DARES UPDATES
(FORMERLY mm..mm gd: monday morning’s mandatory
messages)
January 24, 2005
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Job vacancies within the Institute are now being posted on the DARES
bulletin board located outside Lorna’s office.
REMINDERS
The mail center will be unable to meter outgoing mail on 1/26 and 1/27
(this Wednesday and Thursday). For these two days only, do not use
your FMHI mail code. Instead, replace it with the entire chartfield string for
your project. If you have questions, see a member of DAT.
Items left in the DARES kitchen sink (or anywhere else in the kitchen if not
properly labeled) will either be tossed or taken and relocated to a more
responsible home.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
February 7, 2005
HAPPENINGS IN DARES
DARES Valentine’s Day Pot Luck Luncheon - DON’T FORGET!!! Monday,
February 14th, 12:00 to 1:30 in the CARD open area.
Have you listed, on the sign-up sheet by the mailboxes, the item you will
be bringing?
Here is some additional information concerning the luncheon:
Be sure to label, with your name, your dishes and utensils.
Label your donation with your name and a fun, Valentine’s Day
related “title” (e.g., Sharon’s Vegiluscious Lasagne).
No one has been assigned to clean up; so, plan to clean up after
yourself and take your dishes with you immediately after
lunch.
REMINDERS
Conference Calling seems to be something more of us are involved with these
days. Remember what a great resource the DARES manual is? Well, the
instructions on conference calling are among the wealth of information in
there. But, just to be nice this one time, I am attaching the instructions to
this e-mail so that you can print them and post them near your telephone if
you wish. If you need clarification on any of the instructions, please see
Cindy Hipple…our resident expert.
Faculty Evaluations are due to Janet no later than February 28, 2005.
Fall PERTS and Fall FARS with supporting documentation will be ready for
review before the end of February. You do NOT need to do anything
now…just don’t say we didn't’t warn you that they are looming on the
horizon.
WELCOME NEW DARES STAFF (Supervisors will be providing additional
information on these new employees.)
Deborah Rugs (OPS) to FIFA
April Steen (OPS) to BASP
Millie Cuevas (OPS) to BASP
Mandy Howes (OPS) to BASP
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
February 14, 2005
HAPPENINGS IN DARES
It is TODAY…The DARES Valentine’s Day Pot Luck Luncheon -12:00 to 1:30
in the CARD open area.
Even if you forgot to sign up or to bring something today, please come and
join your co-workers anyway. Remember, there will be prizes!
Hope to see you all there…TODAY!!!!!!!!!!
Here is some additional information concerning the luncheon:
Be sure to label, with your name, your dishes and utensils.
Label your donation with your name and a fun, Valentine’s Day
related “title” (e.g., Sharon’s Vegiluscious Lasagna).
No one has been assigned to clean up; so, plan to clean up after
yourself and take your dishes with you immediately after
lunch.
DARES IT NEWS and REMINDERS
Laptop Encryption, per Bob’s 2/9 e-mail, is going to be required for all DARES
laptops; however, “no one needs to worry about this from an individual
standpoint.” Bob will coordinate with CSC and act as liaison to try and
facilitate turn-around with the least amount of effort on your part. So, for
the time being, just ignore related messages from CSC and, if questioned,
direct the CSC individual to Bob. Bob will send a follow-up message when
he is ready to begin the process formally.
To ensure that the USF logo is being used appropriately, Pre-Printing Approval
by USF University Relations is now required if the printing is being
done by an outside vendor. USF Purchasing will not process any
purchase orders without this pre-approval. Therefore, effective
immediately, the DARES IT staff will submit to University Relations, via e-
mail, the documents needing approval. When received, they will forward
the approval, via e-mail, to Lorna and to the job requestor. The requestor
should print out the e-mail approval and staple a hard copy to the pink PO
request form. Supervisors/Project Directors are not to sign any pink
purchase order forms unless this approval is attached. Approval has only
been taking about a day, so this should not have an enormous impact on
our turn-around times. It is just something else with which we must all
comply. We are grateful to Bob and his staff for taking on this additional
responsibility.
HELPFUL HINTS
Need to access something in the DARES Manual? Steve can put a shortcut on
your desktop if you don’t know how. (Remember, it is a living document
and cannot just be stored in your “favorites”) Once in the Manual, just
click the “Edit” icon at the very top of your screen. Then, click on “Find”.
Type in what you are looking for (e.g., type Outside, if you are looking for
the Outside Activity Form). You will be taken directly to the place of your
dreams. It is just that simple. Try it…you’ll like it!
WELCOME NEW DARES STAFF (Supervisors will be providing additional
information on these new employees.)
Jennifer Sousa (OPS) to BASP
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
(Very short and a little bit late, again! I will try to do better.)
March 7, 2005
FROM DARES IT
We are aware that the printers in the DARES lab are not functioning properly.
They are old and tired and cannot be repaired any more. We are trying to get
them replaced ASAP.
That’s it for this week…since most of you will be at the conferences.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
March 14, 2005
FROM DARES IT
Bob and his team will be out at an all day training tomorrow (Tuesday)
Sometime this month, after he recovers from the conferences, Bob Lutz will
provide us all with instructions concerning the encrypting of DARES laptops.
If you experience problems while trying to print to the lab, please see Steve.
Until the printers are replaced, he will be “Gerry rigging” things to keep us in
production.
Please remember that printers (even the big ones in the lab) are NOT made for
high volume printing. If you need five copies of an 8-paged document, print one
and duplicate the other 7. Too often we are finding reams of printed materials
coming out of the lab printers. This is what has contributed to their somewhat
pre-mature demise. Also remember that Steve can connect you to the FMHI Fiery
if necessary.
