October


In This Issue:

2011 budgeting process on the horizon

After a difficult 2010 budget planning process, MIT is beginning the 2011 process and continuing its plan to reduce expenses in light of the recent decline in the Institute’s endowment value.

Provost Rafael Reif and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Terry Stone will issue a budget letter that will outline the parameters of the 2011 budget, as well as the documents required from departments, labs and centers. Due to the work being completed by the Institute-wide Task Force and the expected impacts on the Fiscal 2011 budget, the letter will come out later than usual this year. The letter is typically sent in mid- to late-October. More >>

Travel alert: Savings opportunities

VPF Sourcing, Travel and Procurement Services has secured additional savings opportunities for MIT travelers, as it ramps up efforts to leverage MIT's buying power on behalf of the community.

Among the new savings opportunities: New pricing for US Airways Shuttles between Boston and New York and Boston and Washington, DC; new discounts at Marriott hotels in the top 20 cities visited by MIT travelers; an 8% discount on Jet Blue flights; the availability of consolidator flight tickets from OT&T Travel Management for flights to Asia and the Middle East; and MIT-only rates for car service from PlanetTran.

Announcement of these arrangements comes as VPF moves forward with a pilot of a travel credit card and an online travel booking and expense reporting tools and is working hard to forge an easier, more modern travel process for the community. Learn more about our preferred travel providers >>

Progress through collaboration

In the spirit of the collaboration and innovative thinking of the Institute-wide Planning Task Force process, VPF staff members recently participated in a cross-functional working group to address new, important federal reporting requirements. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grants and contracts carry stringent quarterly reporting requirements that are a critical condition of MIT continuing to draw on the more than $93 million in ARRA funding awarded to MIT researchers.

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) led a working group of representatives from VPF, IS&T, and DLCs to integrate data from MIT enterprise systems, including SAP and HR-Payroll, and deliver ARRA report data in a web-based system solution that is easy for MIT Principal Investigators (PIs) to use. The group developed what became the My ARRA module within Coeus Lite, which is pre-populated with virtually all the information required in ARRA reports. The development process required extensive mapping of data elements and sources and could only have been done with collaboration by diverse stakeholders. My ARRA now makes it possible for PIs to quickly review the report information, edit or add their contribution, and submit that information from nearly any location.

As result of this collaboration, and the dedication of faculty and administrators across campus, MIT was able to meet reporting requirements for the first quarter of the fiscal year. This cross-departmental initiative is a striking example of the power of collaboration across organizational areas. It is an example that is increasingly being replicated across the Institute, as MIT streamlines processes and implements more efficient and logical ways of doing business. Thank you to all who continue to participate in the quarterly reporting process.

VPF Point Person: Mae Jones, HR/Payroll

HR/Payroll might be a nexus of MIT. It of course has a special significance for employees and retirees, and its services and processes are complexly interwoven with an array of operations across the Institute. It can be at once an exciting, challenging, and hectic place to work. So it is for Senior HR Payroll Representative Mae Jones. She spends much of her time making sure those complicated services and processes fulfill HR/Payroll's fundamental goal: To pay employees and retirees accurately and on time. More >>

Save the date

Consider the source

VPF Sourcing, Travel and Procurement Services is working to make it easier for members of the community to book and expense travel and purchase products and services. The group is moving toward a new model of supporting the community, with an emphasis on providing hands-on service and guidance and on more effectively leveraging MIT's buying power. Before you initiate significant purchases of products and services, VPF asks that you please contact a Sourcing representative for guidance.

Full DACCA certification for Q4

VPF extends thanks to all members of the community who contributed to the realization of a 100 percent DACCA certification for the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2009.

MIT policy requires Principal Investigators (PIs) and cost object supervisors to certify salary changes within 90 days of the end of each quarter. This is especially important for sponsored research where federal regulation requires this certification as condition for receiving federal funds. Achieving 100 percent certification is critical to MIT's standing as a recipient of government research funds.

Considering the vital importance of complying with federal regulations, MIT's Research Administration Coordinating Committee (RACC) has been considering ways to clarify the certification process and enhance compliance. It is expected that modifications based on RACC's efforts will be announced within the next month. We anticipate that the details of the changes will be available in the November issue of the VPF Monthly Statement.

Join the evolution: Jobs at VPF

It is an exciting time to work at VPF, as we streamline and modernize processes and evolve toward an organization squarely focused on the needs of the MIT community. In the spirit of offering growth and development opportunities to members of the community, we extend an invitation to talented, dedicated individuals across the Institute: Consider joining our evolution. Open positions ...

Please remember to ...

  • Submit your payroll documents prior to the weekly and monthly cutoff dates. Cutoff dates >>
  • Make sure charges are allowed by the terms of a sponsor agreement before allocating those charges to a sponsored account. Sponsored Projects Accounting >>
  • Remember to itemize expenses in a Request for Payment (RFP) and if charging to multiple GLs clearly indicate which expenses should be charged to which GLs. RFP Guidelines >>
  • Contact a VPF service representative if you have any question related to a VPF service. VPF contacts >>

Email list for Monthly Statement

To assure the VPF Monthly Statement is directed to the appropriate individuals across campus, we have set up an email list to which we will only send the VPF Monthly Statement. Join the email list >>

Events and Schedules

  • Administrative and Fiscal Officer's Meeting, 11/20
  • Fundamentals of Budgeting at MIT, 11/24
  • Fundamentals of Financial Management, 11/30-12/3

Sign up for training >>
More events and schedules >>

At your service: Financial and administrative service areas within the VPF