1.  HR Updates  Procurement  Travel Updates

2.  Employees should email PPDHR@VCU.EDU for all general HR requests. Paper submissions should be submitted to M. DeBrew.PPDHR@VCU.EDU  Check Self-Service Banner at least 2 times per month to monitor your pay stubs and your leave balances  Timesheets must be completed accurately and submitted by the deadline (9am). They will not be processed without a signature or an index account code  Please contact the Principal Investigator or the Business Manager for confirmation of the index code  Important 2014 Winter Closing Reminder: Employees must use 20 hours of eligible leave for the 2014 winter closing – see http://hr.vcu.edu/communications/holiday-calendar/. For more information, seehttp://hr.vcu.edu/media/hr/documents/IHR20140107.pdfhttp://hr.vcu.edu/communications/holiday-calendar/http://hr.vcu.edu/media/hr/documents/IHR20140107.pdf

3.  Electronic W-2s can be requested in Self Service Banner  Monitor the Employee Wellness website for great employee discounts and deals  Remember to update your personal information (address,emergency contact, etc.) in Self Service Banner. Also, in order to ensure we have the most recent information on file, we will reinstitute the Partnership directory which will be maintained with the HR team.

4.  Leave requests should be entered into the Lotus system as a positive number. Negative numbers are used as adjusements (they reduce the number of hours previously submitted.) Supervisors should not approve leave requests with negative numbers unless they have verified that it is an adjustment.  Supervisors should submit leave if the employee is out at the end of the payperiod to ensure leave balances are accurate.  Monitor the Employee Wellness website for great employee discounts and deals  Remember to update your personal information (address,emergency contact, etc.) in Self Service Banner. Also, in order to ensure we have the most recent information on file, we will reinstitute the Partnership directory which will be maintained with the HR team.

5.  Employees should email PPDFISCAL@VCU.EDU to submit travel requests. Paper submissions are accepted in the PPDFISCAL mailbox.PPDFISCAL@VCU.EDU  Christopherson Business Travel VCU faculty and staff are required to purchase air and rail tickets for official VCU business using university funds through Christopherson Business Travel’s online booking tool (OBT), or via one of the travel agents assigned to VCU. University support was garnered for the mandatory-use of the Travel Management contract for all airline and rail tickets to assist in establishing a comprehensive duty of care program. Business travelers are encouraged to utilize Christopherson Business Travel for all business related travel to receive the benefits associated with VCU’s managed travel program.  The GSA website which houses the per diem rates should always be used as a reference for per diem and lodging rates. GSAs website: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287

6.  All travel and reimbursements for food purchases must be submitted for payment within 10 business days after the last date of travel or the date of purchase. We continue to receive late travel reimbursements (as late as 2 months old). As funders continue to reduce the invoicing schedule for grant expenditures, staff will run the risk of not being reimbursed.  VCU project staff are responsible for ensuring that all proper documentation is submitted for non-VCU employees. For large conferences or trainings, please communicate with the fiscal team in advance to determine more efficient ways to coordinate this process.

7.  Employees should email PPDFISCAL@VCU.EDU to submit fiscal requests. Paper submissions are accepted in the PPDFISCAL mailbox.PPDFISCAL@VCU.EDU  $7,500 is the spending limit for all purchases made without prior approval from the VCU Purchasing Department. Orders cannot be split to accommodate purchases over this limit.  Avoid sending all of your service requests to one vendor. We cannot pay one vendor more than $7,500 in one calendar year (one year from the date of the most recent order from the University)  Faxed or scanned signatures are now allowed on travel and ICA forms.

8.  Principal Investigators should initial all purchase requests made by project staff to ensure that they account for these purchases in their spending plan.  Tips on completing ICAs: Work to be Performed - Must provide a detailed description of work to be performed by Independent Contractor as it relates to University business. Abbreviations should not be used here. It should be assumed that the person picking up this form has no understanding of the work to be performed. You may attach additional documentation if needed and if available. Date(s) of Service - Must provide date(s) of service work was performed. Amount of Payment - Must include total amount of payment for service performed. If only paying a certain amount of total payment must clearly indicate amount to be paid.

9. Tips on completing ICAs (Con’t):  Is not currently an employee of the University.  Has no expectation of becoming an employee at the end of the contractual service.  Relied or will rely upon own expertise rather than following specific instructions from the department regarding performance of the required work.  Performed the work to the specifications of, but not under the direction of, a University employee or student.  Did not have the required number of work hours and/or days of the week set by the University.  The ICA form must be completed by the department in advance of the service and be signed by both the person who is to provide the service and an authorized department approver. If payment will exceed $2,000 then payment will require Dean or Dean Designee approval on the form.

10. All general office supplies must be purchased from either Ball Office Products or Guy Brown Products. The use of a P- Card is the mandatory method of payment. Guy Brown has contracted with Staples. The new Staples equivalent of the Office Max Retail connect card is available at the following links: For University P-Card holders who need to purchase directly from Staples Stores go to https://contractservices.staples.com/Cust omerSetupExtWeb/pcardReg.faces?campai gnId=14098 https://contractservices.staples.com/Cust omerSetupExtWeb/pcardReg.faces?campai gnId=14098

11. SOE emails: Chris Walther – Thomas, SOE Dean Geri McInerney, Assistant to the Dean Recent: The 50th ANNIVERSARY (and 2nd Annual) SOE FALL FAMILY SOCIAL and CHILI COOK-OFF Please Save the Date - Friday, October 17 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Maymont Stone Barn and Carriage House Lawn Administrative Updates

12. Partnership Fiscal/HR Team Support PPDFISCAL@VCU.EDU PPDHR@VCU.EDU FISCAL/HR BLOG:http://wp.vcu.edu/fiscalandh r/ Administrative Updates

13.  ? Questions?