Trivia Question:
Who are the mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games?

 

 

 

 

 

Important Dates

7/15 - 9/15: Date for online enrollment of subsidized graduate health insurance. 
8/2: Deadline for GRA/GTA/GL assignments to be in BTS and contracts to Dean's Office
8/9: Deadline for Adjunct assignments to be in BTS and contracts to Dean's Office
8/10: Fellowship Acceptance Letters due to Dean's Office
8/16: Fall Upload

*Please note: HR has required us to move up our upload date this year.  This means that these are HARD deadlines and we cannot make any exceptions.  Any additions and/or changes to information entered into BTS will need to be done via EPAF starting 8/20/2012. 

Summer Info Session

Please plan to attend the CHSS Summer Info Session on Tuesday, August 7 at 10:30 in Mason Hall. An official invitation will be sent via e-mail.

Subsidized Graduate Health Insurance

It is very important that any student meeting the subsidized graduate health insurance requirements be indicated as eligible for "Graduate Assistant Benefits" in the Graduate Assistants screen in BTS regardless of whether the student will be taking advantage of the benefit.  This indication of eligibility affects both the student’s ability to enroll in the subsidized graduate health insurance program as well as his/her residency for tuition charged.  Students who have used their 3 years of coverage have been marked by the Dean's Office as "SGHI Ineligible" in BTS, but if they still meet the requirements below, the department MUST mark them as "Benefit Eligible." Please take a moment to review these requirements:

• Ph.D. or MFA student
• Supported by tuition waiver or grant covering enough credits to support the student's full time course load
• Appointed to a full time (20 hours/week total) graduate assistantship(s) with a stipend of at least $10,000 per academic year. The assistantship(s) must cover both the fall and spring semesters.
• Enrolled full time as defined by the University Catalog (see definition here)
• Students who intend to graduate in the current fall semester are now eligible for fall-only coverage.  Must have a stipend of at least $5,000 and submit their application to graduate to the Office of the University Registrar by the relevant deadline.

*Again, it is imperative that if a student meets these requirements you check them as Benefit Eligible in BTS. *

Doctoral and MFA Health Insurance Policy for Doctoral and MFA Graduate Assistants

University Policy Number 6001 (Health Insurance for Graduate Students)  states in part that “The University will fund up to three cumulative years of health insurance coverage for eligible graduate students who meet the eligibility requirements as of the last day of each online health insurance enrollment period. Academic units may extend the time of coverage at their own expense; however, federal funding sources may not be used to pay for extended coverage unless extended coverage is provided by the specific school or college to all of its eligible graduate students.”

For purposes of this policy, “academic units” are defined as CHSS academic departments and programs.  As such, departments and programs are responsible for the health insurance costs associated with the all appointments of Doctoral and MFA graduate students as a GTA or GRA in year four and beyond who are eligible for the health insurance subsidy.  The graduate assistant health insurance charge will be automatically charged to the stipend.   For GTAs or GRAs funded from state sources, the charge will be directed to the graduate stipend org of the respective program.  For GRAs funded by sponsored programs, the charge will be directed to the grant org. 

Grant Reconciliation Reminder

Please remember that reconciliations for sponsored programs should be completed monthly.  Doing so will help discover errors that can then be corrected more quickly and with less headache.  University Policy #2114, Reconciling Department and Sponsored Fund Accounting Records, has been effective since December 2010.  If you would like a refresher on completing a reconciliation, Fiscal Services will hold a training workshop as well as practice session on August 13 that all are encouraged to attend.  You can register at the IT Workshop webpage:  http://ittraining.gmu.edu/workshops.cfm?function=calendar.  You may also contact Shae directly at 3-8612 and she will be happy to sit with you one-on-one.

Upcoming Audit

The University has been notified by the Office of Naval Research, our federal cognizant agency, that an audit is expected soon.  This will likely happen in the fall and will focus on labor charges during calendar years 2011 and 2012 however financial oversight of all expenses on sponsored projects is important.  An email was sent to request the assistance and awareness of PIs in carefully monitoring the effort and expenses being charged to their grants.  As mentioned above, reconciliations are very important in ensuring the university is compliant.  More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Grant Database Up and Running!

The Grant Database is now available in BTS.  We are currently working to get all of the faculty effort commitments updated and award documents loaded, however you can go in and see awards under the Grants tab by selecting Grants/Funds.  Along the top of the screen you will be able to filter grants by PI, Org, or by individual project.  You can also choose to view the funds alphabetically by fund title or numerically by fund number.  Within the grant you will be able to see information such as the award documents and budget, the faculty effort expected based on the grant budget, effort charged based on funding change forms received, and a notes section.

Notice Regarding Fall 2012 Adjunct Orientation

Based on informal feedback, CHSS will not be participating in the Fall 2012 adjunct orientation organized by HR on August 18, 2012.  Since a good number of departments already provide an orientation, this would add an unnecessary orientation for the adjuncts.  Please contact Irene Mills,
3-8862 with any questions.

New Procedure for Travel Authorizations

By now you have probably noticed that the travel authorizations are being returned to you instead of being forwarded to the travel office. The requirement to obtain all signatures prior to the travel date, including the senior approving official (Marlies for CHSS), has not changed. Please attach the authorization to the travel reimbursement voucher and send all to the travel office. Only reimbursements paid out of one of the Dean’s orgs. need to be sent to Marlies.

Affiliates as Place Holders

Please enter an end date when setting up an affiliate EPAF for the purpose of having that faculty member included in the upcoming semester assignments. The end date could be the first day of classes, but should be no later than the end of the semester. An affiliate appointment form is not needed, but a notation in the comments section to let Marlies know that this record is a place holder is helpful get this EPAF approved right away.

Trivia Answer:

Jokingly described as "two parts-Teletubby, one-part lava lamp", Olympic mascot Wenlock (right) and Paralympic mascot Mandeville (left) are the official mascots of the 2012 London Summer Olympics that are getting lots of attention worldwide