DARES EMPLOYEE NEWS
We are pleased to announce that Steve Denninger is no longer an OPS employee
with DARES. Don’t panic….he is now a temporary USPS employee. We hope
that this change in status will mean that he will be with us for some time to come.
We have mixed feelings about the following announcement: Diane Powell will
begin her Professional Development Leave next week. She will not be returning
to work at the office until the middle of November. We are happy that she was
able to earn such an honor, but we will miss her. Please join us in wishing her a
productive and pleasant experience.
PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES -
Especially for P.I.s, but also for PROJECT DIRECTORS/COORDINATORS
There is more to running a project than just signing travel reimbursements. One
must learn how the project will be administered by USF and DARES, from
proposal conception, submission, award, set-up, on-going administration, and
final close-out. We are seeking input on whether it might be beneficial to have a
training for DARES faculty and staff (not just for current PIs). It could cover
topics such as the Internal Form, GBR, RAN, PAN, federal flow-through and
CAS issues, no-cost extensions, budget transfers, fixed-price vs. cost-
reimbursable contracts and subagreements, schedule and process for invoicing
and submission of deliverables, IRBs, performance reports, monthly budget
spreadsheets, personnel, etc., etc. Please let me know whether or not you feel
such a training might be useful and, if so, what topics you might like to have
addressed at such a training.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
March 21, 2005
TRAVEL
When staff travel out of town via airline and decide volitionally to leave a
meeting ahead of the previously scheduled departure time, the staff member bears
the expense for the ticket change, unless the change is unavoidable for business
reasons (e.g., to return early for an emergency meeting of some type). Under NO
circumstances are the additional costs ever to be charged against the P-Card
which may have been used to book the original flight. The traveler is to pay for
the extra costs out-of-pocket and submit for reimbursement (if appropriate and
with supervisor approval) upon completion of the travel.
OUTSIDE ACTIVITY FORMS
Please remember that these forms are to be submitted prior to the work being
done. After supervisor signs, they are to be placed in Janet’s mailbox for
processing. When the employee receives the form back, signed by the Provost’s
Office, please place a copy in Janet’s mailbox.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
March 28, 2005
TRAVEL...URGENT REQUEST
Anyone who intends to submit a Travel Reimbursement Request or receipts for
other types of reimbursements resulting from costs incurred related to the APBS
Conference should do so immediately. In order for DARES to be reimbursed by
APBS for these expenses, we need to submit them ASAP. Please share this
request with appropriate "outsiders".
DARES-IT and Related Items
There is another conference on the horizon with which DARES is involved. It
will be held on May 4-7. In the meantime….please be aware that DARES
equipment availability my be limited since a lot of it will probably be used at the
conference. Please plan accordingly. Bob will provide more details on this topic
as we get closer to the conference.
New policy and procedures have already been sent out regarding printing of
documents by outside vendors, including new pre-approvals required by USF.
Please refer to them and follow them. Under no circumstances are print jobs
ever to be done without following proper procedure. P.O.s are to be done
ahead of time (not after the fact). Bob and his staff are to be brought into the loop
at the appropriate times, in the appropriate manner, and by the appropriate people,
including having them assist with determining whether to print at FMHI or with
an outside vendor. Approvals (USF, DARES-IT, supervisor/project director, etc.)
must be received prior to submitting the request for a PO.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS A DARES EMPLOYEE
The DARES Administrative Team (DAT) is here to help and support our program
people in meeting their research and training goals and objectives. But, we
cannot do everything for each of you. Each employee must take personal
responsibility for certain aspects of their “administrative-type” work. Here
are just a few examples of things you can/should be doing to keep the DARES
machine running smoothly:
Use the Sign-In/Sign-Out Board. It is difficult for others to plan
meetings, forward messages, etc. if we do not know where you are and
when you plan to return. Additionally, long-term, pre-planned absences
by program leaders should be indicated on the paper calendar above the
fax machine. Projects that choose to use their own calendars for tracking
such activities must also use these two DARES methods as well. DAT
especially needs to have this information at their fingertips when routing
messages, looking for answers, seeking signatures, etc.
You know which projects you are currently working on. And, therefore,
you should also know which projects or discretionary pots are paying your
salary. And, when you travel, you know why you are going wherever it is
you are going. Additionally, when you want to buy materials or services,
you should also know ahead of time what project is authorized and
appropriate to pay for these things. It is your responsibility to make
sure that reimbursement requests, ticket purchases, purchase orders, office
stores requests, etc. are clearly marked with the appropriate project
acronym and CURRENTLY active project number. Your supervisor
should be checking that these are accurate before signing any forms;
however, it is your responsibility to submit them correctly to begin with.
This list could go on forever; but, I think you get the gist of it. When things such
as these are neglected up front, it takes twice as much time by twice as many
people to get them back on track. Please, help us help you. Don’t neglect these
responsibilities. They really are important.
DARES EVENT REMINDER
The big day is almost here! Friday afternoon, April 1st. Be there! A final
reminder with more details will be forthcoming from Karen Berkman….our
fearless event leader.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
April 4, 2005
DARES EVENT
Congratulations to CARD for hosting this year’s DARES Event. Very well done! It was
a wonderful opportunity to gather, share, eat, have fun, and exercise our brains. Special
congratulations to the “Data Dogs” on their Brain Bowl victory.
TELEPHONE & CELL PHONE ACTIVITIES
Some of you are just not getting the message (pun intended)…long distance telephone calls via
long distance authorization codes or AT&T Calling cards are for business purposes ONLY.
Calls (incoming or outgoing) that cost money or put you over your allowable plan, are likewise
NOT permitted. Depending on your plan, text messaging for most of you falls into this “NOT
permitted” category as well. There are two main reasons for these rules.
