tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post4996480142264929157..comments2024-03-25T02:33:41.590-05:00Comments on FemaleScienceProfessor: AA: Alcohol & AccountantsFemale Science Professorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288567883197987690noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-13034828657431925442009-08-27T22:36:53.070-05:002009-08-27T22:36:53.070-05:00Comrades,
As an Administrative Member of the Depa...Comrades,<br /><br />As an Administrative Member of the Department Team you will be pleased to hear:<br /><br />1) Reimbursement for per diem and entertainment expenses has ceased. Due to new accounting practices the University will pay up front for all expenses<br /> a) Via purchase order<br /> b) With registered vendors<br /> c) After we've certified the vendor's financial catagory<br /> d) And it will be registered as "Consumables - Other (Non-"Dance Textbooks")" in the financial system.<br /> e) Vendor payment may occur up to six months after the meal.<br /><br />2) It is perfectly okay to purchase alcohol for University events, or as a function<br /> a) Except you need to fractionally itemise the receipt into three categories.<br /> b) And staff consumption of alcohol will be charged against your funds 2.125x the value of the actual expense. Except for sales tax.<br /><br />+ + +<br />Australian accountants at Universities don't mind the booze, but the whole payment system is insane due to the Fringe Benefits Tax rules.<br /><br />Oh yeah, and Senior University management who purchase a financial system which means we can't report on current balance or resolve transactions in a timely manner. FUN.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-3642365885673537062009-02-17T09:33:00.000-06:002009-02-17T09:33:00.000-06:00The academe and alcoholism should really be separa...The academe and alcoholism should really be separated.<BR/>Such combination is quite undesirable.<BR/><BR/> US Government is strictly imposing the policy on alcohol prohibition among teachers because the academe should become the role model on its learners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-61925935237920659112008-11-21T23:17:00.000-06:002008-11-21T23:17:00.000-06:00I had a colleague who ordered Grand Marnier Cheese...I had a colleague who ordered Grand Marnier Cheesecake with dinner while taking a job candidate to dinner and the office questioned why she was ordering alcohol. She ended up having to submit a menu from the restaurant showing that Grand Marnier Cheesecake is indeed a dessert.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I once submitted a national park map to demonstrate that indeed there were no other hotels near where the conference was happening so I could get a full reimbursement.<BR/><BR/>Sheesh.MargretHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00438437053684478780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-77843803303321109152008-11-21T21:51:00.000-06:002008-11-21T21:51:00.000-06:00I am an elected board member of a professional soc...I am an elected board member of a professional society, which requires me to attend a board meeting prior to a big national meeting.<BR/><BR/>The society pays for those 2 nights of lodging, and my university travel funds (sponsored research) pays for the lodging for the nights of the scientific meeting. <BR/><BR/>Seems pretty clean to me.<BR/><BR/>Every year, when I submit my request for reimbursement, it gets held up. They accountants want me to provide an explanation of why I am asking for $0 reimbursement for those 2 nights. A written explanation. I already explained it on my travel reimbursement.<BR/><BR/>You would think that as long as the university is not paying for it, they would not care. But sometime not being reimbursed also raises suspicions ...Professor Staffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10956540743632827470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-81917486302229488402008-11-20T09:45:00.000-06:002008-11-20T09:45:00.000-06:00i can only assume that accountancy drives one to d...i can only assume that accountancy drives one to drink and therefore all accountants assume all other professionals are also driven to drink and so must have it in triplicate that perambulation to drink did not in fact occur.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-72766478993672899012008-11-20T07:13:00.000-06:002008-11-20T07:13:00.000-06:00In my country, we are not even allowed to purchase...In my country, we are not even allowed to purchase cookies or tea or coffee from government or university funds, which I find utterly ridiculous.<BR/><BR/>So I end up inviting visitors to lunch or coffee on my own money, which I don't actually see as fair, as these are work visitors, not friends.<BR/><BR/>Now, I've cooked up some schemes to get cookie money: Put partner links from organizations that offer you kickbacks all over my web pages and invite students to purchase throught this. This is money I can spend on anything. <BR/><BR/>I can also pick up empty bottles from the trash and return them for deposit.....<BR/><BR/>I find it so embarrassing - when I go to other country people go out of their way to invite me to things. It is just in my country that they are so horrible about you getting "advantages" from your job. <BR/><BR/>Of course, that doesn't keep our banks and automobile companies and insurance companies and what not from being so greedy, they kill our economy.