You Say Grant – I Say Contract: Who Is Right?

Actually it could be both of you! It’s all about the terminology!

Grants and contracts are very different types of federal awarding instruments and therefore the management of these awards is different as well. Here are some of their unique characteristics:

Grant

• Awarded for the good of the public – this assistance oriented 
• Subject to the terms and conditions of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars
• The deliverable is scientific advancement and knowledge reflected in a technical/progress report
• Somewhat flexible budgetary terms along with some delegated authorities to the recipient 
• May have the ability to extend the award time if goals are not fully reached 
•  Equipment ownership – normally resides with the institution 

Contract

• Awarded for the good of the buyer – this is procurement and we are the seller of the service/good 
• Subject to the terms of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (the FAR) 
• The deliverable is specific such a piece of equipment or software, components or robots, etc.
• Very rigid budgetary oversight 
• No extension of additional time – any change requires formal modification of the agreement
• Equipment ownership – may vest with the sponsor 

Both types of awarding instruments are accepted at UVa!

Your New Staff Senate

The existing Employee Councils are being merged into one new entity representing over 5,100 staff. The mission of the new Staff Senate is to be a representative and deliberative voice for staff in matters relating to the University.

The first meeting of the Staff Senate will be on Thursday, August 7, at a luncheon meeting with President Sullivan. Officers and representatives from all of the current councils will remain in place through August 2015. If you are interested in participating, please contact your area representative.

There is a position currently available to represent SFS and the Comptroller's Office. If you are interested in participating, please submit your name to Mary Fields (mrf2n@virginia.edu) by August 4.

Staffing Update: Student Financial Services

Danielle Brown joined Student Financial Services on July 14th as an Education Support Specialist, focusing on the administration of outside scholarships, among other duties. Danielle comes to U.Va. from private banking in Charlottesville, and we are thrilled to have her with us.

Danielle states: “I am elated to have the opportunity to work with the University of Virginia’s Student Financial Services team. Prior to my employment at the University of Virginia, I progressively increased my responsibilities in my banking career over the course of four years, and I am currently progressing towards my B.A. in Business Administration. In addition, I look forward to applying my banking experience towards the Scholarship Coordinator position and hope to continue developing my career within the University.”

Staffing Updates: University Comptroller

Karyn Tancredi has accepted the position of Director of Financial Reporting in Financial Operations & University Reporting. She is a CPA and in addition to her public accounting career, she brings with her 8+ years as the Director of Financial Reporting at the University of Richmond and 2+ years as the Director of Financial Reporting with Hanover County. We are very excited to have Karyn join our team.

Patricia Li joined the Office of the University Comptroller the week of July 1 and is already very busy working on an endowment project. Patricia is a rising third-year at the McIntire School and taking summer classes. The Comptroller’s office is glad to have her helping on a part-time basis.

Hoo's Well & IM-Rec Sports Summer Programs

Fitness Consultation- Register by August 1!
This one-hour appointment will help you understand fitness guidelines, common barriers, and goal setting. Aided by a fitness professional, you will develop your own personal fitness goals and implementation strategy as well as learn to maximize workout routines while minimizing injury. Participation is limited to ONE registration.

Pop-Up Fitness 
Think and play outside the box! Would you like to have a FREE Yoga, Zumba®, or Bootcamp at your workplace? Hoo's Well and IM-Rec Sports will bring Pop-Up Fitness to you and your colleagues. For details and qualifications, please email hooswell@virginia.edu.

Intro to the Weight Room 
Learn how to use a variety of gym equipment, incorporate something new in your exercise routine and conquer any fears or stereotypes associated with the weight room. Don't be shy as class size is small and Slaughter Recreation Center weight room will be reserved exclusively for this class. You will be provided with a workout! Parking available.

For other Adult & Youth programs available with IM-Rec Sports, please visit recsports.virginia.edu.

How A Text Message Could Revolutionize Student Aid

Every year, more than a million students don't complete the FAFSA — the main federal student-loan application.

One big reason? The form is so complicated that it discourages some people from even trying.

Researchers at the University of Virginia recently conducted an experiment that sent high school seniors text reminders about steps to finish the FAFSA. They found that those students were 5 to 8 percentage points more likely to enroll into a two-year institution compared with a similar group of high school seniors who did not receive the texts.

 Read the full story from NPR.

Managerial Reporting Staffing Updates

More excitement is afoot in Managerial Reporting- our team is growing! We’ve added two new members to our core project team.  Please join us in welcoming Thomas (Tom) Kim and Andrew Yeung.

Tom is our User Experience Analyst. His work will focus on the development of new tools, collecting and analyzing user requirements, and scoping data in new environments.  He transferred to us from ITS where he worked as a Functional Analyst.

