July 8, 1998
Vol. 9, No. 26

FYI HomeUniversity of Utah

Uses the Web
PeopleSoft financials go live;
old forms and accounts won't work
    The PeopleSoft financial system went live July 1. Any transactions to complete fiscal year 1998 should use old forms and account numbers, but any and all business for fiscal 1999 must use the new forms and PeopleSoft chartfields. The Utah 2000 memo of May 11 provided deadlines for submitting documents for processing in fiscal year 1998, or you may refer to the Web site www.acs.utah.edu/afs for information.
    The financials reporting function is Web-enabled, so it is not necessary to have PeopleSoft financials installed on desktop computers. However, faculty and staff needing access to student information will need to have PeopleSoft student administration software installed.
Students receive new U of U ID numbers, drop SSN
    The Registrar's Office has assigned new eight-digit University ID numbers for all students, and will phase out use of the Social Security number as the key identifier for student records. While this action might appear to be a response to the recent break-in to a computer directory, the new U of U ID numbers were already being implemented with conversion to the semester system. New numbers are assigned consecutively as new students are admitted. There is no immediate need to obtain new U of U ID cards, but procedures are under study to re-card the University population with new technology cards within a year.
    Students received notification of their new ID numbers with their fall semester registration materials. Those who don't have the number may obtain it from the Registrar's Office. The U of U ID number and the student's individual PIN are needed for telephone or on-line registration. Because of federal reporting requirements, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office and Human Resources will continue to use the Social Security number in their internal records.
Stoplight adds safety to JHC intersection
    Beginning this month, the Utah Department of Transportation will install a traffic signal at the intersection of South Campus Drive and Campus Center Drive, which is the street located between the Jon Huntsman Center and the University Services Building.
    The purpose of the signal is pedestrian safety. New crosswalks will replace the crossing near the Huntsman Center, and the intersection will have pedestrian activation buttons for the lights, and illumination of the crosswalk area. A 50-foot section of Campus Center Drive will be reconstructed. The project is scheduled for completion before the beginning of fall semester.
Lights must burn 100 hours
Stadium's on track, but road stays closed until Aug. 10
(updated news release 7/8)
    The banks of new lights being installed as part of the reconstruction of Rice Stadium must be burned continuously for 100 hours-almost four days-as a break-in process.
    This rather noticeable aspect of the renovation began Monday for the lights on the west side, and the burn-in of the east side lights will occur later in July.
    "The metal halide lights will provide better illumination than in the old stadium, but they require this break-in period to function properly," says Rick Johansen, project manager in campus design and construction.
    Otherwise, reconstruction of the stadium is on schedule for completion before the first football game against the University of Louisville at 7 p.m., Sept. 12.
    To help the contractor expedite the job and prevent any damage to passing cars, the section of South Campus Drive that lies between the stadium and Einar Nielsen Field House will remain closed until Aug. 10, rather than re-open during July, as previously planned.
    The stadium oval is being constructed from both sides toward the middle, so the bowl will be done last where it overhangs the roadway, says Johansen. The section of 1500 East along the east side of the stadium will permanently become a walking mall, and will not reopen to vehicle traffic.
    The SportGrass (augmented natural turf) is in good shape for the season.
    Fears were unfounded that President Bill Clinton's trade embargo with India would prevent delivery of the red sandstone facing for the stadium, since the stone was already slated for shipment. Although Utah has plenty of red stone, the sandstone from India is cheaper and more weather-resistant than local products, says Johansen.
Current pay unaffected
New system simplifies pay-scale ranges
    The University has adopted a single salary schedule to replace the four schedules (exempt/nonexempt, University/hospital) formerly in use. The new schedule is consistent in the percentage difference between minimums and maximums, and between grades, while the old one was not. Each job title has been assigned to one of the 25 new grades, always with a minimum pay at least as high as the old grade, says Ralph Pedersen, director of Human Resources."Adoption of the new salary schedule does not change anyone's current salary, or affect the pay raises that took effect July 1, except that when individuals are below the minimum of their new classification, departments are authorized to increase pay to the new minimum if they have the budget to do so," says Pedersen,
    The dollar-amount range of each grade will be reviewed annually for adjustment based on cost-of-living. Pay raises that take an individual above the maximum for his or her grade still require vice-presidential approval.The designations "exempt" and "nonexempt" in the Fair Labor Standards Act remain in effect, but are not reflected in the salary schedule itself.
    Senior administrators, faculty, medical house staff, post doctoral fellows, department directors, and "broadbanded" positions such as attorneys and computer professionals, are not covered by the salary schedule. Instead, these salaries are negotiated on the basis of national norms. Listings of job titles and their salary grades will be available on-line to payroll reporters when the HR portion of PeopleSoft goes live.* PASS forms already reflect the change. Additional information can be obtained from the HR Classification and Salary Administration Office, ext. 1-5793,or Hospital Human Resources, ext. 1-7832.
    *A listing of the grades and pay ranges can be found on the Hospital Human Resources Web site, www.med.utah.edu, under "employee resources," then "compensation management," and on the Human Resources Department Web site, www.personnel.utah.edu under "Salary Administration."
