March 2018

March 2018

Purchasing and Contracting

FY19 Retainer Program:

The Service Center will begin the retainer program process for FY19.  The retainer program began a couple of years ago, mainly to streamline contracting for emergencies and small jobs for Facilities but has recently grown to include other vendors that are used for multiple jobs for various departments.  This is a good opportunity to bring onboard those vendors departments will use often throughout the fiscal year.  If you have vendors you would like to include in the notification for participation, please email contracting@sou.edu.  The retainer list is posted on the Service Center Vendor Information webpage.

Updated Alcoholic Beverages Policy:

The Alcoholic Beverages policy has recently been updated and approved.  This policy defines when and how it is appropriate to purchase alcohol for campus events.  To see full details, go to FAD.076 Alcoholic Beverages.

Amazon Business Account Changes:

Recent addition of Business Prime to the SOU Amazon Business account has necessitated some changes to how our accounts are set-up.  The administrator role will no longer be issued to budget authorities and card custodians and we will begin removing this role from current users.  We will assign only the requisitioner role to those that purchase for the departments, typically the card custodian automatically and budget authority and card users as requested by the budget authority.  If you have any questions, please contact Brian Kinsey at kinseyb@sou.edu or 541-552-6413.

Campus Training Series:

The Campus Training Series is in full-swing and ready for participants.  Topics include:

• Business Travel
• Contracting
• Non-travel Expenses and Reimbursements
• Procurement Cards

These sessions are designed to walk through the policy and procedures for the topic, as well as an opportunity to address department specific questions or concerns.  To learn more, see topic dates, and to register, please visit our Campus Training webpage.

Personnel Support

Minimum Wage Increase:

Oregon's minimum wage rate for Jackson County will increase from $10.25 to $10.75 per hour effective July 1, 2018. For more information, please visit the Oregon Minimum Wage Rate Summary.

Updated Administrator Paid and Unpaid Leave Policy:

The Administrator Paid and Unpaid Leave Policy has recently been approved and adopted.  Highlighted changes to the policy include defining how administrators record leave (full vs. partial days) and the inclusion of hardship leave donations for administrators.  For full details, please see FAD.011 Paid and Unpaid Leave for Administrators.

Volunteer Reimbursements Requires W-9:

Purchase of goods should be made directly by SOU.  In the rare instances where volunteers make purchases for SOU operations and request reimbursements, the volunteers will be required to submit a W-9.  This W-9 will need to be on file prior to processing any volunteer reimbursements.

Accounting and Budget

FY19 Budgets Due: 

FY19 budgets are due by March 30, 2018.   If you need assistance, please contact your Service Center Account and Budget Specialist. 

Applying Payments or Charges to Your Own Banner Account:

Some staff have access to apply or change charges or payments on banner accounts.  When it comes to their own accounts, these employees should have another staff member make these changes.  Not only is it standard procedure, but good accounting practice to avoid potential liability and fraud.

Smooth Processing:

To assist in the smooth processing of transactions, especially reimbursements, please make sure to provide all the proper and completed documentation in a timely manner.  For more information, visit our Purchasing website, or if you need forms, go to the Service Center Forms webpage.

Support Services

Spring Term Staff and Faculty Bus Passes:

Spring term staff and faculty bus passes should be available as of Monday, March 26, 2018.  To request a pass, please send an email from your SOU email account to servicecenter@sou.edu.  In the email give your name, email you TouchPass account is associated with, and request for spring staff and faculty bus pass. 

If you would like to participate in the program but have not done so, you may learn more on the Service Center Bus Passes webpage.

SOU Van Drivers Required to Sign:

The SOU Van request form has a space for departments to indicate who will, or may, be driving on the associated trip.  It is a requirement for any driver to come into the Service Center and sign the terms and conditions on the trip ticket.  Individuals, whether indicated on the form or not, who do not sign this form prior to the trip cannot drive the vans.

February 2018

February 2018

Purchasing and Contracting

2018 Per Diem Rates: The travel per diem rates have been adjusted for 2018.  These rates, effective January 1, 2018, were only changed slightly.  The 2017 forms will be up through this month for those completing reimbursement for travel through December 31, 2017.  For updated rates and information visit the Business Services Travel website.

Campus Training Series: The Campus Training Series is in full-swing and ready for participants.  Topics include:

• Business Travel
• Contracting
• Non-travel Expenses and Reimbursements
• Procurement Cards

These sessions are designed to walk through the policy and procedures for the topic, as well as an opportunity to address department specific questions or concerns.  To learn more, see topic dates, and to register, please visit our Campus Training webpage.