Andrew is our Data Stewardship Analyst. He will be providing analytical support for the Orange Teams and leadership in data stewardship designations.  He just moved to Charlottesville from the D.C. area where he worked at Marine Corps Headquarters as a Senior Budget Analyst.

But wait, there’s more! We also have three open positions.

The Communications Lead: Institutional Initiatives will maintain and support a comprehensive communications program for Managerial Reporting Project, the University Financial Model, and the Organizational Excellence Program

The Data Stewardship Leader  will lead the efforts, including Orange Teams, within the core project team in increasing the transparency and development of a common understanding/design and definitions of university wide key decision support information.

Outreach and Office Administrator will support the core project team in two capacities, office management and outreach support.

OSP Staff Achievements

Kelly Hochstetler, Director, Office of Export Controls, was recently appointed to the Defense Trade Advisory Group (DTAG) serving a two-year term. The DTAG advises the Department of State on issues involving US laws, policies, and regulations for export of defense items. The DTAG is comprised primarily of industry representatives and Kelly will be one of six representing universities.

University’s First VoIP Phones Make Their Maiden Flight

Six months into its nearly 21-month implementation, the University’s VoIP project reached a major milestone June 23 when the first 113 telephone lines were migrated to the new University telephone system and 79 of the old-style Siemens phones were replaced with modern, state-of-the-art Polycom VVX phones for the first pilot group.

Read more at UVA Today.

From Melody's Desk: July 3

Happy summer and happy fiscal year 2015!

I hope that all are able to take some time off this summer.  I, for one, cannot wait for my upcoming vacation at Emerald Isle, NC…I’m already collecting ideas for good books to read while I have my toes in the ocean.  I have The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer on my nightstand, but if you have a great recommendation, please let me know. 

I did want to make you aware of a number of things happening this summer.  First, the Board of Visitors has established a Finance subcommittee that is tasked with developing a long-term financial plan and pricing tool (http://www.virginia.edu/bov/finance%20subcommittee.html).  This group will be evaluating tuition, how to keep AccessUVa sustainable, whether to re-visit the endowment rate distribution, among many other topics.  The first meeting was last Friday, June 27^th.  You can view the recorded four hour (yes, four hour) meeting at http://www.virginia.edu/bov/videos.html. The next meeting will be held on Friday, July 25^th and will also be live streamed.

Second, UHR has launched the Center for Leadership Excellence… take time to explore their new website (http://www.virginia.edu/leadershipexcellence/) and be sure to look for a class or other professional development opportunity. This is something that you will be able to reflect on your performance evaluation coming up later this year.  And, I always find myself refreshed and reenergized when I am able to take some time to be thoughtful about my own development.  Just this week I attended a book discussion on Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg – it was thought-provoking, interesting, plus I got to meet some new people!

Third, take some time to have some fun.  I highly recommend taking advantage of the offerings at the Heritage Theater Festival (http://www.virginia.edu/heritagetheatre/season.htm) … Bryan Garey of UHR is directing Shear Madness, which starts July 9^th.

Melody

New: U.Va. Center for Leadership Excellence

The University's new Center for Leadership Excellence launched last week. Check the Professional Development tab for a sampling of their upcoming classes. Multiple classes are offered each week, and most are free to employees! Here are just a few:

Understanding When & How to Use Email Effectively – Thursday, July, 10, 2014:  9:00 am-12:00 noon

Mentoring 101: Find a Mentor, Be a Mentor –- Thursday, July 10, 2014: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Designed for those who serve as operating unit Directors, lead leaders, or have responsibility for work that spans the entire university community.

Creating a Strengths-Based Career - Wednesday, July 9th - 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.

Book Discussion: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni -- Thursday, July 17, 2014: 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Brown Bag Lunch. Designed to develop the skills of more experienced leaders who have two or more organizational levels reporting to them, as well as of professional individual contributors who have a broad scope of responsibility.

Managing Conflict – Tuesday, July 22, 2014: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Designed for current supervisors of individual contributors.

What makes Sponsored Programs different from other types of fund sources?

Below are some characteristics of sponsored funds that set them apart from other types of funding sources. These characteristics require continual monitoring of not only the fiscal aspects of the activity but also the technical or programmatic aspects of the activity. There are many people who work closely with the named Principal Investigator (PI) to ensure the success of the current awards and the future of the research enterprise.

