UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Controller

Rowena Bramlette ’88 Endowed Scholarship Announced

We are pleased to announce an endowed scholarship has been established in memory of Rowena Bramlette ’88.  Rowena served the University for 14 years and retired from her position of associate vice president for budgeting in 2019. She passed away after a courageous battle with cancer in January 2020. Prior to his retirement as vice president of financial affairs, Alan Timmins ’80 had nurtured the idea to create a scholarship in Rowena’s memory. Initial funding was provided by Alan and members of the Controller’s Office. Rowena’s husband, Rod Bramlette has added his support to the scholarship along with the President’s Leadership Cabinet. The scholarship will be called the Rowena B. Bramlette ’88 Financial Affairs International Accounting Scholarship, and will be given each year to an outstanding senior, non-US born, accounting student.

In remembrance of Rowena, University employees and members of the faculty may contribute to her scholarship by using this link.  To  inquire on how you can make your donation through payroll deduction, please contact Kati Duffy, development, at duffyk@up.edu.

Fiscal Year-End Reminders

The University’s fiscal year ends on Thursday, June 30, and there are some important dates and reminders to note:

  • Expenses submitted prior to June 30 which are for travel or events occurring in fiscal year 2021 will be accrued, and paid against the fiscal year 2021 budget.
  • Reimbursement and Payment Request forms to be paid against the fiscal year 2020 budget need to be submitted to the Controller’s Office no later than Friday, July 17th.
  • All goods and services purchased must be received by June 30. Any deliveries received after June 30 will be charged to the fiscal year 2021 budget.

For more information on all fiscal year-end procedures see the Fiscal Year-End Policy on the Controller’s Office webpage, or contact Lori Watson at x7393 or duax@up.edu.

Alan Timmins Announces Retirement: Thank You For Stellar Service

The University’s vice president for financial affairs, Alan P. Timmins, has announced his plan to retire from his position as of June 30, 2020, according to a message by University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.

He graduated from the University maxima cum laude with degrees in accounting and management before earning his MBA from Stanford University. He worked as an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers then joined AVI (now Sarepta Therapeutics), a pioneering medical research company. At AVI, he rose through the ranks and eventually served as the company’s president and chief operating officer for eight years. In 2009, he was named one of the “Significant 75” alumni of the Pamplin School of Business. In 2011, Alan came home to UP, joining the University as Vice President for Financial Affairs.

During his tenure, the value of the endowment more than doubled from $102 million to $206 million. This accomplishment has enabled UP to fund student scholarships, support faculty, and reduce dependence on tuition. Timmins also achieved an upgrade to the University’s bond rating from BBB+ to A, reducing University interest expenses and total debt service. He has provided remarkable leadership to the Division of Financial Affairs, including the controller’s office, student accounts, budgeting, and financial aid, and has guided UP’s relationships with Barnes & Noble and Bon Appétit Management Company. His transparent, collaborative approach to sustainable budgetary management has served UP and its educational mission well.

Eric Barger, currently associate vice president and controller, will serve as interim vice president for financial affairs beginning July 1, and Lori Watson will become interim controller. Please join Alan’s colleagues in sending best wishes to him and his wife Annette for their happy retirement in Arizona.

Controller’s Office: Electronic Submission of Payment Requests

The Controller’s Office will temporarily accept electronic submission of payment requests while the University is closed due to COVID-19, according to Lori Watson. Please combine all documents into one PDF file and submit to accounts_payable@up.edu.  Payments will continue to be processed but please note there may be some delays.  Thank you for your cooperation during this difficult time.

Barger Selected for 2020-21 NACUBO Fellows Program

Eric Barger, associate vice president for finance and controller, has been selected for the 2020-21 National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Fellows Program, a one-year professional development opportunity for a small group of promising higher education leaders in business and finance.

Barger earned a bachelor’s degree in health care management with a minor in communication studies as well as a bachelor’s degree in marketing in 1990, and a master’s degree in business administration in 1994, all here on The Bluff. He has served as controller since October 2008.