Personnel Support

Payroll Direct Deposit Scam: A new phishing scam is targeting employee paychecks.  Ogletree Deakins has published an article on how the scam works and ways to prevent falling victim.  Southern Oregon University Payroll Office would never require employees to supply login credentials through email and we have procedures in place to verify employee identity when direct deposit information is added or modified.  If you receive an email that you find suspicious, let Payroll, IT, or the Service Center know immediately.

Web Time Entry Open for Unclassified Salaried Employees: Web Time Entry (WTE) for Unclassified Salaried exempt employees opened on February 1, 2018.  The February pay period will be the first submitted via WTE.  Some important reminders:

• Deadline for employee submission for approval is by 11:59 pm on the fifth (5th) business day after the end of the pay period.  For the February time sheet that will be March 7, 2018.
• Time sheet selection will automatically default to the current pay period.  If you go in to enter your February leave on March 1st, the system will default to March pay period.  You will need to go into the drop down and select February.
• If you received a message from Payroll indicating you are in a class that is temporarily required to track hours worked, you will be entering both for a leave time sheet through WTE AND submitting a paper time sheet for tracking hours.

  For more information visit our Web Time Entry webpage.

Accounting and Budget

FY19 Special and Course Fees: Business Services has launched the call for additions, modifications, and deletions of special and course fees for FY19.  These requests must be completed and returned to your Service Center Account and Budget Specialist by Wednesday, February 28, 2018.  Special and course fee information received after this date will be considered for FY20.  Please visit the Bursar and Student Accounts webpage or contact your Service Center Account and Budget Specialist for information and forms.

FY19 Budget Open: FAST has been loaded and opened for budget managers to begin entering proposed budgets for FY19.  If you need assistance, please contact your Service Center Account and Budget Specialist.

Support Services

TouchPass Account Issues: If you are experiencing issues with your TouchPass account for your staff and faculty bus pass, please contact the Service Center at Faith Mitchell at 541-552-6574 or mitchellf@sou.edu.

January 2018

January 2018

Purchasing and Contracting

Campus Training Series- The Service Center is pleased to announce the 2017-18 Campus Training Series.  This year we will be offering one session per week with the following rotating topics:

• Business Travel
• Contracting
• Non-travel Expenses and Reimbursements
• Procurement Cards

These sessions are designed to walk through the policy and procedures for the topic, as well as an opportunity to address department specific questions or concerns.  To learn more, see topic dates, and to register, please visit our Campus Training webpage.

Personnel Support

Web Time Entry Coming for Unclassified Leave Reporting: Web Time Entry (WTE) for Unclassified Salaried exempt employees to report leave will begin one February 1, 2018.  The Service Center will be training affected individuals at a department level in January.  For more information visit our Web Time Entry webpage.

Accounting and Budget

FY19 Budget: FY19 budget planning is just around the corner.  Your Service Center Account and Budget Specialists are prepared to help you with planning.  Let us know if there is anything you need to help you through the process.

DeskPro and Support Specialists: The Service Center has begun to implement using DeskPro, the ticketing system IT currently uses, to communicate with clients.  You may recognize this as our Purchasing group, purchasing@sou.edu, is currently using the system.  Soon our Support Specialists will begin to use DeskPro to communicate with clients to request approvals, send out p-logs for approval, communicate return of documents that need correction, etc.  You may notice that a ticket is assigned to you even though you have not requested one.  This is just a simple way for them to track communications and for back-up staff to view and assist where needed.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email Brian Kinsey, kinseyb@sou.edu, or Janice Collins, collinsj3@sou.edu.

Charitable Gifts Administrative Fee Increase: Recently the administrative fee for charitable gifts made to the institution increased from 3% to 5%.  This matches the rate the SOU Foundation applies to charitable gifts.  For full details, see FAD.075 Charitable Gifts - Administrative Fee.

Support Services

Winter Term Staff/Faculty Bus Passes Available: Interested staff and faculty should email servicecenter@sou.edu your request to add the winter term bus pass to your TouchPass account.  This request must come from your SOU email account to verify eligibility and include your TouchPass account number or email associated with your TouchPass account.  You may also come into the Service Center front counter Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

To prepare, staff and faculty wishing to participate need to create TouchPass accounts.  Instructions on how to do this, as well as more information about the program, are located on our Staff/Faculty Bus Pass Program webpage.