USF does not pay sales tax on telephone bills. If you incur charges for personal
activities, even if you repay the basic costs, you are avoiding paying taxes and the IRS
takes a very dim view of this. And believe me, they are checking!
When you do (and shame on you if you ever do) use them for personal reasons, you are
required to re-pay the project to which it was charged. Unfortunately, most of these types
of charges are for very small amounts. You need to remember that is costs USF about
$20 to process a check. It is a massive waste of time and money to be processing checks
in amounts such as we have recently been receiving (e.g., $0.22 and $1.15).
None of this is negotiable! Regardless of the amount…JUST DON’T DO IT! This is
another of those “Personal Responsibility Issues”.
And, by the way, from now on…for those of you who still don’t get the message…you
will have to take your own checks across campus to the cashier’s office, wait on line,
and return with a receipt. Sharon will teach you the process…after she and your
supervisor read you the “riot act”.
DARES-IT and Related Items
Reminder: There is another conference on the horizon with which DARES is involved. It will be
held on May 4-7. In the meantime….please be aware that DARES equipment availability my be
limited since a lot of it will probably be used at the conference. Please plan accordingly. Bob will
provide more details on this topic as we get closer to the conference.
FYI…did you know that there are several thumb drives available via the DARES equipment
check-out?
NEW ADDITIONS TO DARES:
A big welcome to Kim Wallen, a new OPS Project Assistant to PBS. Kim will eventually be
located in MHC 2105; however, until her office and computer are ready, she is usually parked at
the DARES main conference table. Please stop by to welcome her to our family.
BIG DARES APOLOGIES TO POOR SUZETTE LEMROW…THE FREEZER BIT HER, DREW
A LOT OF BLOOD, & REQUIRED STITCHES!
Yes, that is correct! Good Samaritan Suzette was cleaning out the DARES freezer when some
broken glass gave her a nasty gash in her thumb. Where did it come from? Well…..someone put
a glass bottle of soda in there and it exploded! For those of you who flunked science…most
liquids expand when they freeze. The hot weather is coming…please don’t let it cook your brains.
Try to keep some space in there regarding safety in the workplace.
mm..mm
gd
monday morning’s mandatory messages
April 11, 2005
THE TIME TO SUBMIT WISH LISTS is NOW!!!!
Every year about this time, we request that DARES staff submit “wish lists”. Most often
included in these lists are items such as equipment (either permanent for a particular
person or project, for checking out by staff, or to replace obsolete items, back-up
projector bulbs), software (and related training manuals), supplies (including laminating
film, printer cartridges, specialty paper), furniture, professional development activities
(travel to conferences, trainings), software, etc. that staff feel would either contribute to
the effectiveness of the Division as a whole, or to a particular project which does not have
sufficient funds or permission to make these purchases on a grant.
Well…Janet needs to receive your wish lists NO LATER THAN MONDAY, APRIL
TH
19 18th. Even if you have recently suggested items for purchase, a written list must
still be submitted at this time. You must include the following information on your list
(incomplete requests will be returned):
YOUR NAME - please write so I can read it
LIST OF ITEMS - be specific; provide detailed description; suggest vendor.
ESTIMATED COST of each item - have Bob or Steve or a DAT member help you
with this if necessary; exact costs are preferred.
JUSTIFICATION/REASON/PURPOSE for purchase of each item- indicate which
project this purchase will benefit, if not DARES as a whole; explain why this item
is needed.
We will not be able to grant everyone’s wishes; however, we will try to prioritize the requests and
make recommendations to Lise that fall within our budgetary limitations for this fiscal year.
Happy Tuesday!
I hope that you all had a refreshing day yesterday and that neither you
nor your families were in harm's way.
The Continuing Saga of the Copy Machine:
As many of you have noticed, when you make "walk-up" copies, you must
now enter your employee ID number as well as your 4 digit copy code.
This is to allow the department to track not only what accounts are
being used, but who is doing the copying. In the near future, Equitrac
will be installed on our computer system. This will allow the copy
jobs printed from your PC to be tracked as well. Please be aware that
the web address you are printing from will be recorded. PIs - Please
make sure that all of your folks understand what type of printing is
allowed and not allowed on your grants.
Halloween Festivities:
On Monday, DARES will have a Halloween table in the Atrium Lobby for
the Day-Care Trick-or-Treaters. The kids will begin to arrive around
10am. We’ll be going to decorate at 9:30, so please come down if you
have a flair for decorating. If you would like to volunteer to greet
the kids, let me know.
Everyone have a great week!
Happy Monday!
Automated Leave Training
If you have not yet attended the Automated Leave Training (ALT) workshop, today is your last
chance! The last training session begins at 9:30 in Westside. Please attend this informative
workshop!
Meet our FWSP students
I am sure that you all have seen our Federal Work Study Program students around, but here is a
chance to put a name with a face, and find out a little about each of our students. The students
are here to support all of DARES. Requests for work can be found at the FWSP desk, just
around the corner from the main DAT area.
Shantrecia is a Junior in college and is majoring in Bio-medical Science/Pre-Dentistry. Before
coming to DARES, she worked at Moffitt Cancer Center. She is from Miami, Florida, and has
been with DARES since the beginning of this semester.
Sharrine is a Junior in college and is majoring in Elementary Education. Before coming to
DARES, she worked at the Library on main campus. She is from Miami, Florida, and has been
with DARES for 2 years.
Charmese is a Junior in college and is majoring in Social Work. Before coming to DARES, she
worked in the Engineering building. She is from Avon Park, Florida, and has been with DARES
for one year.
Dominique is a Junior in college and is majoring in Elementary Education. Before coming to
DARES, she worked at the Gibson Alumni Center. She is from Miami, Florida, and has been with
DARES for 2 years.
