[Plsfaculty] [Plantsci] Graduate Student Funding Plan Form

Fri Apr 12 17:50:19 MST 2024

Hi Leslie,

Thank you for providing insight into the rationale behind the request for advanced funding information.

While I understand the importance of planning, I remain unconvinced of the necessity for submitting several years of funding details upfront. As mentioned by Mark, projections over extended periods are prone to inaccuracies and may require frequent updates, necessitating additional effort on both ends to maintain accuracy. For example, if we do need a change in the information we have already provided (which is likely to be the case for most of us), we will still have to contact you to provide the changes, and you will need to update that information in the system. Moreover, the task of correcting salary errors and ensuring accurate input is more effectively managed with yearly information, especially considering that ERE costs and tuition rates change regularly.

Our current approach, as articulated by Mark, involves providing funding information on a yearly or per-semester basis, a process that has proven effective and manageable for our department. We respond promptly to requests from the DGS regarding funding plans at the onset of each term. Following this, we engage with UAccess notifications for effort certifications, ensuring accuracy and timely approvals. This method has served us well and is similarly practiced in other units like MCB.

The crux of the matter lies not in advance information availability but in establishing a streamlined process that guarantees accurate and timely data entry by individuals familiar with the system. It is imperative that any errors are swiftly identified and rectified within the system framework.

Maintaining flexibility in assigning individuals to specific grants or funding sources is vital for optimizing my program operations. I am concerned that the proposed changes may impede this flexibility, potentially undermining our operational efficiency and frankly, the ability to recruit and mentor graduate students.

Therefore, aligning with the sentiments expressed by Mark, Duke, Alex, and others, I suggest we defer this plan and discuss it further during our upcoming faculty meeting.

Best Regards,
Ravi

--
Ravishankar Palanivelu, Ph. D.
Professor
School of Plant Sciences
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, 85721
Phone: 520-626-2229
Fax: 520-621-7186
Web: http://ag.arizona.edu/research/ravilab
________________________________
From: Plantsci <plantsci-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu> on behalf of SPLS-BIZOFFICE <SPLS-BIZOFFICE at arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 1:30 PM
To: Bucksch, Alexander - (bucksch) <bucksch at arizona.edu>
Cc: plantsci at list.cals.arizona.edu <plantsci at list.cals.arizona.edu>; SPLS-BIZOFFICE <SPLS-BIZOFFICE at arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: [Plantsci] Graduate Student Funding Plan Form

Hello,

I appreciate your response.  I am not sure how this information was documented processed or communicated to the business office in the past.  I know that I don’t have the information needed and am asking for your assistance in completing and submitting this form so that I do have current and accurate information.  I know that salaries have not been charged correctly in many cases due to various factors affecting the business office.  This is the simplest and fastest way that I can identify the salary errors and get them corrected prior to the beginning of FY25.

Going forward a process will be created and implemented to avoid future duplication of this effort.

Again, I appreciate everyone’s help and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

[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>

From: Bucksch, Alexander - (bucksch) <bucksch at arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 1:10 PM
To: Bonilla, Leslie Anne - (lesliebonilla) <lesliebonilla at arizona.edu>
Cc: plantsci at list.cals.arizona.edu; SPLS-BIZOFFICE <SPLS-BIZOFFICE at arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: [Plantsci] Graduate Student Funding Plan Form

Hello Leslie,

we provided this information to DGS Monica Schmidt at the time I hired Will. I guess everyone else had to do the same and provided the funding scheme information when they hired their students.

The information is certainly already existent.

Best,

Alex

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[cid:image004.png at 01DA8B4B.2F980170]

Dr. Alexander Bucksch
Associate Professor - School of Plant Sciences
BIO5 member
GIDP Faculty in Data Science & Statistics and Applied Mathematics

e: bucksch at arizona.edu<mailto:bucksch at arizona.edu>
w: http://www.computational-plant-science.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abucksch/

[cid:image005.jpg at 01DA8B4B.2F980170]

http://www.ipps8.org/

We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

On Apr 10, 2024, at 11:30 AM, Bonilla, Leslie Anne - (lesliebonilla) <lesliebonilla at arizona.edu<mailto:lesliebonilla at arizona.edu>> wrote:

Dr. Brown has requested that I send out the attached form to assist our office to accurately calculate projected expenses for Grad Student Funding.  This form is to be used for clarifying how Graduate Students will be paid over the course of their time in our unit.  Having a funding plan for Graduate Students is not just a policy of CALES, it’s imperative information that the SPLS business office needs to ensure accurate financial projections for accounts.  This form will also work as a tool to easily ensure that student’s salary is moved timely to the correct accounts, according to the funding plan, avoiding additional work caused by errors.

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