Fulbright opportunities
    The Graduate School is seeking nominations of students for the 1999-2000 Fulbright Senior Scholar Program, which has openings in almost all areas. There are also opportunities to host visiting Fulbright Scholars. Call ext. 1-7642 for information.
Software training links to Utah 2000
    The Utah 2000 Project has scheduled additional free training sections for users of Windows 95, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Netscape. Check the Web site www.acs.utah.edu/afs for details.
On-line selections
U Bookstore offers education discount on Gateway computers
    University Bookstore has a new partnership with Gateway 2000 that allows purchase of Gateway personal computers at educational-discount prices through the bookstore. The bookstore computer department suggests that you use the Gateway World Wide Web page www.gateway.com, under "kind of user: Education" to configure your system. If you select the option "customize it," you may then choose or skip various types of monitors, printers, scanners, etc. to build the system you want. When you click on "configure price," you get an itemized list. Add $50 for shipping ($65 with a printer), print the screen and bring it with a campus order to University Bookstore.
    The bookstore also offers and administers academic pricing for the following vendors: Apple, IBM, Dell, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Pionex, Microsoft, Borland, Adobe, Acer, Toshiba, Starwest, Viewsonic, Iomega, 3Com, Dayna, Linksys, Lexmark, and many other computer products. For questions concerning academic pricing, contact the Bookstore Computing Solutions department at 581-4776.
Planetarium invites Web site visit
    A World Wide Web site worthy of note is that of the Hansen Planetarium, which is now managed by the Utah Museum of Natural History. The site, www.utah.edu/Planetarium (capital "P") tells about planetarium events, but also much more. There's a slew of links "for space geeks" to sites that tell the latest about what's happening in astronomy and space exploration. For starters, check out the "Space News and Images Archives" link.
UUSAC elects officers, opens for membership
    The Staff Advisory Council is seeking nominations for staff members to join the council in its role of representing staff interests to the administration. There are openings in all the vice-presidential areas except Administrative Services. (Membership rotates one-third each year.) You may nominate yourself or someone else by July 19. A letter of instructions was mailed to staff June 22. For information, call Tom Loveridge, UUSAC president, ext. 1-8365.
    The council elected officers for 1998-99. They are: Mary Talboys, Neuropsychiatric Institute, president; Jim Cook, Network Support, president-elect; and Wendi Maichel, David Eccles School of Business, secretary/treasurer. A roster of current members is available at www.chpc.utah.edu/uusac or from Loveridge.
CDC has child-care openings
    The University Hospital Child Development Center in Research Park has openings for children 9 months through three years old. Contact Mary-Martha Dalgliesh at ext. 5-6710 for information.
Beware telephone scams on copier toner
    University Police are warning campus departments to look out for a scam going around the country often called the "toner phoner." It goes something like this: (1) Someone calls pretending to be a normal supplier to find out the model number of your office copy machine. (2) A few days later, someone else calls, using a bogus company name, to say that the price for toner for your copier is going up, but that you can lock in the old price if you order a case or more right way. (3) Only a few cartridges of low quality toner arrive, which can damage your machine, or none at all. (4) Your office gets billed for the full order (or more), often with excessive shipping costs attached. There are variations, of course.
    The scam was twarted in a recent instance on campus. Two clues that something was "not right" were reluctance on the part of the caller to provide a telephone number, and use of a post office box number for an address. Scam artists usually back off when questioned for specifics about names, addresses, and telephone numbers. University General Stores has toner for most machines as cheap or cheaper than any legitimate vendor.
Don't use Airborne for incoming parcels
    An advisory from General Stores says when departments want merchandise delivered directly, they should advise the vendor not to use Airborne Express, because Airborne does not deliver directly to campus offices. Carriers that deliver directly, such as United Parcel Service or Federal Express, should be used instead.
Management tip
Think about decisions to make them 'stick'
    In The effective Executive, author Peter Drucker suggests ways to make management decisions "stick," so that the same problem doesn't arise again and again. His suggestions: (1) Look for patterns, rather than deal with each issue piecemeal. (2) Determine what a decision really must accomplish, and gain the background understanding before you make it. (3) Consider the "ideal" solution against which you can evaluate the real-world compromises you are likely to make. (4) Turn a decision into an action item by making it part of someone's work assignment. (5) Determine how you will learn of the effectiveness of the decisions you make.
Policy guides honorary namings
    Revisions to Policy 1-8 codify existing practices in naming facilities--buildings, rooms, plazas, or the like--and academic programs. Facilities and programs normally have functional names, such as "Dentistry Building," assigned by the president. Honorary names can be bestowed only by the Board of Trustees, in recognition of outstanding scholarship or donor support, and such namings are permanent. If a facility or program ceases to exist, the Development Office will confer with the honoree or honoree's descendants to insure that appropriate recognition is sustained.
    Policy changes are posted to www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual within 10 working days after approval. Hard copies may be viewed at library reference desks.
Published by the Office of University Communications
Terry Newfarmer, editor, terry@unicomm.utah.edu ext. 1-7996, 308 Park Building.
Copyright © 1998 University of Utah