Nicole is a Freshman in college and is majoring in Chemistry. She is from Miami Beach, Florida,
and has been with DARES since the beginning of the semester.
I hope that you all have a wonderful week!
Happy Thursday!
FARS time is near again!
For all of our faculty, it is time to complete the Summer 2005 Faculty
Activity Reports. You will find a memo in your mail box, with the
instructions of what you need to do. Please let me know if I can be of
any assistance!
Color Printing
Just a quick note on color printing within DARES. Our color printer in
the lab is a valuable asset! The copy center charges 19 cents an
image, while the cost of printing to our color printer is approximately
5 cents a page!! If you have a job of ~20 pages or less, please use
our computer lab. If your job is larger, please shop around for the
best prices. The copy center has a big sign that says that they will
match the prices of their competitors, and that can be very helpful for
us.
The New Sign In/Sign Out Board
You will notice our new sign in/sign out board across from the
mailboxes. It will be “up and running” by Thursday evening! The board
is essential for the DAT team, as we field many calls that come into
the division, and it is great to know who is where with one glance!
Please help us out, and make sure you sign out when you will be out of
the office!
Thanks!
~Sharon
Hello All and Happy Monday!
Conflict of Interest
Attached you will find a memo regarding conflict of interest. This
went out to all DARES employees, but I just want to make sure that you
all take the time to read it. We have a copy posted as well, in the
main 2113A area.
Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
As I am sure that you all know, we are off this Thursday and Friday in
observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. A few housekeeping tips:
Please make sure to take home anything that you have stored in the
fridge. Also, make sure to set your garbage outside of your office, so
that it will be emptied on Wednesday.
Have a great week and a safe weekend!
Happy Monday Everyone!! 120505
Discounts for USF Staff
Rose I. let me know that Verizon is offering a 13% discount to state
employees on their wireless bill. I have a form that explains the
details. If you are interested, please see me. Thanks Rose!
Holiday Decorations
As you will notice, the DAT staff has decorated the main DARES area,
near the mailboxes. We’d like for any and all of the holiday’s that
are celebrated by DARES’ staff to be represented, so if you have any
decorations that you would like to share, please do!
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Happy Monday! 121205
DARES Quarterly Pot Luck and Holiday Party
Join us on Thursday for the DARES Quarterly Pot Luck luncheon and Holiday party, hosted
by the PBS Project. Please bring a dish to share. We will also be having a holiday gift
exchange. If you would like to participate, please bring a wrapped gift, suitable for anyone,
in the $5 to $10 range.
The DARES Raffle
We need $6 more for the pot, and the doggie will be raffled off. We would really like to
draw the winner at the DARES luncheon! If you would like to buy a raffle ticket, please see
Cindy or Janet.
Extra Furniture
I know that I have mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating. If you have excess
furniture in your office (ie chairs), and you wish to get rid of it, DO NOT place items in the
hallway. Please email me with the items and we can work together to find it a new “home”.
If your chairs are in the breezeway of the atrium, please claim them.
Thanks, and have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello and Happy Wednesday! 122005 Just a few notes over the holidays...
Please Power Off!
Make sure to completely shut down your computer and printers during the
holiday weekends. If you are taking vacation, make sure to shut down
before you leave!
The Fridge Strikes Back!
Have you looked in the fridge lately? Judging by the number of items
in there, you haven't! Please make a point to look in the fridge and
get rid of anything that is not wanted. And while you are there,
please make sure you tidy up any messes you make in the kitchen. Thank
you!
Holiday Gifts
Please secure any gifts that you have received over the holidays. We'd
hate for any goodies to go missing!
Enjoy the long weekends!
~Sharon
Happy Thursday everyone! 122905
Just a few notes, and then I promise, no more mm..mm's until next year!
Travel... and you.
Many of you have noticed a lag in when you are receiving your travel reimbursements. When
Selecia receives travel internally, she strives for a 10 day turn around. The travel department on
main campus asks for at least 30 days to process travel forms. The problem that we have been
running into lately is that right now, travel on main campus is extremely short staffed. Until travel
is fully staffed, we need to allow at least 60 days for travel to be processed. Which brings me to
my next topic...
P-Card... and you!
In lieu of paying for airfare and hotel on your own credit card and waiting to be reimbursed, why
not try using our departmental Visa card, better known as the P-Card? It is very similar to filling
out a PO Request. The forms for P-card are located at the fax machine (2 forms, one is blue, the
other salmon). You can book airfare through STA or you can go to any of the air carrier's web
sites and find airfare that way. The same goes for hotel. When you have the forms ready, just
find me! Please don't put the forms in my box. It really needs to be booked on the same day that
you research it, as the prices can change dramatically overnight! Once we book your travel, I'll
print the confirmations for my records. After your travel is complete, please bring your hotel bill to
me for my P-card book! It really is that easy!
The Office That You Occupy
I have a favor to ask of all within DARES. Each spring, I complete something called the IFIS
space inventory. This space inventory basically tells anyone looking at it the following: who is in
each office, the time they are there (full time, part time), and the grants that they work on. I would
really appreciate it if each of you could keep track of when you moved into or out of an office at
DARES. Then, when we put out the space surveys in the spring, you will have those dates at
hand!
Thank you all so much for a really great year! See you next year!!
Thanks
~Sharon
Happy Tuesday! 010306
I hope that you all had a great New Year's!
New 2006 W-4 forms
Please be aware that if you use independent contractors, or if you have a new vendor, they will
be required to fill out the 2006 W-4. If you have an independent contractor that you have used in
the past, they will need to fill out a new form! You can find it at: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-
pdf/fw4.pdf
New Year's Resolutions
Why don’t we all make a resolution to keep our refrigerator tidy for the New Year?
