[Plantsci] Wonderful Wednesday!

Tue Dec 5 06:30:07 MST 2023

Hello PLS Faculty, David and Leslie

Thank you, Leslie, and David, for updating us on the latest financial situation, as it is difficult to keep up with all the information coming from many avenues.

Some may have overlooked the attached file, a news article sent to all faculty late last week from the Chair of Faculty, Leslie Hudson, outlining the financial issues in our college.  Can you please also address the information in this article in your financial update?

Thanks

Monica

From: Plantsci <plantsci-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu> on behalf of Bonilla, Leslie Anne - (lesliebonilla) <lesliebonilla at arizona.edu>
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at 5:40 PM
To: plantsci at list.cals.arizona.edu <plantsci at list.cals.arizona.edu>
Subject: [Plantsci] Wonderful Wednesday!
Hello everyone!

What a half of a week!!  As per the usual in our amazing department things are never dull!

  1.  Just reiterating the information from my earlier email..  Due to a positive COVID case of a business office staff that had worked in the office yesterday that was symptomatic, all office staff that can work remotely will be working remotely until Monday.  So far no one else has any symptoms and it’s to early to take a test for any of us that are wanting to do that.  Please avoid the business office unless necessary and use social distancing so we can minimize any spread.

  1.  I am working with Dr. Galbraith and have met with the EC to be able to produce the best financial health report for everyone.  In these recent discussions I was able to get a better understanding of faculty concerns regarding several details that have to do with our department’s financial health.  I was reminded that perspectives are different depending on where your focus is and what information you have.  Dr. Galbraith and I want to communicate to you everything that we know about the CALES deficit situation as well as the current financial state of our unit.  This will be coming soon.  In the meantime, I want to let everyone know that when I identified funds to utilize for the 1.4 million payback, I went account by account to find the funding keeping the following in mind:
*No funding associated with current PI’s would be used.
*Funding that had not had any income or expenses since 2018 were used.  This was mainly funding in accounts of individuals that had long since retired and the funding should have been moved to the SPLS general use account years ago.
*Funding from any general SPLS unit head discretionary accounts were used AFTER all future expenditures were accounted for.
*Gift funding only used from SPLS general gift (unit head discretionary account).  All endowment or endowment related accounts as well as gift accounts set up with specific PIs and or Projects were not used.
As your Manager of Finance and Administration, I understand how precious funding is to you to be able to do your work.  I will do everything possible to protect those funds and if there ever comes a time when I think there is a remote possibility of any types of account sweeps, I will reach out and meet with you immediately.  There will be no surprises from me, you will know what I know.  I don’t like financial surprises unless I find $20 in my winter coat pocket.

I want everyone to know that I am just as committed to you and the unit as I was on day one.  I know I have not been as available as I want to be and for that I apologize for that.  But please know that I am watching over your accounts and taking care of situations based on what is most pressing.  I still see a future with our business office being the type of dependable resource to administer to the needs of the unit efficiently and effectively.  I have been told that Rome wasn’t built in a day more than once since starting my position here.  I think had I been around back then I might have tried to figure out a way to make that happen.  😊

As always, I appreciate everyone’s support, patience and the goodwill shown to me.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

[The University of Arizona block 'A' logo.]
Leslie Bonilla
Manager, Finance and Administration
School of Plant Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Forbes, 303
1140 E South Campus Dr | TUCSON, AZ 85721
Office: 520-621-8689 |
lesliebonilla at .arizona.edu<mailto:lesliebonilla at .arizona.edu>
cals.arizona.edu/spls<https://cals.arizona.edu/spls>

[Integrity, Compassion, Exploration, Adaptation, Inclusion, Determination]<https://brand.arizona.edu/signature>

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