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-89233348431060870912008-11-19T20:41:00.000-06:002008-11-19T20:41:00.000-06:00Welcome to PeoplesoftWelcome to PeoplesoftEliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-37149214901524130992008-11-19T05:05:00.000-06:002008-11-19T05:05:00.000-06:00In my old lab in France, we could order wine with ...In my old lab in France, we could order wine with meals at lunches with visiting professors. It was paid for by the group. It was the norm. We also used to have (rationed) champagne in the lab (5pm-ish) at people's farewell parties. There was no problem regarding alcohol consumption. However...<BR/><BR/>When we went to a meeting abroad and bought stuff for dinner from the supermarket (cheaper option) instead of eating out (more expensive option), the admin refused to reimburse the cost. They would reimburse restaurant bills, but not supermarket bills. Another bizzare set of rules!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-63527408677593801672008-11-18T23:21:00.000-06:002008-11-18T23:21:00.000-06:00Stay tuned for tomorrow's post. It gets better (or...Stay tuned for tomorrow's post. It gets better (or worse, depending on your perspective).Female Science Professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288567883197987690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-90906999113442508312008-11-18T23:18:00.000-06:002008-11-18T23:18:00.000-06:00That madness and repetition of tasks sounds exactl...That madness and repetition of tasks sounds exactly like my university. A new assistant professor here mentioned s/he has contemplated looking for a new job thanks to the ineptness of the staff.Karinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16757213778638431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-44133867919442134872008-11-18T22:30:00.000-06:002008-11-18T22:30:00.000-06:00At my university, it's not the alcohol that's the ...At my university, it's not the alcohol that's the problem, it's the TIP. If you leave a tip, since they consider this a gift, it must come from a gift account.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-49872718591143431692008-11-18T18:18:00.000-06:002008-11-18T18:18:00.000-06:00Prior to grad school, I did a stint as an academic...Prior to grad school, I did a stint as an academic admin. So, I am empathetic to the hapless schlubs just trying to do their jobs. The alcohol obsession comes from up on high, and it is up to university to develop a policy that shows that they take it seriously. And yes, the point of pretty much all university policy is to survive, or even better avoid, an audit. <BR/><BR/>The real problem is that admins often aren't well trained in university policy. You should have been asked right away for the correct format of your letter. But whoever you were talking to didn't know what they were doing.yoliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05377530393720341372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-29566652771457909692008-11-18T15:32:00.000-06:002008-11-18T15:32:00.000-06:00I can't believe the accountant actually took you s...I can't believe the accountant actually took you seriously when you asked if you should state that you were 'very, very sorry for your extremely negligent behavior'. I mean, I get the no alcohol bought with school money thing, but asking you to certify three times that you didn't drink any? Jeez. Maybe you should see if the school would purchase a breathalyzer so you can provide some actual data to back up your no alcohol claims in the future.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17651865110935257027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-16809974906243304882008-11-18T10:17:00.000-06:002008-11-18T10:17:00.000-06:00My department has come up with an ingenious soluti...My department has come up with an ingenious solution (from the student perspective) to the problem of department functions and alcohol. All the faculty are asked to contribute to a fund (or maybe coerced into it). This fund is then used to buy a keg of beer once a month for a party which is organized by the grad students. It also pays for wine at classier events. The accountants are kept at bay, but we still have to get permits from the police.aceonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11588442334478884705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-80249482796667291672008-11-18T10:13:00.000-06:002008-11-18T10:13:00.000-06:00My public university serves alcohol at certain fun...My public university serves alcohol at certain functions. There are many layers of convoluted admin-fu required to get it, but it has something to do with purchasing it on a Foundation account rather than a State account. Foundation money can be spent in all sorts of ways. State money is more restricted.<BR/><BR/>Despite all that, as chair of the seminar committee I can't get reimbursed for any alcohol that the speaker consumed at dinner after the talk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-72737352636601698752008-11-18T09:13:00.000-06:002008-11-18T09:13:00.000-06:00All sounds sadly familiar at our state university,...All sounds sadly familiar at our state university, where heavens forfend that we spend any state money on alcohol.