• These are goal oriented, outcome driven activities – expectations are present
• The agreements are legally binding with a scope of work and related deliverables
• Tangible
• Intangible
• The agreements contain terms and conditions unique to the sponsor/project
• There is an approved and detailed line item/categorical budget – exceptions can exist
• The agreements specify a period of performance and/or budget periods – not necessarily coinciding with a fiscal/calendar year
• The agreements likely involve accountability and reporting – exceptions exist
• Financial
• Technical/Programmatic
• The costs incurred are tied directly to the specific goals/aims and outcomes
• ALLOWABLE
• ALLOCABLE
• Revenues are not recognized upon award – invoicing/draw down to collect funds/cash

Council Seeks Input on Higher Education in VA

A state panel is seeking public input on higher education in Virginia.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has posted a survey to help the agency create a new strategic plan for higher education across the state.

Click here to read the full story from NBC 29.

Update Regarding the State Budget from President Sullivan

Two important points:

• "Classified staff will not be eligible for a salary adjustment because any such increase must be authorized by the state, and that authorization was also removed from the budget."
• "We have decided to delay the effective date of faculty and staff salary increases from July to October 1 of this year."

Full text of President Sullivan's Email:

Dear U.Va. Colleagues:

I write to provide an update on the budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia and its implications for the University's budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year. The original state budget introduced last year by Governor McDonnell would have added $9.39 million to the Academic Division's general fund appropriation.  In recent weeks, while the General Assembly was deadlocked in an impasse over the budget, we learned that Virginia is facing a budget shortfall estimated at $350 million for the fiscal year that will end June 30, with a more significant shortfall projected for the 2014-16 biennium.

Largely because of the projected shortfall, the General Assembly last week submitted a revised budget to Governor McAuliffe that will add only $1.19 million to the University's general fund appropriation. The Governor has approved this budget.

 

One change to the original budget removed the unrestricted appropriations for salary adjustments and performance funding ($5.31 million). This means that our planned 4.75% merit salary increase pool for teaching and research faculty and the 3% merit increase pool for administrative and professional faculty and University staff must now be funded strictly from University resources. Classified staff will not be eligible for a salary adjustment because any such increase must be authorized by the state, and that authorization was also removed from the budget. A more detailed description of the budgetary changes appears at http://www.virginia.edu/governmentalrelations/FY15_budget_comm.pdf. 

 

Let me reassure you that these developments with the state budget do not diminish our long-term commitment to improve salaries for U.Va. faculty and staff. Last year, the Board of Visitors approved a four-year plan regarding faculty salaries, with the goal of achieving an average faculty salary within the top 20 AAU institutions by 2017. We also are committed to achieving market-level rates in our staff compensation. 

To accomplish these goals while navigating this period of uncertainty, we have decided to delay the effective date of faculty and staff salary increases from July to October 1 of this year. This delay will ensure the financial stability of the University following reduced appropriations, while sustaining our commitment to competitive faculty and staff compensation as one of our top institutional priorities.

 

While the state budget has fluctuated over the years, the loyalty of our faculty and staff has remained steadfast. I am very grateful for your dedication, and for the many ways in which you contribute to the success of this great University.

Very truly yours,

Teresa A. Sullivan

President

 

President Sullivan approved distribution of this message.

Peak Season in Student Financial Services

July marks the beginning of peak activity in SFS.  If you see some of your friends and colleagues from SFS looking a little weary in the coming months, read on to find out why!

From the start of July through Labor Day, the SFS Contact Center handles approximately 35% of its annual total of student and parent contacts (which number about 125,000 per year!).  These come as phone calls, emails, faxes, Twitter and Facebook posts, and walk-ins to Carruthers Hall.  SFS Administration also have the chance to speak at Summer Orientation with the thousands of parents and students who come to our sessions.

Student Accounts is hard at work with billing 3rd-party contracts, testing that tuition and fees for Fall are calculating correctly in the Student Information System, handling Veteran's Benefits for our families who have them, and helping our families understand how they can budget their payments for the coming term.  Student Accounts also has to coordinate the loading of charges for housing and dining as well as to keep up with the regular billing we do on behalf of departments such as the Bookstore, Parking and Transportation, and Student Health.

Financial Aid is completing all the financial aid awards it possibly can for undergraduate students prior to the creation of the Fall term statements on July 21.  Graduate students need awarding too, and that is a sometimes tricky coordination with Schools and Departments who need to assign their own awards to students before we do our part.

Our Loans group is processing the thousands of requests for Direct Parent PLUS Loans and private education loans, all of them prior to the billing due date of August 20th.

Scholarships are processing and assigning thousands of private and institutional scholarships during this period as well.  As with financial aid awards, the more that are complete and on the student's account prior to the term statement, the more helpful it is for the student and their family.

Finally, Cashiering is gearing up for the last minute deluge of personal checks and wire transfers that we see from late-July through the start of the Fall term.

Behind the scenes our ITS and Administrative staff help keep us moving along in ways big and small.

And then Labor Day comes, and we all catch our breath for a few minutes before starting the planning process all over again for the 2015-2016 academic year!