December 2017

December 2017

Purchasing and Contracting

Procurement Card Training and Test Site Maintenance: Moodle will be down for upgrading Friday, December 15, 2017 until Tuesday, January 2, 2018.  During this time, the Procurement Card Training and Test site will be unavailable.  If there is an emergency need to add a card user who has not previously taken the test during this time, contact Brian Kinsey at kinseyb@sou.edu or 541-552-6413.

Personnel Support

Web Time Entry Coming for Unclassified Leave Reporting: Web Time Entry (WTE) for Unclassified Salaried employees to report leave is now projected to begin for the February 2018 pay period (beginning February 1, 2018).  The Service Center will be reaching out to departments to set-up training in January.  For more information visit our Web Time Entry webpage.

SEIU Annual Notification of Vacation Cash-Out:  Per the agreement between the Oregon Public Universities and SEIU Local 503, Article 47 - Vacation Leave provides the annual opportunity for an employee to elect a cash-out of up to forty (40) hours of vacation leave.  To be eligible, a minimum of eighty (80) hours of accrued vacation leave must remain after the cash-out.  Leave balances may be viewed in Banner Self-Service (SISWeb) by clicking on the "Banner Self-Service " link in InsideSOU.

Interested employees need to complete and submit the SEIU Annual Vacation Cash-out Request form (available on the HR website) and return it to the Service Center - Payroll (Britt Hall, Second Floor) by Friday, December 30, 2017.  Cash-out payments will be issued in January.

Support Services

TouchPass and Staff/Faculty Bus Passes: As previously reported, the staff and faculty bus pass program is moving electronic with the TouchPass system beginning Winter term.  To prepare, staff and faculty wishing to participate need to create TouchPass accounts.  Instructions on how to do this, as well as more information about the program, are located on our Staff/Faculty Bus Pass Program webpage.

November 2017

November 2017

Purchasing and Contracting

Meet Our Newest Purchasing and Contracting Specialist: Rachel Burnett has previously worked for us on a temporary basis as both a Support Specialist and Purchasing and Contracting Specialist.  She joins our team as a permanent member to assist you with your purchasing and contracting needs.  Please join me in welcoming Rachel!



Contract Request Lead Times: Our contracting team is working hard to ensure contracts are completed before the start date, but they need your help.  Please submit your requests as soon as possible after you know you need a contract and at least a minimum of two weeks prior to the start date.  Contracts require a lot of review and paperwork, and the greater the lead time, the more successful we can be.  For more information, and to request a contract, visit our Contracting webpage.
Did you know?

• You can keep up on the price of paper by visiting the Service Center Purchasing Information webpage.
• SOU has a retainer program with vendors providing a wide variety of services, from buses to signs.  See the list of vendors on our Vendors webpage

Personnel Support

Web Time Entry Coming for a New Group: Payroll and Service Center are preparing to launch Web Time Entry reporting for Unclassified Exempt employees for leave reporting.  Current projections will be to launch January 1, 2018.  The Service Center will soon be giving training sessions to those employees making the change.  Stay tuned!  If you would like to take an advance look at the Web Time Entry system as it currently works for other populations, head on over to the Web Time Entry webpage.

Accounting and Budget

Department P-Card Receipts and Documentation: This is a friendly reminder that if you use your departmental p-card for purchasing, you must turn in your receipts and any required supporting documentation to your Card Custodian when you turn the card back in.  If you are the Card Custodian, this documentation, in addition to coding, must go to your assigned Support Specialist as soon as possible.  Undistributed p-card charges means budgets may not be accurate. 

Did you know?

• If you need to add/change/delete an index, detail, or activity code, your Account and Budget Specialist can help you with that.
• If you're curious about the Service Center service level agreement for turnaround on reimbursement and invoice entry, you can view the schedule and prioritization on our Reimbursement or Travel webpages.

Support Services

Driver's Clearance: Reminder that if you plan to travel on university business, whether you are taking your personal vehicle or a rental, you need to be cleared to drive by the university.  For more information, visit our Driver Clearance webpage.

Electronic Staff and Faculty Bus Passes: The staff and faculty bus pass program is moving to the TouchPass system this winter term.  If you are unfamiliar with the system, riders either use their smart phones through the TouchPass app or a TouchPass card to scan their fare on the bus.  Beginning winter term, instead of a sticker on your ID card, you will come into the Service Center with your TouchPass account information and one of our staff will activate the pass on your account for the term.  More details to come.