Sixteen promising higher education professionals from colleges and universities across the country have been selected for this year’s program. Over the next year, NACUBO Fellows will work with higher education presidents, provosts, chief business officers (CBOs), and other experts as they expand their management, communications, and leadership skills and learn from the experiences of others.

NACUBO, founded in 1962, is a nonprofit professional organization representing chief administrative and financial officers at more than 1,900 colleges and universities across the country. NACUBO works to advance the economic vitality, business practices, and support of higher education institutions in pursuit of their missions.

For more information contact Barger at barger@up.edu or NACUBO at KMcCreary@nacubo.org.

Money Matters:  60-Day Rule for Expense Reimbursements

There have been a number of questions recently about expense reimbursements, so it appears to be a good time for some policy/tax law reminders, according to Lori Watson, controller’s office.

  • As a general rule, all purchases should be made with a University purchasing card (or “p-card”).  Expense reimbursements are for non-p-card transactions such as mileage and cash tips.
  • Expense reimbursements requests must be submitted within 60 days of expenditure (this is a tax law requirement).  Requests received after 60 days may not be paid.
  • The 60-day rule applies to mileage payments.  Best practice is to report mileage on a monthly basis especially for those who do a lot of driving.

Please contact the controller’s office at x7393 or up_controller@up.edu if you have questions.

Please Note: PCard Reconciliation Due March 9

As we head into and early spring break, the controller’s office wants to remind faculty and staff that may be traveling and not on campus next week, that they still need to do PCard reconciliation of February charges before Monday, March 9.  If you have charges for the month of February on your card, and you know you will not have any more charges, you can log onto the Wells Fargo website prior to the end of the month, enter descriptions and save your changes. Turn over your receipts in a PCard envelope to your approver before you leave campus and from any computer, wherever you are, you can log onto the Wells Fargo website and hit the Statement Reviewed button.  This will ensure that you are following your agreement with the University to reconcile your cards.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail Theresa Knott in the Controller’s office at ext. 8712 or pcard@up.edu.

Rowena Bramlette, You Are Missed

The University of Portland community lost one of its most treasured colleagues, Rowena Bramlette, former associate vice president for budgeting and a member of the UP class of 1988, the night of January 23, after an extended battle with cancer.

A service will be held for Rowena on Saturday, February 1, at 10 a.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. A reception will follow in the Pilot House.

In keeping with Rowena’s wishes, feel free to wear bright colors reflective of her smile.

According to a campus-wide message from University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., “Rowena was a person of extraordinary warmth, kindness, and generosity of spirit.  In the course of her work in our Budget Office, she had the opportunity to interact with every division and department across campus. She was a dear colleague and friend to so many at UP, and she will be deeply missed.” Rowena retired on March 1, 2019.

Please remember Rowena and her husband, Rod, and her family in your prayers.

Time To Review Your W-2

The payroll office is in the process of producing W-2 forms, to ensure accuracy employees are encouraged to carefully review their personal information, such as legal name, W-2 mailing address, and social security number.

For fastest delivery of your 2019 W2, please sign up for electronic delivery. Log in to Self-Serve Banner, click on the Employee tab in the left hand corner, then select Tax Forms and Electronic W-2 Consent. This remains in effect each year so you only must sign up once!

W-2’s will be available by January 31, 2020.

Barnes & Noble P-Card Purchase Changes

Shopping cart with credit card and keyboard.

There has been an upgrade to the Barnes and Noble Bookstore credit card processing system, according to Theresa Knott, controller’s office. Faculty and staff who purchase items with a P-card at the bookstore will now need to have a PIN set up for the PIN and chip features on their cards. In the past the bookstore staff were able to manually enter card information and override the necessity of entering a PIN if the cardholder didn’t know or have a PIN set up on the card. That will no longer be possible. Please be prepared to enter a PIN number for all P-card transactions with the bookstore. If you have not set up a PIN, or if you do not remember your PIN, you will need to call Wells Fargo to reset the PIN. Follow the instructions below.

  • Call Wells Fargo at 1-800-932-0036 and select option 2
  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Enter your account number (pcard number)
  • Enter your Unique ID#.  Your Unique ID is the last four digits of your UP ID#.
  • Select a four digit PIN

For more information contact Knott at pcard@up.edu.