Updating your W-2 Tax information
Please make sure to log into GEMS Self Service, and make sure that your W-2 is up to date. Any
changes that you need to make must be done online!
Thanks, and have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello All and Happy Monday! 012306
Furniture Needs
If you find yourself in need of a certain piece of furniture or if you need to get rid of a piece of
furniture, please let me know. We are trying to evaluate what is available and what is needed.
Thanks!
The Copier
As many of you have figured out, our Xerox machine is down for the count! Xerox has been
notified, and they should be here later this afternoon. Please be patient! There are other
machines available if your copy job cannot wait, just see either myself or Cindy!
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Happy Monday! 013006
Tax Forms!
Your W-2 forms are being distributed in your mailboxes today! If you don't see yours, please get
with either Selecia or I and we'll find out the process of making sure you get one.
Short and sweet today! Have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello All and Happy Tuesday. 020706
Fire Watch
I received the following email from Patty Cleaveland:
“As I mentioned yesterday, the Physical Plant tested the fire alarm system early this morning. The
only area of the building that failed was the DARES area upstairs. So we have the MHC 2100
area under a fire watch. They are working on fixing the system, but at this point they are not sure
how long it will take. So, Ben Edwards will be making frequent visits to your area. Please forward
this on to the faculty/staff in your area. I will keep you updated as I receive more information.
Thanks and let me know if you have any questions. Patty”
Furniture Watch
This is the last call for dibs on the furniture in the hallway. I will be sending out an email to CFS,
to let everyone know that we have several chairs and other items up for grabs. You have until
Thursday morning to make a claim!
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello All, and Happy Monday!
P-card and You!
I'd just like to clarify a couple of things for those of you who are using our department's P-
Cards.
At the time of your booking airfare, hotel, rental car, etc, I need for you to fill out
a P-card slip. This lets me know that there will be a charge showing up on the P-
card. If you have a confirmation or itinerary, please attach it. I log these in my P-
card books, and make copies for Lorna (for the monthly spreadsheets) and Selecia
(for travel).
After your travel, I need a copy of any receipts for purchases made on the P-card.
This means hotel receipts, car rental receipts, gas for rental cars, etc...
When you are ready to submit your travel reimbursement form to Selecia, make
sure to write "P-Card" next to any charges that were paid for on the P-Card. She
will have whatever paperwork you gave me filed, and can pull it to attach to your
TER.
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello All,
I know that I am a few days early for the mm..mm, but just knew that you all would be so
excited to learn that PERTs are almost ready for your review!!
Let me start by saying that not all employees are responsible for certifying a PERT. Only
employees that put forth effort on federal or federal flow-through grants have a PERT. The
largest chunk of folks which are exempt from PERTs are the CARD folks whose effort is 100%
devoted to CARD.
For anyone who has joined DARES in the last 4-5 months, you may not be familiar with the PERT
process. I would recommend looking in the DARES manual
(http://dares.fmhi.usf.edu/manual.doc), and reviewing the PERT section. I will also put out a
sheet of instructions when the PERTs are ready, so you should have plenty of guidance in the
"how to's" of PERT.
I am working on the PERTs right now to assure that your effort is accurately represented. I will
notify each person that needs to certify when their PERT is ready. Please do not try to certify
your PERT until I let you know that it is ready.
Also, FYI, the PERT system is the same system that you log into to request time off! How
convenient is that?!
Thanks – and have a super weekend!
~Sharon
March 2, 2006
Hello DARES and Happy Thursday –
I know I am late this week, but so much has been happening!
PERTS
As some of you already know, the PERTs are ready for 75% of our folks here in DARES.
When your PERT is ready, you WILL BE CONTACTED via email and a printed sheet of
directions in your mailbox. I will be sending an email today to those whose PERT is not yet
ready, to let you know that one will be coming your way! I would appreciate everyone’s help
in getting these PERTs certified by Friday, March 10th. If you have not been contacted by
me by the end of the day today, you are in the clear!
FARS
Once our PERTs are ready, FARS are just around the corner. FARS effect all Faculty and
GAs. There have been a few modifications to how we are doing FARS this time (and for the
future). I am working on a short and simple memo that will let you know the changes and
how they will affect you. More to come soon....
CFS Projects List
This link: http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/cfsinfo/cfscenters.cfm is the link to the CFS webpage
that lists the current projects within CFS. Please review the list for the projects that you
are on and please check: 1-If they are listed; 2-If the description is correct; 3-If your
website address is listed and correct; and 4-Are there any publications/products associated
with your project that you would like to offer online. Then, get back to me with what you've
come up with. I’ll summarize the changes/additions and get them to Cindy Liberton.
Thanks in advance for your attention to these tasks! I appreciate all of your help!!
Have a great week!
~Sharon
3/8/06
Hello and Happy Wednesday!!
PERTs
Just a gentle reminder that PERTs are to be certified by Friday, March 10th. Everyone's
PERT is available, and everyone that has one has been notified! Please let me know if you are
having any difficulty.
FARs
Now that PERTs are all available, we have generated the Faculty Activity Reports. You'll find
your FAR in your mailbox. Please sign your FAR on both of the faculty lines (top and bottom
lines, at the bottom left of the page) and return to Cindy. Also, make sure that you email your
supporting documentation to Cindy.
Thanks and have a great week!
~Sharon
031506 Hello all and Happy Wednesday!!
PERT
Congratulations DARES! Our PERTS are 100% completed! I appreciate your assistance in
getting the PERTS done.
P-CARD Pointers
Just a few reminders about using the P-card.