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-61663963544230442882008-11-18T08:43:00.000-06:002008-11-18T08:43:00.000-06:00I don't know what's more depressing... the things ...I don't know what's more depressing... the things we do care about spending money on, or the things we don't care about spending money on.sandy shoeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05617376664356510015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-28884257539026303832008-11-18T08:16:00.000-06:002008-11-18T08:16:00.000-06:00There is definite weirdness with alcohol at my uni...There is definite weirdness with alcohol at my university (in a state recently featured by NYT for having a drinking problem, no less). There are university rules about alcohol, but it is allowed. Our department (physical science) is just uptight about it - I always thought it had to do with the (oddly, in my opinion) very Mormon or other very religious elements in my department. <BR/><BR/>And you should be pleased that you get reimbursed at all... my advisor has to pay out of his own pocket for visiting speakers dinner if it is not a named lectureship with a budget for that sort of thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-24049401643783672008-11-18T07:29:00.000-06:002008-11-18T07:29:00.000-06:00I always thought the reasoning was this: public un...I always thought the reasoning was this: public universities are funded by the taxpayers. Some taxpayers are morally opposed to alcohol consumption. Thus, taxpayers should not be compelled to fund others' alcohol consumption. For some reason, it's okay for vegetarian taxpayers to fund meat consumption, and for health-nazi taxpayers to fund trans-fat consumption, but alcohol is different.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-86907792986414809562008-11-18T07:08:00.000-06:002008-11-18T07:08:00.000-06:00Much of the general public (in the US) views acade...Much of the general public (in the US) views academia as a place where elitist, free-thinking liberals have somehow gotten the US government to fund their low-work lifestyle in which we "only work 8 hours per week", drink expensive wine with all meals, and generally scam the government. We also charge yacht maintenance to government accounts, etc etc.<BR/><BR/>This viewpoint leads them to believe that government must do serious oversight to keep us lazy slouches inline. And that leads our universities (yes, even some private ones like mine) to be hyper-vigilant about accounting because of the fear of government crackdowns. <BR/><BR/>I became a professor several years after the yacht incident out west (Stanford?), but nonetheless I have watched the enforcement and vigilance get weirder and tougher while I've been here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-12891233204239048402008-11-18T06:42:00.000-06:002008-11-18T06:42:00.000-06:00At my University, it is school policy, not funding...At my University, it is school policy, not funding source policy. It may be different elsewhere, of course, but I can vouch for that being true here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-43652356713808053462008-11-18T06:08:00.000-06:002008-11-18T06:08:00.000-06:00Are you SURE you don't work at UCLA? I used to be ...Are you SURE you don't work at UCLA? I used to be a staffer there and this was exactly the reimbursement experience. I used to say they (mis-)spent three bucks on compliance for every dollar actually blown on travel, dinners, etc.Luishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01868911400131755249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-9609260374259226922008-11-18T05:45:00.000-06:002008-11-18T05:45:00.000-06:00In the UK, there is a distinction made when alcoho...In the UK, there is a distinction made when alcohol is consumed; certain things that are education-related can be exempt from VAT (a tax), but not alcohol consumption, so if we are claiming VAT exemption then the alcohol costs have to be separated out from that. So over here, the fussiness about alcohol would be ok as no doubt the accountants have to record these things, but the rest of it? Sheer anality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-13377420467077341612008-11-18T05:15:00.000-06:002008-11-18T05:15:00.000-06:00At our NZ university the alcohol at social functio...At our NZ university the alcohol at social functions is pretty much ubiquitous, and allows students a great way to see which professor is likely to have great hands in the lab. Not to mention identifying the bum pinchers. I don't think it could come out of petty cash (too much for starters) although I can't think what other account it might appear under . . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-80779948523694794172008-11-18T04:50:00.000-06:002008-11-18T04:50:00.000-06:00This obsession with alcohol is not exclusive of th...This obsession with alcohol is not exclusive of the US, and effectively hampered our labs work in my previous University. You see, alcohol (ethanol) was rationed (ie, each person had the right to claim only up to 2L/year, or something similar) for lab use, even through grant funding. So the amount of available ethanol any given year available for my group would have to come from pooling of quotas dependant on the number of students and postgrads, and a lot of negotiating with other peoples allowances. This meant effectively that cleaning and dehydration solutions for bench cleansing and glassware drying could not be made with ethanol from, say, March onwards every year on a small sized lab. As a PI, I had to put money from my pocket to buy ethanol in pharmacies and get the job done. No amount of cajolling the accountants resolved this issue. The only explanation for me was that there was an insane pocket of people at admin level, consuming pure ethanol intravenously, which felt the need to regularly throw out experimental accounting rule madness to help spread the fuzzy feelings in there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com