October 2017

October 2017- The Welcome Back Issue

Purchasing and Contracting

• Department P-Cards: Great for quick, direct purchasing for orders under $5000, most departments have the ability to use SOU issued p-cards to make purchases from online and local vendors. If you are not an authorized user, contact your department/division director to see if it is right for you. For more information about usage and policy, visit our Department Purchase Card webpage.
• Vendors: Approved department purchasers can gain access to purchase items from Office Depot and Staples at special contracted prices. SOU utilizes Amazon Business to gain access to vendors and pricing not accessible through other Amazon accounts. If you need access to these, please contact your director.  For more information about vendor programs, see the Service Center Vendors webpage.
• Campus Paper Purchasing: IT and the Service Center partnered together to bring centralized paper purchasing to campus. To order copy or specialized paper for your department, complete the Paper Request Form, call 541-552-6900, or email or stop by the IT Help Desk. For current pricing and information visit the Campus Paper Purchasing section on the Service Center Purchasing Information webpage.
• Policy and Procedure: To learn more about the policies and procedures around university procurement, please visit the Service Center or Business Services Purchasing websites.

• Contract Requirements: There are a lot of questions and concerns regarding requirements for hiring independent contractors. Stay ahead of the curve and help communicate the requirements upfront to avoid confusion and frustration. The Service Center Contracting webpage has those requirements and more. Also, see the Business Services Contracting webpage for more information.
• Requesting a Contract: To request a contract through a Personal/Professional Services Contract, complete the Contract Request Form and let our helpful staff take it from there.
• Policy and Procedure: To learn more about the policies and procedures around university contracting, please visit the Service Center and Business Services Contracting webpages.

If you have any questions about purchasing and contracting, let one of our staff help you. Email purchasing@sou.edu or contracting@sou.edu.

Personnel Support

• New Employees: New student employees (those who have never worked for SOU or those who have not worked for SOU within the last year) will need to complete employee paperwork. To complete the paperwork they will need to present their original Social Security Card for the W-4 and appropriate original, current documentation for the I-9. Student employees cannot begin work until the supervisor receives a work referral form.
• Returning Employees: Returning student employees (those who have worked for SOU within the last year) who do not have a current work referral form (have not worked since end of spring term or have had a change in pay type from previous current year referral) will need to come into the Service Center for a new work referral form. Student employees cannot begin work until the supervisor receives a work referral form.
• Work Referral Forms: Students cannot work until the supervisor receives a work referral form. It is important to return the referral form to the Service Center as soon as possible so that we may set-up the job in Web Time Entry. Student employees will not see their job to post hours until this is complete. If a student does not have the job listed under Web Time Entry but is currently working, have them track hours manually until it appears (usually within 2 business days of the Service Center receiving the completed referral for, but may take longer during beginning of term).
• Web Time Entry: All student employees will utilize Web Time Entry (WTE) to enter their time. Once the job is entered, they will be able to enter time worked during any part of the current pay period. Supervisors should monitor that their student employees are entering their time in WTE weekly and remind them to submit for approval at the end of the pay period. For guides and information about how to enter time please visit our Web Time Entry webpage.

Irregular Employment Agreements: Departments hiring employees through the Irregular Employment Agreement (IEA) should submit their requests through the Contract Request Form. These requests should be submitted at least 10 business days prior to beginning of work, as it can take time to complete the process. Completed and signed IEAs need to be submitted to Payroll by the 15^th to pay for work done in that same month.

If you have any questions about student employment process or IEAs, don’t hesitate to contact one of our Payroll Specialists or Personnel Support Coordinator.

Accounting and Budget

Index, Activity, and Detail Code Requests: If your department needs to add, change, or delete any index, activity, or detail code, contact your Account and Budget Specialist in the Service Center. They can help you determine what will best suit your needs.

Banner FIS and Cognos Training: Our Account and Budget Specialists can help pull data and reports for you, but if you currently, or will have, access to Banner FIS or Cognos, they can also help you navigate the information.

Support Services

Driver’s Clearance: This is an annual reminder that faculty, staff, students, and volunteers driving vehicles, rentals or personal, on official university business need to be cleared to drive prior to traveling. If you are uncertain about your clearance status, contact the Service Center at 541-552-6700 or email Faith Mitchell at mitchellf@sou.edu. If you are not driver’s cleared and your position requires travel for university business, speak with your director and complete the Driver’s Clearance Form.