When you stay at a hotel and use the P-Card as payment, I need to receive your receipt
as soon as you return. I copy this for Selecia, so when you turn in your travel log, just
write P-CARD next to the hotel line, and she will know that she already has a copy of the
receipt.
Please make sure to review your check out receipt carefully, and make sure that no
inappropriate charges are on your bill. If in the state of Florida, there should not be any
tax listed. Make sure that you have your own credit card on file with the hotel for any
incidental charges that should occur (this includes movies, food, etc…). I cannot
reconcile the P-Card charges if any of these charges are present, which causes an
accounting problem that we have only a short period of time to rectify.
I must know of P-Card charges BEFOREHAND. Each P-Card holder has forms that are
to be filled out before you travel. When mystery charges show up on a card, I have to
track down who they belong to, which takes time.
FARS
If you will be attending any of the upcoming conferences, MAKE SURE that Cindy has the
supporting documentation for your Faculty Activity Report before you leave!
Have a great week!!
~Sharon
Hello all, and Happy Monday!
Bugs
As many of you are aware, there has been a problem with little ants and gnats lately – If you have
seen any in your office, please let Cindy know today. She will be putting in a work order to have
our offices sprayed.
PERTS
It’s that time again! I am working on PERTs now, and will be distributing instructions soon. If you
are a new person, and are working on a federally funded grant, you will have to certify a PERT.
Please reference the PERT section in the DARES manual for more information. This also means
that AFD-FARS are not far behind. Again, check out the section in the manual that explains what
they are.
Traveling with the P-card
Remember, when you return from travel that was paid for by the P-card, I need your hotel receipt,
parking and/or gas receipts, and any other travel related receipts. I do not need your actual
receipt from airfare travels, as your itinerary is sufficient. If the price changed from when you
booked your airfare to when traveled, please print me a new itinerary, but note that I already have
the back up for it.
Pro-Copy
If you plan on using the P-card to pay for your Pro-Copy job, you must get it pre-approved. I have
been receiving invoices from Pro-Copy, and the jobs did not have approval to run. If you are
using a purchase order, the PO must be entered before you place the order. I know that Pro-
Copy wishes to accommodate us when doing jobs for us as soon as we need them, but DARES
internal policy requires approval ahead of time!!
Furniture
We will have several desks available in the next few weeks. These are the metal, double-
pedestal desks (drawers on both sides). If your current desk has drawers that stick or is
otherwise needing to be replaced, please let me know. First come, first serve! There are other
items of furniture in the hall as well – if it is not labeled, it is up for grabs. Just let me know what
you want.
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Hello All and Happy Tuesday!
Just a few items today!
The Laminator
Please make sure to both turn off and unplug the laminator when you are finished using it.
Recently, it was left on all night, which can't be a good thing!
Progressive Lunch
On October 24th, several divisions within CFS will be participating in a Progressive Lunch.
Basically, we start off with appetizers in one area, move on for salad, again for main course,
etc... I am excited for DARES to participate and join in with our CFS peers! More info to
come!
PERT
I know that it just seems like we did effort reporting, but they will be coming around again
in October. Please make sure that your GEMS log in is active and that you don't have
trouble getting in! If you are a new staff member, and don't know what PERT is, check out
our manual! There is a lot of great info to be found there!
Have a great week!
~Sharon
Sharon Denninger
Coordinator, Administrative Services
Division of Applied Research & Educational Support
Child and Family Studies
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute
13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MHC2113A
Tampa, FL 33612
813/974-7723
813/974-6115 fax
Hello all and Happy Monday!
10-9-06
What's that Smell?!
As you all know, we are trying our best to make this a safe work environment for all of our
employees. If you have any products in your office that have any kind of odor, please make sure
to put them in our collection box by the mail boxes. We will go through everything and let you
know whether you can keep it in your office, or if you need to take it home.
What a Beautiful Morning!
While we all enjoy the weather as it begins to cool off, remember, office windows are not
supposed to be opened. If you office window should happen to open, make sure it is secure
before you leave the office.
Unclaimed copy jobs
If you send a job to the Xerox machine, please make sure to claim it. There is a pile up currently,
and I'll be tossing everything that is unclaimed into the recycle bin in the morning tomorrow!
PERT are here again!
The Summer PERTs have been generated. I will be working on the official review, and as soon
as I am finished, I will be contacting you if you have a PERT to certify. As we have many new
DARES employees, you may want to take a look in the manual to find out what a PERT is, and
who it applies to!
Have a great week, everyone!
~Sharon
11/6/06
Hello All and Happy Monday!
FARs are never far behind!
Now that the Summer 2006 PERTs have been completed, it is time for our faculty to complete
their Summer 2006 FAR. The FARs have been distributed for your signature. Please sign and
return to Cindy. Also, you will need to email Cindy your supporting documentation. Please have
this completed by Monday, November 13th.
Do you have extra office supplies?
Remember, we have a collection box for extra office supplies in our paper supply room. If you
have an extra tape dispenser, or a few extra pens, please feel free to donate. When we have
new staff members starting, it is always nice to have what we need to get them ready to go!
Veteran’s Day
Just a reminder that Friday is USF’s observed Veteran’s Day holiday. Security will not be here,
and neither should you! Have a nice long weekend!
Have a great week!
December 6, 2006
Hello All and Happy Wednesday!
Quarterly Pot Luck
Tuesday, December 12th is our next DARES Pot Luck! I hope that everyone can make it.
