item Purchased &
Purpose, Quantity, Unit Price, Amount, and Date Received) and
submitted to the Purchasing Office along with the monthly credit card
statement and corresponding receipts and/or other supporting documentation
to fulfill auditing requirements.
Travel
Board of Governors Policy 1986-07-A, Travel Expense Regulations,
regulates employee travel. Policy 1986-07-A covers reimbursements
to an employee
only for the employee’s own travel expenses; It does
not provide for reimbursement to an employee for the expenses of another
employee. Employees may not request reimbursement for
another employee’s travel expenses (lodging, airfare, meals, etcetera).
Incurring expenses on behalf of others is prohibited. Only report your own
expenses.
PASSHE Commercial Card Conversion from National City Bank (NCB) to PNC
1.
PNC is the 5th
largest Visa Purchasing Card program in the country.
2.
Conversion is currently scheduled for the weekend of October 23rd,
2009.
·
Cards
a.
No reissue
b.
Logo will remain the same
c.
New cards will appear for new card orders, renewals & reorders
·
Customer Service will not change
·
Billing
a.
Billing cycles will be converted from a business date system to a calendar
date system. The end of our billing cycle will be the 25th of
every month excluding holidays.
·
Statements will look different due to improvements
University Memberships
In an attempt
to streamline processes, “University” memberships should now be paid via the
departmental PCard. You will still need an approved Membership Request Form,
but payment will be made via the PCard against your departmental budget. The
approved Membership Request Form will become part of your monthly
reconciliation process and will be attached to the PCard statement and
recorded on your reconciliation log. In the event that a University
membership is over $500.00, you will need to contact the Procurement Office
Director to receive special approval to temporarily allow your daily limit
to be increased for the membership purchase.
After the Fact Purchase Transactions
An
"After-the-Fact" purchase transaction is a purchase that has been made by a
faculty or staff member without prior issuance of an approved purchase
order/contract or use of a Purchasing Card, and then, an attempt is made to
initiate a purchase order/contract after-the-fact in order to pay the
supplier invoice. Such transactions violate PASSHE Procurement Policy.
After-the-Fact
purchase transactions create significant payment and supplier relationship
problems for Lock Haven University. In many cases, these transactions:
· Place Lock Haven University at financial risk and result in higher
than necessary costs paid for products and services
· Create unnecessary administrative effort within the Procurement and
Accounts Payable Departments and other administrative offices
· Violate purchasing policies
· Lack competitive bids for transactions with an aggregate dollar value
of $10,000 or more
· Result in supplier contracts with unfavorable terms and conditions
signed by unauthorized Lock Haven University personnel
· Could result in duplicate payments to the supplier
http://www.lhup.edu/purchasing/index.htm
Unauthorized Purchases
An unauthorized purchase is a purchase made outside of the authorized
procurement processes. Examples of unauthorized purchases include but are
not limited to:
-Employee
purchases supplies for the office, writing a personal check for the
purchase;
-Employee calls a supplier and places an order for supplies without prior
issuance of a purchase order or use of a Purchasing Card;
-Employee purchases a new computer for the office using a personal credit
card;
-Employee signs a supplier contract for services or supplies.
In all four cases above, the employee made a purchase (committed funds) on
behalf of Lock Haven University without securing the appropriate approvals
first and using a Lock Haven University authorized purchasing method.
The purchased items may be appropriate for business use; however, approvals
for all purchases must be secured before the purchase is authorized
through issuance of a purchase order, contract or use of a Purchasing Card.
Factors to consider with unauthorized purchases include the costs of
processing invoices and checks, personnel time, and any travel involved to
make such a purchase. Many times, these costs offset the perceived savings
in the purchase price. Following Lock Haven University’s authorized buying
methods ensures that all approvals are properly documented and also ensures
that Lock Haven University receives the best price.
For questions or comments about this newsletter
please contact:
Vice President - Bill Hanelly at
whanelly@lhup.edu or
Marchal Rote at mrote@lhup.edu
Contributions to this newsletter provided by the office noted above.