Faculty and Staff Fall Term Bus Passes: If you are SOU Faculty or Staff and would like an RVTD bus pass for fall term, bring in your SOU ID card to the Service Center Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Scantron Testing: If you use Scantrons for testing in your class, the Service Center is your place for processing scores. Please review the process on the Service Center Scantrons webpage.

Subscription

Subscribe to the Newsletter, or email service-center-newsletter+subscribe@sou.edu

Previous Issues

September 2017

September 2017

Purchasing and Contracting

Campus Catering Requirements- A'viands is the official food services vendor on campus and, as such, they have first right of refusal for any campus catering need.  Departments holding any event on campus that requires catering needs, including food items delivered or prepared by restaurants, are required to submit the Food Service Approval Form to SOU Dining a minimum of 10 days prior to the event.  Departments must receive confirmation of approved waiver from A'viands before they can contract or order food from outside vendors.  Exceptions to this are food service at home football games, department potlucks, and items purchased at grocery stores for small department gatherings.


Contracting Insurance Requirements- The State of Oregon has recently raised tort limits.  This affects the amount of insurance for the Certificates of Insurance required from all companies and individuals contracting with SOU.  Requirements and limits can be found under Certificates of Insurance in the Required Documents section of the Service Center Contracting webpage.

Contacting Service Center Purchasing-  If you have a question or request for purchase, you may inquire by sending an email to purchasing@sou.edu and one of our Purchasing and Contracting Specialists assist you.

Personnel Support

Fall Term Student Employees- As students return to campus and departments begin to hire, please keep in mind a few items:

• Student employees cannot begin work until the work referral form is presented to the supervisor.  This indicates that all employee paperwork has been received and approved.
• New student employees will need to bring in non-expired, original documentation to complete paperwork.  We will need to see the original Social Security Card for the W-4 and any documentation accepted for the I-9.
• If you have a group of student employees to bring into the Service Center to complete employee paperwork, please contact our Office Coordinator at 541-552-6574 to setup a time for the group.
• Student employees who need to complete employee paperwork may get a head start by completing some of the forms in advance.  The following forms for student employees may be found on the Human Resources website:
  • W-4
  • I-9 (page 1 only)
  • Statement of Understanding of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
  • Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
  • Voluntary Self-Identification of Veterans
• If student employees would like to sign-up for direct deposit, they will need to bring a voided check or official letter from their bank with routing and account information.

Accounting and Budget

Procurement Card Reconciliation- New for FY18, the Support Specialists will be handling the processing and retrieval of Budget Authority approval for monthly p-card statements.  They begin with the July statements.  Budget Authorities should be on the look-out for requests from their Support Specialists, instead of the Account and Budget Specialists.

Support Services

Faculty/Staff Fall Term Bus Passes- We anticipate receiving the new fall term bus stickers for Faculty and Staff within the next week.  You are welcome to contact our front desk at 541-552-6700 to check before bringing your SOU ID card to the Service Center.

July 2017

July 2017

Purchasing and Contracting

• Contracting- entering information on the Contract Request Form. 
• Purchasing- sending request to service-center-purchasing-contracting@sou.edu.

For further information on structure and assignments, visit the Service Center Staff webpage.

Personnel Support

Minimum Wage Increase- In accordance with the 2016 Oregon Legislature - Senate Bill 1532, the Oregon Minimum wage rate is set to increase on July 1, 2017 from $9.75 to $10.25.  Annual increases are expected through 2022 and additional information can be found by visiting Oregon.gov.

Please plan accordingly and contact Human Resources Services at extension 2-8553 or hrs@sou.edu if you have questions.

Accounting and Budget

End of Fiscal Year Items- FY17 will close this month.  Here are some important dates for July.

• July 5- All 2016-17 invoices and travel/personal reimbursements must be approved, coded, and turned into the Service Center.
• July 6- All 2016-17 Journal Vouchers must be entered into the Banner system by 5 pm.  Requests from departments should be in to the Service Center by end of business day July 5.
• July 7- Period 12 closes.
• July 10- Period 12 Financial Reports are available.
• July 21- Period 14 closes.
• July 24- Period 14 Financial Reports are available.

See the Business Services webpage for more information.

Support Services

Summer Staff/Faculty Bus Passes- The summer Staff/Faculty bus stickers are here.  Please bring your current SOU Staff ID card to the Service Center to receive yours today.

June 2017

May 2017

April 2017

March 2017