Please bring your favorite covered dish (and please email me and let me know what you will be
bringing). If you would like to bring something, but don’t know what, give me a call, and I’ll let you
know what we need :o)
DARES White Elephant
We will be having our White Elephant Present Swap on December 12th, following lunch. Please
bring a wrapped gift, no more than $10, to the event. If you don't know how to play the White
Elephant, or need a refresher, we will tell you more at the luncheon
HR Actions/Vacations
Please be aware that the FMHI HR will be very short-staffed soon with Edita Dautovic leaving
FMHI to take a job at the College of Medicine (Edita's last day at FMHI is 12/13) and holiday
vacations scheduled for Cindy Stark from 12/19 to 1/2 and Regina from 12/26 to 1/8.
If you have any HR personnel actions planned, please arrange to have them underway as soon
as possible.
Thanks!
~Sharon
010207
Hello All and Happy New Year!
Do You Smell That?
Something wicked this way comes... from the refrigerator! There is something causing quite
a stink in the fridge - Please take a moment to see if it is your Thanksgiving leftovers... And
please, everyone join me in making a New Year's Resolution to not put food in the fridge and
forget it!
Extra Office Supplies?
Do you have an extra pair of scissors that you don’t use? Or perhaps, a file organizer that
is collecting dust? We have a collection point just inside the paper closet for extra supplies
for new employees. Any and all excess supplies are welcome! And, before you go and buy a
pair of scissors, or a ruler, check out the “stash” to see if there is one there for you!
Have a great week, everyone!
~Sharon
1/8/07
Hello All and Happy Monday!
Kudos to Donna & Linda
Thank you so much, Donna, for having the courage to open the fridge, and sort through "the
good, the bad, & the ugly"!! And, many thanks to Linda for wiping it down for us. Donna has
taken on the task of recruiting volunteers to help keep the fridge clean, so if you use it,
please sign up for a month!
Pro-Ed Materials
Please let me know if you have ordered GARS-2 materials from Pro-Ed. I received a
supplement for a portion of interview questions that were printed incorrectly.
DARES Event
Please make sure to RSVP to Rose for the DARES Event in March. For new employees, the
DARES Event is a fun day planned by a group within DARES. It always proves to be good
fun, and it gets people to interact!
Thanks, and have a great week!
~Sharon
1/29/07
Hello All and Happy Monday,
The M&M is short and sweet today...
New Fax!!
Please stop by and introduce yourself to our new fax machine! It works just the same as the old
one, so you shouldn’t have any problem using it! If you need a refresher, please let me know! I
am still reading the manual, but once I know all the “tricks” I’ll let you know!
Have a good week!
~Sharon
April 16, 2007
Hello All and Happy Monday!
Does this belong to you?
I received the American Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 38, # 3-4. There is no name
attached to it - please email me if this belongs to you!
FARS
All the Faculty activity reports have been distributed for signature. Please make sure to
email your supporting documentation to Cindy.
Grad Students & Tuition Payment
GAs - Please be advised that I need a copy of your OASIS detail schedule for summer in
order to process tuition payment for Summer. Please provide to be no later than May 11th,
2007.
Have a great week –
~Sharon
May 21, 2007
Hello All and Happy Monday!
Furniture, anyone?
We have a credenza available if anyone is interested. Also, you’ll notice a brochure rack in
the main hallway that is available as well. It holds 32 brochures and is in fairly good shape.
Please contact me if you are interested. First come, first serve. I will be emailing CFS on
Monday of next week if they are still available.
End of Fiscal Year
For grants that have a funding year ending on 6/30/07 (APD/METTA Supplement, BASP,
CARD, HIPPY, UCEDD), please make sure that you have your final PO requests for the year
in by 6/11/07, so that we have time to process them before we are cut off! Any P-card
charges that need to be made on these grants must happen before 6/20/07, or they will not
post before July.
For grants that are continuing through, please be aware that since it is the end of the fiscal
year, there may be a small delay in getting requisitions loaded into the system, as Purchasing
will be in the process of rolling forward to the new year.
Printers in the Lab
Please make sure that when you print a job to the lab, you come to retrieve it. Steve
throws out a good amount of print jobs at the end of every week that are left “orphaned” in
the lab. This wastes ink and paper.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful week!
~Sharon
8/13/07
Hello All – Happy Monday
Purchasing!
Due to a scheduled FAST financials maintenance, we cannot process any requisitions between
8/15 and 8/21. If you will need a purchase order generated before Wednesday, please turn in a
pink form today (with any/all back up).
~Sharon
September 24, 2007
Hello All and Happy Monday!!
Travel!!
Starting this week, DARES will be part of the Pilot test group for the new online travel system!
What does this mean for you? Well, since DARES is so much larger than the other divisions
within CFS, we have decided to use the new online system for only a small group of travelers.
This way, we have time to learn the new system, but Selecia will also be able to process the bulk
of our travels using the paper system, to ensure we keep up with the workload. When we have
decided who will be our guinea pigs, we will email you (and your supervisor). I advise all
travelers within DARES to sign up for the travel trainings that come up, so that you understand
how it will work. Also, there have been several emails out recently that explain how to log into
FAST. Please make sure that you do this now, so that when the time comes and you need to go
into the system for your TAR or TER, you will have the access you need.
Fluctuating Temperatures
Please email if you are having trouble with the temperature in your office. I know that several of
the CARD offices are very cold, and my office is extremely hot. If this is happening to you, please
let me know. We can get Physical Plant over here to adjust temperatures, and I would like to
know everyone who is having a problem, so that we can get it all taken care of in one visit.
Recycle Bins
We will be cutting back to 2 recycle bins in the main DARES area. There will be one all the way
in the back of the CARD area (near the stairwell going out of the building) and one in the back of
the 2113/conference table area (by Marsha Black’s office near the stairwell). This way, the big
green containers will be out of sight. If we see that these 2 are not sufficient, we’ll add another
in. Please let me know if you find the containers filled.
