Finance and Administration News
Grant Accounts and Internal Awards overspent balances and timely closeout
Accounts maintained in the Grants Accounting module, which include Internal, Cost Share and Sponsored accounts, may not have overspent balances and must be closed out on a timely basis. Accounts must be reviewed on at least monthly basis but can be reviewed more frequently. Accounting corrections are to be submitted timely throughout the year (sixty day accounting correction rule) to correct overspent balances and ensure accounts are closed by the end date. These accounts must also meet all fiscal yearend timelines for accounting corrections. A query can be completed for overspent accounts and specific end dates by using prompts on the Grants Funds Available Dashboard.
Division of Finance staffing changes announced
The Division of Finance announces the following staffing changes:
Equipment Inventory Overview
The Equipment Inventory Office is responsible for tagging and reporting all movable equipment purchased for Ohio University. Policy 19.054, Equipment Inventory Control, outlines the responsibilities of departments and the policy requirements associated with properly maintaining equipment inventory records. Movable equipment must meet the following criteria to be capitalized as an asset:
Lowes catalog launches in BobcatBUY
Effective November 30, 2018, Lowes is now available in BobcatBUY as an additional preferred supplier for home improvement supplies. The punch-out catalog in BobcatBUY offers a variety of supplies plus search capabilities and shopping features. Campus customers can choose from three delivery methods: pick up order at local store, truck delivery, or parcel delivery from a common carrier, (UPS or FedEx).
New forms support payments to international vendors and guests
Two new forms for supplier setup of international vendors and guests are available on the Finance website. The new forms will help simplify the supplier setup process and ensure a quicker turnaround for processing payments to international payees.
Time and Effort Reporting
Ohio University maintains procedures for documenting the distribution of an individual’s effort to sponsored agreements in accordance with federal regulations defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Uniform Guidance, paragraph 200.430 i) advise the records must reasonably reflect 100 percent of the activities for which employees are compensated by the University. Any individual who performed work on a federally funded project, or the project’s principal investigator, must certify effort, unless in their absence, this task is delegated to a designee. The designee must have a suitable means to verify the distribution of effort. These records are considered the official records of the University related to time and effort certifications, as required by Uniform Guidance.
Concur Expense upgrade will occur on February 5
As announced at the December Business Forum and via Business Matters, the Concur Expense user interface is scheduled to be upgraded. This upgrade will occur on Tuesday, February 5, with minimal impact on the overall user experience. Users will observe visual changes with no major changes to system functionality. The new design will make it easier to submit expense reports quickly, improve the use of the screen space available, and provide easier access to features in the system.
Jennings House Facelift
Many elements contribute to the charm and appeal of Ohio University’s campus. The rolling hills surrounding Athens provide a pleasing backdrop for Ohio’s first university. Brick walkways and large shade trees provide a sense of history in a natural setting. Newer buildings complement historic structures dating back to the 1800s. Step away from the iconic College Green in any direction, and you will encounter the houses that add warmth and architectural diversity to OHIO’s campus. One of those houses, the Greek Revival style Jennings House, located between Trisolini House and Yamada International House on East Union Street, recently received some much-needed exterior work.
Ohio University announces travel program implementation
As announced in October 2018, Ohio University has partnered with Christopherson Business Travel (CBT), to implement a comprehensive travel program with goals of implementing user-friendly processes, improving service to the traveler, and providing access to discounts that save the University money. This program is expected to launch in early April 2019 and will include an updated travel policy and procedures, the roll-out of a new user Concur & Travel Expense interface, new options of paying for travel, and bring the University into compliance with the requirements of the Governor's mandate on Affordability & Efficiency.
New supplier available for document destruction
The Purchasing Department is pleased to announce Ohio University has finalized the contract with Shred-It USA LLC for confidential document destruction services. Business can now officially begin. This new contract will replace the service previously provided by Information Destruction Services (IDS). Shred-It purchased IDS effective March 30, 2018. The purchase included all IDS equipment and bins. With the execution of this new contract, Shred-It will be OHIO’s Preferred Supplier for all confidential destruction needs for the Athens campus and for regional campuses.