I hope that everyone has a great week!
Thanks,
~Sharon
Hello All and Happy Tuesday!!
Halloween Events!
th
On Wednesday, October 31, FMHI will be hosting their 8 Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest!
This event is always fun, and a prize is given to the pumpkin receiving the most votes! Also on
this day, trick-or-treaters will be coming around from the USF daycare. I have requested one
table for DARES to host, but if we would like to have more than one table, please let me know!
CFS Fall Awards Luncheon
th
The annual Fall Awards Luncheon will be on November 14 , at noon. Please plan on attending!
Various individuals and groups will be recognized, and the food is always great. More details will
come via email, closer to the event.
P-Card Update
The p-card system we use to reconcile is being updated daily now. What does that mean for
you? Well, the charges you make today will now show up tomorrow, rather than only posting on
Tuesdays (as was the case before). So, please make sure that you are prompt in getting all p-
card receipts turned in. Remember, if you are unable to get your receipts to the office right away,
please email myself and Jamika to let us know of pending charges. Also, as always, if you turn in
paperwork for one dollar amount on p-card, and that amount changes, make sure to email Jamika
to let her know.
Graduate Associate Assigned Duties
If you are the supervisor of a GA, please make sure that I receive updated assigned duties by this
Friday!
Staff Evaluations
th
Staff (formerly USPS) evaluations are due to me by this Friday, October 19 . Please make sure
you have the evaluation form signed by both the supervisor and staff member, and the self
assessment, completed by the staff member.
Thanks and have a great week!
~Sharon
10/29/07
Hello All and Happy Monday!!
Halloween Festivities
I hope that everyone is getting geared up for Wednesday! We have the pumpkin carving contest,
pumpkin display contest, costume contest, office decorating contest and trick-or-treaters!! Quite
a full day! Please see myself or Cindy if you would like to help with hosting our trick-or-treat
table.
PERTS
I will be sending out a reminder to those of you who were notified that your PERT was ready but
were unable to certify by Friday. If you cannot certify today, please let me know why.
FARS are not too FAR away….
Now that PERTs are being certified for Summer, we will be doing Faculty Activity Reports very
soon. The period it will cover is May 7, 2007 to August 6, 2007. You will receive notification
when we are ready for your supporting documentation.
I hope everyone has a SPOOOOKY week!
~Sharon
1/15/08
Hello All and Happy Tuesday! Below are several personnel reminders, courtesy of Cindy!
Thanks and have a great week!
~Sharon
Personnel Management Reminders
Personal Holidays are reserved for Staff employees only (formerly classified as USPS).
As the new semester starts, just a reminder to supervisors who intend to make new hires that no
new employees are permitted to work until they have either been through the Right Start
process (if never employed at the University) or the Department has completed approved
paperwork and submitted it to USF-HR. This applies to all personnel types, whether regular line
staff, students, non-student OPS or graduate assistants. To ignore this places the University and
the would-be employee at risk - for example, should such a person be injured before official hire,
they would not be covered by Worker's Compensation.
Please see me prior to promising employment to anyone. I will advise you on proper
procedures and requirements.
Pay Appointment
Pay
Period Pay Period Dates Guarantee
Dates
Cycles Dates
Pay Pay Deadline to
Pay Regular
Period Period Submit
Notes Period Pay
Begin End Appointment
No. Date
Date Date Forms to HR
2008APC
0814 12/28/07 01/10/08 01/18/08 01/02/08
* 0815 01/11/08 01/24/08 02/01/08 01/15/08
0816 01/25/08 02/07/08 02/15/08 01/29/08
0817 02/08/08 02/21/08 02/29/08 02/12/08
0818 02/22/08 03/06/08 03/14/08 02/26/08
0819 03/07/08 03/20/08 03/28/08 03/11/08
0820 03/21/08 04/03/08 04/11/08 03/25/08
0821 04/04/08 04/17/08 04/25/08 04/08/08
0822 04/18/08 05/01/08 05/09/08 04/22/08
0823 05/02/08 05/15/08 05/23/08 04/29/08
* 0824 05/16/08 05/29/08 06/06/08 05/20/08
0825 05/30/08 06/12/08 06/20/08 06/03/08
APC 0826 06/13/08 06/26/08 07/03/08 06/17/08
2/25/08
Hello All and Happy Monday!
It's that time again!
PERT time is again upon us! I am working on getting all of the PERTs ready for certification. I
will be contacting those of you whose PERT is ready via email. Please keep a lookout for this
email and certify your PERT as soon as you can.
Not to FAR off...
The faculty activity reports (FARs) will be coming around as soon as we have PERTs
done. Faculty members, please be preparing your supporting documentation. As soon as your
FAR is ready, we will be distributing them for signature. Remember, you'll need to email your
supporting documentation to Cindy Hipple after you receive the printed FAR.
Have a great week!
~Sharon
030308
From: Denninger, Sharon
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 10:22 AM
To: CFS DARES
Subject: Dares Update 3-3-08
Hello All and Happy Monday!
DARES Admin Team New Member
Please give a warm welcome to Marilyn Cureton! Marilyn is the new office assistant within the
DARES admin team. She joins us from Academic Computing, with 26 years of university
experience. We are very happy to have her with us!
PERTS
Just about all of the PERTs have been generated! Most everyone within DARES has received
notice to certify their PERT. Please try to have this done by Friday of this week! If you have not
attempted to log into GEMS yet, please do. If you need your password reset, it normally takes a
few days...
FARS
I will be preparing the Faculty Activity Reports for our faculty members in the next week. As soon
as they are ready, we'll be placing them in your mailbox for signature. You will need to provide
supporting documentation in a word document. More info to follow!
I hope everyone has a great week!
~Sharon